Can You Apply Minimalism to the Technological World? Curating your Digital Space
Digital clutter is all around us, so much so that we don’t notice it taking over our lives. Like many people, I got into the habit of checking my email before getting out of bed in the morning. With every “ding” and red notification popping up in our faces, the amount of attention required to attend to our digital lives is overwhelming. Social media has taken over our time and pulls focus from the other sources of connection in our lives. Not to mention the advertisements that are both overt, like sponsored ads on instagram, and covert, like product placement in YouTube videos and affiliate links.
Digital Clutter
Be honest, how many pictures do you have stored on your phone? And how many did you have to take to get the one “perfect” one that’s worthy of sharing? We live in a digital world, there’s no avoiding or denying that. But I think it’s extremely helpful to realize just how much that digital space is impacting our thoughts, moods, and beliefs.
We are inundated with information shaping our ideas about how to live our lives and what true happiness looks like. If we have that jacket and those sunglasses, or if we’re getting married like all our of facebook friends, or if we respond to every text message immediately, then we’re doing okay and we can be happy. I wonder if that’s really true, or are we allowing this clutter to convince us that it is?
There’s an App For That
Just think of any need, item, or task that exists....and there’s an app for that. In many ways these apps or websites can help us to minimize and streamline our processes, such as having one place to organize your finances or one button that can open up a complex calendar and to-do list system. If we use these tools properly and efficiently, they can add immense value to our lives.
But let’s be real, I currently have 52 unread emails in my inbox. And most of those I know I won’t get back to or I’ve saved for later knowing later will never come. Without making the time or approaching our digital resources with the same intentionality as our physical clutter, it can get out of hand quickly. The danger for me is that digital clutter is far more subtle than physical items piling up in my home and without putting energy into managing letting go and bringing in digital items into my life, overwhelm creeps in and before you know it my digital life is out of control.
Curation
Curation will be key in dealing with any area of clutter. I think it’s unrealistic to not have a smartphone or manage email via a portable device (although I think it’s possible and if that works for you, that’s amazing!). Texting is how most of us communicate with our families or partners throughout the day, and business transactions are done in the digital space. You’re reading this blog (which I hope is valuable and worth the few minutes of your day), therefore you are utilizing your digital resources to enhance your life.
But not everything is contributing to your life in a meaningful way, and I think that’s so true within the digital realm. With the millions of ads, apps, tools, articles, videos available to distract us, it’s hard to slow down and only allow in things that add value to us. What is truly contributing in a valuable way versus what do you perceive as valuable but is actually just a way to avoid the tough stuff, like loneliness or feeling inadequate? I encourage you to start the process of curation to flesh this out for yourself.
Getting Started
I’m going to up the discomfort in this challenge. Pick your top 3 favorite apps, and delete them for one week. I’m curious what came up for you as you just read that sentence (and if you’re willing, please share it in the comments below)? Be completely honest with yourself, and as always remember to not judge, but notice if those apps are really adding to your life in a meaningful and valuable way. If so, put them back on in a week, and if not, practice the art of letting go.