How #DIGITALMINIMALISM Will Bring Peace to Your Life in the #DIGITALAGE

It’s no secret that the digital Age we’re living in provides tremendous value in everything we do. It’s also no secret that it can create chaos and overwhelm in our daily lives. With so much information floating around online it’s easy to get caught in the research trap, or overconsumption of content. Let’s explore how digital minimalism will bring peace to your life in the digital age.

Technology can be overwhelming

It wasn’t too long ago that rolodexes, notebooks, and desk calendars were our system of record before new apps, software and websites replaced non-digital systems. We also didn’t have new and evolving social media apps popping up left and right to keep up with. Now, we have busy schedules managed by online calendars, endless social media notifications, and a never-ending inbox of emails calling our name.

It doesn’t help that the glorious digital world can be both overwhelming and distracting yet endlessly helpful to our everyday lives. With so much constant tension between deciphering what is helpful and what is excess, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. It’s no wonder we get swept away for hours consuming social media or news sites. If you’re into the latest new technology it’s also easy to get caught up in exploring all the ins and outs of the new tool. There is no doubt technology can be overwhelming.

This is where Digital Minimalism comes in

Cal Newport, the author of Digital Minimalism; Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World coined the term. He describes digital minimalism as using our technology from tools, software, and apps with intention and purpose, rather than just wandering aimlessly for hours on end whenever we feel like it. In essence, putting structure and guidelines in place to ensure you’re getting the value you need, rather than wasting time.

When it comes to getting work done, the apps and tools available to you are designed to help you work more efficiently, create value, and save time. If you’re not careful, they’ll do the exact opposite, leading you nowhere fast and decreasing your productivity levels every day. By adapting to digital minimalism, it solves this problem by reducing what you’re using and how you’re utilizing it.

How to be a Digital Minimalist

You may favour minimalism in other aspects of your life whether it’s in home design, your expenses, or your lifestyle in general. Whether you do or not, I’m going to provide you with direct knowledge on how to become a digital minimalist to simplify your life and create more time for what matters most. Having more stuff doesn’t always lead to greater happiness - intention creates purpose in life.

The first thing you need to know is that digital minimalism isn’t about deleting all of your technology, it’s about cleaning up the clutter to clear the path for intention and purpose on a daily basis. Sounds great, right? It is, but it may feel challenging at first. Don’t give up!

Think about when you spend time on social media. How long or how many times per day do you get caught in the scrolling trap? It can easily become an addiction if you’re not careful. Too much screen time can lead to increased anxiety and depression and also leave you feeling burnt out. It’s easy to feel like we’re achieving something because we’re consuming, clicking buttons and staying up to date with current events and those we follow.

Although technology can lead to big break throughs in new developments, it can also take away from quality brainstorming and creativity that fuels those developments. Digital minimalism involves only participating in a small amount of technology that supports what you value and ditching the rest that doesn’t provide value to your life.

Pointers to help you get started:

Be deliberate with your intentions: Define a list of your core values. Write down your beliefs and what creates value in your life according to them. Do any of these values require technology? If so, identify which and only use technology that will support your intentions and values. This will create structure around how you use technology.

Optimize your digital tools: Review how you use technology today for hidden time wasters. Make a list of each tool you use and why you use it. Is it adding value and creating efficiency in your life? What is the purpose for using the digital tool? Only use tools that will optimize your life, not create wasted time.

Adapt and accept new beliefs around technology: You can’t be everywhere all the time and you shouldn’t be. Can you imagine what that would do to a person? The thought alone is exhausting. Technology is developed to pull you in and make you feel like you’re missing out if you’re not consuming it 24/7. Remember that everything you do is for a greater purpose. Only participate where it ADDS value to your life, not takes away from it.

Create alone time for yourself: It’s easy to get caught up in life’s demands and not have time for yourself but creating alone time is crucial for your mental and physical health. Ditch the technology and do something that won’t have you “spending time” with the rest of the world online. Take a walk or try meditating for 15 minutes without your phone nearby.

Turn your online presence status off: You know those online statuses that show everyone when you’re online on social media platforms? Turn them off. This will reduce the number of messages you receive, which will limit the time you feel the need to be online.

Get a hobby offline: Remember when you used to do things like read books, practice a musical instrument, or explore the outdoors? Whatever your hobby of choice is, it will inspire creativity and remove the distraction of outside noise that’s unnecessary to our everyday lives.

Delete unnecessary apps: You know those apps you keep on your phone or computer “just in case?” Delete them! There’s a good chance you have only opened them once and haven’t returned to them since. If you delete them, you won’t feel the constant pull of guilt to use them every time you open your device and see them. Eliminating temptation is a great way to practice digital minimalism.

Think about it in terms of money: What if you had to spend $1 every time you took action on technology? Think about it, if you had to spend $1 every time you liked, commented, opened, responded, etc would it be worth it? No. You’d be out of time, energy, and money. Envisioning these actions as if they had monetary value assigned will definitely help you cut back and choose wisely.

Summary: Finding peace in Digital Minimalism

Remember, becoming a digital minimalist doesn’t mean you’re permanently ditching technology. It means you’re finding meaningful ways to use technology that add value to your life. It’s ok if it doesn’t happen overnight for you, work on one digital tool per day to identify where you can cut back or eliminate to give yourself some much-needed time back in your day for what’s most important. Understanding your values will help you on your digital minimalist journey. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and burnt out, you’ll have increased productivity and intention every day.

#Minimalism #DigitalMinimalism #DigitalMinimalist #CalNewPort #SimplySimpleOrg #DigitalAge

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What is #DIGITALMINIMALISM ?

Endless Digital Consumption: Building a Fractured Life

Unsurprising to everyone and anyone, social media is bad for us. At least, it’s bad for us in the way it’s currently designed. All the social media apps you can think of that discuss community and fostering connection (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok, etc.) are the forerunners in creating an addiction to technology. Here is what we know about digital consumption currently:

● Our phones and apps are, by design, addictive attention-suckers.

● Anxiety and social media go hand-in-hand.

● By filling our in-between time, like commutes or in conversation pauses, or while

waiting in line at the store, with burying our faces in our phones, we lose the

ability to be alone with our thoughts.

● No mental space = limited creativity and minimal deep thinking.

● A lack of deep thinking = limited personal growth

Ultimately, the effects of this digital consumption are creating fragmented, unsatisfied

lives.

But we have to ask ourselves: why? What is the main goal behind digital consumption? What would people risk creating unsatisfied and fractured lives for? What drives our phones and apps to be designed as addictive as possible?

Short answer: capitalism.

Capitalist Digital Consumption: The Rat-Race For Your Money

Technology, and specifically social media apps, are in a consumption-driven rat-race for your attention, and by extension, your money. The longer you stay on any of these apps, the longer they have to figure out what makes you stay on a video 0.5 seconds longer and why. That information is more valuable than most of us realize. In our world of consistently shortening attention spans due to these apps creating dopamine feedback loops that keep you coming back for more, more, more entertainment always, how long you watch a video has monetary implications. If you watch a video on sneakers for a few seconds longer than a video on clothes, the algorithm of whatever social media app you're on notes that, and configures itself to show you more products that you’re likely to buy. In essence, social media apps are specifically designed to exploit consumer behaviour and increase the bottom line of major corporations who use

this exploitation to their advantage.

Minimalism and Technology: Stopping Our Exploitation

So what can we do to fix this problem? Is there a way to enjoy technology that doesn’t result in our endless exploitation and decreased quality of life and mental health? Some would argue digital minimalism is the answer. If minimalism is all about living with less, of getting rid of excess stuff, only inviting things into our lives that truly serve us and focusing on experiences, digital minimalism seeks

to merge this philosophy with technology. It seeks to draw the line between healthy and unhealthy technological consumption. Though technology is deeply entrenched as a form of cultural interaction and exchange, the way we’re currently interacting with the digital world is harmful to our health, both personally and culturally. Digital minimalism seeks to rewire the way we interact with technology and allows us to find peace with technology instead of being overrun by it.

Cal Newport: Choosing A Focused Life In a Noisy World

Digital Minimalism as a philosophy was popularized by bestselling author Cal Newport and his book Choosing A Focused Life In a Noisy World. Newport explains his Digital Minimalism philosophy as follows: a philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a same number of carefully selected and optimized activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else. Newports' take is refreshing, as it allows for the room to still participate in technological society comfortably as long as you tie your consumption to your core values. Figuring out your core values when you’re addicted to your phone can be difficult. It can be easy to think of community as a value and want to use Instagram, only to find yourself substituting actual deep and meaningful friendship with constantly taking and sharing pictures to gauge your own popularity in your social circle. Newport outlines a few different methods to find what digital technology actually serves us:

● Digital Detox. Spend time away from social media and take stock of what you

find. Are you happier, more relaxed? Identify which apps might serve this

happiness you’ve found rather than interrupt it.

● Spend Time Alone. Addiction to our phones means we’re never alone. Spend

some time fully “off grid” and see what you miss about technology. If there’s

nothing at all: cool. If you miss watching people review makeup on YouTube,

that’s fine too.

● Replace Social Media with Real Connection. Prioritize seeing people in person or

talking on the phone. The digital world removes emotion and inflection. Our lives

are much richer when we have those things.

● Schedule Out Your Time. If you’re going to participate in social media, schedule it

as a part of your day so you’re not overrun by it. Give it the attention you want to

and when your time is up, walk away. If you can’t walk away, then you know this

app might not actually be serving you and your health.

● Reclaim Leisure. Currently, our leisure time is taken up by technology. Whether

it’s TV, movies, social media, or other digital consumption, all of our time away

from work is spent on these activities. Reclaim some of your leisure time by

creating hobbies unrelated to social media that can help rebalance your mental

health and end the continuous instant dopamine hits that keep us addicted to

technology.

Resources: Learn more about Digital Minimalism

Newport’s book is solid but if you’re looking for more resources and critiques of our endless digital consumption and where to turn our efforts instead, check out the resources below:

● Comedian Bo Burnham Netflix Special: Inside. Burnham takes on the scary

endlessness of the internet. His song "Welcome to the Internet” specifically

critiques the dichotomies of the internet and how it preys on young people.

● Netflix’s Documentary: The Social Dilemma. This documentary discusses social

networking with some lead activists, experts, and original creators behind social

media algorithms to sound the alarm on the dangerous impact these apps are

having on our society.

Overall, digital minimalism helps us clarify not only what technologies will serve us but how to use those technologies. Cal Newport and the media above exposes the harmful effects of endless digital consumption; it’s up to us to implement these habits. But by putting in the work, we can switch from being overwhelmed by technology to being empowered by it.

#Minimalism #DigitalMinimalism #DigitalMinimalist #CalNewPort #SimplySimpleOrg

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Simple #MINIMALISTBEAUTYPRODUCTS You Can Make at Home

A minimalist beauty routine is about reducing how much you use as well as how much time you spend getting ready. But at its core, it's about natural beauty. Natural beauty brings out the qualities we already possess. It isn't about completely ignoring yourself, or not wearing anything. Even a simple beauty routine can be an important part of self-care. The aim is to achieve an effortless, yet elegant, look that pulls out the most natural, honest, and generous elements of your natural beauty. A greater movement called Minimalist Beauty has gradually taken over people's lives, improving their quality of life. We want to share our tips to help you achieve a new attitude towards beauty and to re-evaluate your beauty rituals if you're just getting acquainted with the minimal beauty revolution.

Cleanser and Moisturizer

To clean my face, I use a simple, homemade olive oil mix.

Recipe:

1. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2) Castor Oil

3) Shea Butter or 100% Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

It's a simple recipe and I find it works great for my skin-about three parts extra virgin olive oil to one part castor oil. I also add a drop of melaleuca (tea tree) oil for its antiseptic properties. I splash my face with water in the morning, then moisturize with either Shea Butter (it smells divine) or with 100% Virgin Organic Coconut Oil.

Natural Toner

Recipe:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

2) Water

I like apple cider vinegar despite its unpleasant scent since it is a natural skincare secret weapon. It may sound strange, but ACV is antiseptic and antibacterial, helping you get rid of acne and blackheads, and balancing the pH of your skin. Aside from lightening age spots and fading acne scars, the product is SUPER affordable. This raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar and distilled water should be mixed together at a 1: 1 ratio. I would dilute the mixture further with a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio of ACV to water if your skin is more dry or sensitive.

Homemade Deodorant

Ever wish you could make your own deodorant? Well, now you can! All you need are two ingredients that you may already have sitting in your pantry:

1. Aluminium Free Baking Soda

2. 100% Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

Now that you have the list of ingredients, you’ll need to know the recipe! Here’s what I’ve found works best for my body.

Recipe:

1 Tablespoon 100% Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

5 Tablespoons Aluminium Free Baking Soda

Mix the ingredients in a bowl using a spoon until the mixture becomes a paste. Put the paste into a small glass jar with a sealed lid, and leave it where you’d normally have your store-bought deodorant. Mine is used by both my husband and I, so one jar usually lasts us about a month and a half. When you’re ready to use it, take about a teaspoon worth of paste onto your fingertips, and massage it into your underarm. Cover the entire area and repeat for the other side.

I find that applying the mixture to the dried underarms right after a shower prevents it from clumping and can last at least 48 hours without having to reapply it. That’s considering I’m a woman, and I don’t usually do any major cardio in my day to day life. I reapply as needed.

It is worth noting that some people may have more sensitive skin than others. You can play with the ratio to find what works best for you. You could also add some essential oils to add scent, or you may wish to add it for its anti-bacterial properties. You can experiment with it until you find what works best for you. I’ve been using this recipe for two years and I’ve found it to be reliable. So reliable, that I haven’t had to purchase store-bought deodorant for two years.

By making my own deodorant, I’m saving money, I know the ingredients being applied to my skin, and I can use the same two ingredients for other recipes.

Homemade Eye Makeup Remover

Well readers, this may be the easiest homemade product to replace a store-bought one. That’s because you only need one ingredient, and it may already be in your pantry!

Recipe:

1. 100% Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

To remove eye makeup, just take a nickel size dab of coconut oil onto your fingers, and massage it under each eye, on each eyelid, and cover your eyelashes without getting the oil into your eyes (as much as possible). Use Organic Reusable Cotton Pads or a facecloth to wipe all the oil and makeup off of the eye area. It works like a dream! Then, continue your normal skin cleaning routine. I keep some of the coconut oil in a small glass jar with a sealed lid in my bathroom, and only dip my freshly washed fingers in it each time I use it. That way it stays clean for each use. I hope you enjoy using the coconut oil this way as much as I do!

The minimalist approach to beauty is about discovering the real you. As your beauty habits change and your lifestyle improve, you will have more time and energy for yourself.

#Minimalist #MinimalistBeauty #MinimalistBeautyProducts #SimplySimpleOrg #GoingGreen

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