This Book Taught Me to go on a Digital Detox
A book review on one of the more important self-help books in this age of hyper-connectivity and AI.
Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused life in a Noisy World is a catchy enough title to get any Millennial with the proverbial death scrolling problem hooked
If you're like me, don't worry, the pandemic and the isolation that came with it enabled all of us to use our phones, or social media as an escape, and rightfully so, but with it came a lot of cons.
Before I get into what I've learned- I have high praise for this book for its insight, scientifically backed up information and well discussed tips and strategies to get us to detox that digital dependency we've been fostering for years
If you're struggling with death scrolling on social media, digital dependency, unscrupulous time wastage on technology or are tired of all the excess, then this book deserves space in your library. I have always appreciated resources that offer a different perspective from the fray, and this book is one of them. In a world where people value seamless integration and a noisy way of expressing oneself; learning to take a step back from all the technology that offered us these conveniences can seem counter-productive, but I promise you it isn’t.
This is not an Anti- Technology Book
In fact, it discusses how the evolution of technology has perniciously infiltrated our consciousness, and in contrast, how it has conveniently improved our lives and how we communicate remotely too. I enjoyed how Newport delved into the behavioral science behind the tech giants such as Facebook and Instagram and gave concrete examples of how it haywires our psyche.
Newport efficiently discusses the difference of Gen Z and the Millennials
He distinguished that anyone born after 1995 to 2012 had higher rates of depression and anxiety. That’s not to say Millennials are exempt though; but, he does recognize that we are the last people to use an almanac, library card, and memorize the Dewey Decimal system so we don’t get lost in the library. As a Millennial, I am glad there is a respected author that discusses our differences with Gen Z and not just lump-sum our qualities with them.
There is a tailored approach for everyone.
The 30-Day Digital Detox he recommends is mainly adjustable according to your needs or level of addiction. For others, they’re hooked onto too much Netflix, while some have subscribed to too many news websites and end up wasting so much time reading and re-reading other articles from varied sources, and lastly, there are people like me, who are guilty with scrolling through social media endlessly, wasting our most productive hours of the day.
Some key Takeaways for me:
Delete social media apps from your phone to lessen your phone ‘pick-up’ times. Access social media through desktop if you must.
Be intentional about your usage. This isn’t about deleting your accounts or depriving yourself. This is about being mindful of how technology (in my case, social media) can haywire our brains. Give every app, technology, gadget at purposeful job and stick to it.
Take advantage of slow news, instead of gathering news from platforms that can have a lot of fake news, subscribe to just one credible source you trust that can efficiently hash out important data.
Tailor-fit your approach and keep it consistent.
Get into doing hobbies that use manual dexterity, or simply, use your hands more.
It’s better to have a set schedule to converse with people online, and whenever possible, meet people in person (preferably after the pandemic or with safety protocols)