When I first heard the term I was intrigued, especially as a 20 something (okay well 30 now) who has spent 2019 realigning my life and my actions to my new found value of minimalism. Minimalism for those of you who haven't caught on yet, or who think that it means throwing out or donating all of your favorite things, means living a more purposeful life, in the present and being mindful of what we need, don't need and what advertisement companies and products make us think that we need. Through this realignment of my life, meaning consciously evaluating my purchase choices, trimming my wardrobe to my favorite pieces, no longer collecting hand lotion samples from Sephora or hotels, I have also become conscious of the time I spend on technology and the digital media that I consume.
When I first hear about a new concept I like to try and guess what it means based off of the knowledge I have collected in my life thus far. Hearing digital minimalism first made me think of it as I know it so far but through the lens of technology and screen time consumption. Upon completing listening to the audio book Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, there are a few key points that I've come away with that I believe are the most valuable to share. Before diving into it, I like to clarify how I determine the value of information. I think this is is especially important in our now oversaturated Google Search world.
To me valuable information is something I listen to or read, and a weeks to a few months later, I can still clearly remember it, I'm able to verbally share it with others and I'm likely to be applying it to my life in some way. Yes that may sound pretty specific and methodological but in a world of endless BuzzFeed lists written by seemingly anyone without any form of credentials, specificity is important. How can we know if they're how to's are actually helping anyone, or if the author even tried them in their own life? I think it's important to be as clear and transparent as possible. The same goes for with my work with clients. When I first start working with someone, I let them know that anything I will be suggesting to develop as a skill to help them with their problem, I have first tried out on my own issues and can speak to the benefits of their effectiveness.
So wait, did I lose you? Are you still here? If so thanks for holding on. To get back to unveiling the meat and potatoes, digital minimalism has a few key concepts that I find most salient
1. When you scroll on your phone you're missing out on life
2. You are likely developing an addiction
3. Your self-esteem could be higher
4. You could be isolating yourself
I'll focus on the first point for today. How much time do you think you spend on your phone per day? An hour or two? Whatever you guess you're probably wrong.
Research shows that were all pretty bad at guessing this number and often we are off by two or three times more than we think.
Do you check your work emails outside of work hours? Do you scroll on your phone while you just wait in line at the grocery store? For the bus? While you wait for your dentist appointment? Have you ever simultaneously been watched Netflix while scrolling through your news feed? Or worse, are you one of those people that checks their phone while out to dinner, or even have the phone on the table? If you answered yes to any of the above you're likely missing out on life.
Scrolling on your Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or Reddit feed in the moment you feel bored is avoiding life, not living it. Victor Frankel, father of Logo Therapy and Psychotherapist, talks about the concept of the existential vacuum in his book called "Man's search for meaning". In a nutshell, it is existential angst that stems as a result from the free time in which we are not being pushed to do something. For example working to put food on the table, or pushing ourselves to conform to societal expectations and ways of living, think stereotypical Insta influencers.
Existential angst? You may be thinking, what the hell am I talking about?! To break this down, an example of this may look like the following in your life. You've just gotten home from a long day's work. Maybe you're a bit tired, you don't have plans for the evening and you don't necessarily want to binge crave all night. You don't have any regular hobbies that you can easily do at home and you don't have any books on your shelf that you are dying to read. You realize this and experience a sudden rush of anxiety, it's more of a light pulling in your chest but it's there. You think to yourself, "oh shit what should I be doing with my time? What can I do?" Existential angst is that moment. You want to do something that you enjoy, something that is meaningful, that has purpose, but you don't know what to do.
Now think back to all those times that you're scrolling through your phone. Every off moment that you check it is because you're using it as a distraction or don't know what to do. Does it feel the same? Does it feel different different? Not sure? That's okay this is a new consideration for many people.
I too have spent years giving into the urge of checking my phone when I'm waiting for a friend at a restaurant, waiting for my number to be called the doctor's office, and while at work as a way to take a quick break from the task at hand while staying at my desk, rather than taking an actual break away from the office. By continually checking your phone or scrolling through a news feed you're not giving yourself a chance to feel bored and to just be and take the world around you. What is inherently wrong with being bored? Absolutely nothing. It is not a risk to your survival, intellectual ability or even enjoyment in life. Enjoyment you question? Yes even that. Most assume that boredom is opposite to enjoyment when really the opposite end of the spectrum to boredom is distress. It is comparing the levels of activation, not your perception or what you like or don't like.
To bring boredom back to mindless scrolling, we have the power to transform boredom and get away from the trance-like powers of our smart devices. How do you ask? By changing the meaning of boredom. For many people today boredom is an automatic conditioned that sends a signal to our brain that this feeling is bad and that we must pick up our smartphone or device, and look at mostly meaningless information to get rid of the feeling.
We change the meaning of boredom by consciously and actively catching ourselves in this thought action fusion.
Next time you pick up your phone before unlocking your screen, remember this challenge. When you feel bored put down your phone and observe life around you. Simply observe your surroundings. If you've never been much of a people watcher, now is the time to start. Take note of what you see, here, feel and smell. Boredom can become your cue to practice being mindful throughout your day.
Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash
Comments