On Digital Minimalism

Why digital minimalism?

Being minimalist has a lot of advantages like living a stress-free life. But the approach is seldom hard to find and implement. Here, I am going to list some tips for maintaining a healthy digital life by focusing on the essential things.

Note

Digital minimalism is the term coined by Cal Newport in his book Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World.

Some tips for digital minimalism -

Keep track of services you're registering to

Maintain a spreadsheet to keep track of the services you have registered and the kind of information you are providing. Below is the screenshot of my spreadsheet, which I use to keep track of the services I use.

Use streaming services when possible

We live in the age of streaming. There are a variety of services we can use to stream music, videos, and other stuff. Another advantage is we will not have to store anything on our devices which will decrease some burden.
Use unique and strong passwords
The key to digital security is to use unique and strong passwords. Below is a sample.


Store private data in encrypted format

It's better to use encryption to store data so only you can understand it.

Limit the usage of payment methods

Use a dedicated payment method for almost every service which makes keeping track of transactions easy.

Maintain limited playlists

Use a few playlists to save music, videos. It will be easy to access them in the future.

Pro tip

Use native playlists provided by streaming services.

Store limited, high-quality media

Save a few high-quality pictures and videos for preserving your memories. Eliminate duplicates and low-quality media. Use albums to categorize media.

Pro tip

Use services like Google Photos for minimal usage of device storage.

Avoid distractions

Limit screen-time with the help of digital programs like Digital Wellbeing. If Digital Wellbeing is not available, use third-party apps. Be aware of the time you spend on social media.

Use a clean home screen

A clean home screen means having essential apps at our disposal. It helps us to focus on primary tasks.
Below are the screenshots of my desktop and phone home screen.


Use collections for ebooks

If you are an ebook reader, make sure to use collections for organizing ebooks.

Pro tip

Amazon Kindle is the best site for ebooks.


Register for essential services

Don't sign up for a plethora of services, instead register for the essential ones.

Do not use torrenting sites

It is more of a personal choice. Torrenting is unhealthy and make sure to avoid it. You feel stress managing media when you torrent. Instead, use streaming services and contribute to the global economy.

Do not run after offers and discounts

More discounts mean more services you're signed into. Avoid it.

Sync contacts to the cloud and organize them using labels

Best way to organize contacts is to label them. Eliminate duplicate contacts and redundant information. Finally, sync your contacts to the cloud.

Clean your inbox 

Make it a habit to clean your Gmail inbox (or whatever service you use). A clean inbox helps you focus and reduces stress. If a mail is important to you, archive it for future reference instead of deleting it. Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails, trust me it will help you in the future to organize your inbox.


These are some tips to make your digital experience a healthy one. Follow these tips if you're comfortable or else it's your choice at the end of the day.









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