Marie Kondo For Your Phone

 

So you are working on getting rid of your unwanted items at home, but think about when was the last time you took an inventory of your smartphone’s contents?

In my journey toward minimalism, I’m learning to master the art of digital minimalism, this is a term made popular by Cal Newport, author of Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World.

In his book, Newport makes a case for a total digital decluttering, a task that requires rethinking our relationship with technology. As he defines it, “digital minimalism” is an “intentional approach to technology that involves a limited number of online activities”.

In order to digitally declutter, you have to become the kind of person who can step away from their phone without worrying that your friends are sharing memes without you.

Here are some ways you can pull this off…

You shouldn’t call it a detox.

Like “juice cleanse”, it implies it’s a quick break. Taking a break from technology only to return to it later doesn’t help anything in the long run. Instead, use “digital declutter”, where you remove most apps are from your phone or tablet at the simultaneously. You take everything off and, after some reflection, you can add back the apps that really matter. Think of it as Marie Kondo for your phone.

The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don’t.

Marie Kondo

Consider your daily data.

I receive a push notification every Sunday that tells me exactly how much time I’ve wasted (most of it is wasted) looking at my screen. Unbelievably enough, every week, I was dedicating one entire day to my phone. Whether that time was spent looking at email, refreshing my Instagram or Facebook feed, or texting back and forth with my friends didn’t matter — it was enough to convince me to change my consumption habits.

Do an app audit.

Digital decluttering applies to your phone, but it also comes in handy for fitness trackers, smart home devices, tablets, and laptops. Newport suggests deleting any digital tools that claim your time and attention outside of work. The other suggestion is to temporarily step away from all social media, streaming videos, online news, and digital games. It would even benefit you to cut back on text messaging. This process sounds intense, because it is. After all, the goal is to minimize low-quality digital distractions in exchange for a life well lived.

Take a 30-day break.

The key to digital decluttering is committing to staying away for a month. So long, Instagram and Facebook! Avoiding attention-demanding online behaviors will let you carve out time to live your own life more intentionally, without feeling the need to check in on anyone else’s.

The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment. Marie Kondo

You must avoid the “quick glance”.

You need more than willpower to help you make it through digital decluttering. The urgent impulse to check your device will automatically arrive at the slightest hint of boredom. Newport calls this the “quick glance”. Many mobile-adapted websites have been optimized to deliver an immediate and satisfying dose of input, which explains why we are constantly checking to make sure we didn’t miss a text, tweet, notification, or call.

Shed the constant companion.

According to Newport, having your phone with you at all times is called the “constant companion”. You break this habit by first doing more things without your phone. If possible, leave it at home next time you run out for groceries or walk the dog. Then, when you’re home, leave your device by the front door — treat it like a home phone. Remember those?

If you’re worried about missing an important call, put the ringer on loud. If you want to look something up or check texts, do so by your front door. This simple method can help transform your relationship with technology at home.

Redesign your free time.

During this decluttering period, think about what activities really matter to you. Incorporating daily hobbies like exercising, reading, or doing creative projects, leads to a high-quality leisure life that helps fulfill you over time. You can start doing these things before you make the break. Then you’ll know what to do to fill your time once you no longer have a screen to stare at.

Let the tech back in.

There is no doubt that a digital declutter can change our daily life. But the tech break does come to an end after 30 days, at which point you can log back on. Do yourself a favor and only add back the apps that directly amplify or support the things you really care about. The ones that “spark joy”.