Digital Minimalism

1. Introduction

• Opening Thought:
• “You may be familiar with Marie Kondo's cult phrase, 'Does this spark joy?'”
• Reflect on the overwhelming feeling of being surrounded by things that may not serve you, and notice the shift from valuing material possessions to cherishing experiences.
• Islamic Reminder:
• Just as we are urged to moderate our desires and focus on what truly benefits us in the Hereafter, we can also reassess our attachments to worldly clutter—both physical and digital.

2. What is Digital Minimalism?

• Definition:

“A philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimised activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everythingelse.”

• Key Principle:
• Every technology tool should enhance a core life value.
• Digital minimalists work backward from their deep values to determine which technology tools to use, not the other way around.
• Analogy: This is similar to mindful eating—avoiding junk food to preserve your well-being.

3. Optimisation: Using Technology with Purpose

• Mindful Selection:
• Decide which technologies support what you value; filter out the rest.
• Example – Staying Informed:
• Default: Scrolling through social media feeds for news.
• Optimised:
• Identify and follow a set of trustworthy news sites.
• Use an app like Instapaper to collect articles and read them distraction-free over a relaxed Saturday morning coffee.
• Daily Practice:
• Set aside small pockets of time for optional technologies, and then take breaks to see which truly matter.

4. Define Your Technology Rules

• Assessment:
• List all the technologies you use and ask, “Why am I using them?”
• Specificity Over Generality:
• Rather than saying, “I use Facebook because it helps my social life,” specify:
• “I check Facebook each Saturday on my computer to see what my close friends and family are up to; I don’t have the app on my phone; I’ve culled my list of friends to only include meaningful relationships.”
• Practical Exercises:
• Leave Your Phone At Home
• Take Long Walks
• Write Letters To Yourself

5. Reclaiming Real Interaction

• Observation:
• Traditional, face-to-face interactions (like sharing coffee with a friend) are being replaced by quick texts and “likes.”
• Many digital tools are engineered to hijack our behavior, making us addictive consumers.
• Conversation-Centric Communication:
• Core Idea:
• True conversation involves nuanced, analog cues (face-to-face meetings, video chats, or phone calls) and is what really maintains relationships.
• Role of Digital Connection:
• Primarily logistical: to arrange conversations or transfer practical information (like meeting times/locations).
• Quote to Remember:
• “Our sociality is simply too complex to be outsourced to a social network or reduced to instant messages and emojis.”

6. Practices to Organize Your Digital Life

6.1. Consolidate Texting

• Action Steps:
• Keep your phone in Do Not Disturb mode by default (no notifications).
• Adjust settings so that only calls from a selected list (e.g., spouse, your kid’s school) come through.
• Schedule designated times to check and respond to texts.

6.2. Hold Conversation Office Hours

• Set Fixed Times:
• Reserve set times on certain days when you’re available for real-life conversation—whether in a coffee shop, at the office, or during your commute.
• Communicate these times clearly to your friends and family to avoid unsolicited interruptions.

7. Leisure Lessons for a Richer Life

7.1. Lesson – Prioritize Demanding Activity Over Passive Consumption

• Key Insight:
• Expending more energy in your leisure time can energize you—a notion reminiscent of the idea that effort invested in meaningful activities yields greater returns.

7.2. Lesson – Use Skills to Produce Valuable Physical Work

• Craftsmanship:
• Engage in activities where you apply skill to create something valuable.
• Analogy: Like the craftsman we are meant to be (reminding us of our innate creative nature), analog forms of craft offer deep satisfaction.

7.3. Lesson – Seek Structured, Real-World Social Interactions

• Examples Include:
• Board & card games.
• Recreational sports leagues.
• Volunteer activities.
• Group projects or social workouts.
• Observation:
• Structured activities naturally foster more rewarding and genuine social interactions than fleeting digital connections.

8. Additional Practices for a Digital-Healthy Life

• Fix or Build Something Every Week:
• Learn a new skill each week for six weeks and apply it to repair, build, or create something. (For quick how-to videos, YouTube is a handy tool!)
• Schedule Low-Quality Leisure in Advance:
• Allocate specific times for web surfing, social media, or streaming entertainment so that these distractions don’t encroach on time meant for more substantial pursuits.
• Join Something:
• Become part of groups, associations, lodges, or volunteer organizations to connect with your community.
• Delete Social Media From Your Phone:
• You need not quit the services entirely—just remove them from your mobile device and access them only through a web browser.
• Turn Your Devices Into Single-Purpose Computers:
• Block distracting services and apps by default, only enabling them during scheduled, intentional sessions.
• Embrace Slow Media:
• Focus on high-quality sources.
• Avoid breaking news and scrolling through social media feeds.
• Rely on a small number of trusted sources that offer varied angles on topics you care about.
• Dumb Down Your Smartphone:
• As a serious step toward reclaiming your attention, consider buying a feature phone with oversize buttons.
• Remember: “Your Time = Their Money.” Regain your autonomy!

9. Quick Reference Guidelines

• Use a single messaging app.
• Do not adopt a new technology solely because it offers a tiny benefit.
• Happily miss out on everything else.
• Avoid allowing clutter into your life—it can take away the very essence of your existence.
• Thoreau’s Insight:

“The cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.”

• In other words, the cost is life itself.
• Decide not only whether to use a technology but also how to use it.
• Cultivate the habit of asking: “What purpose am I taking my phone for?”
• “Humans. Deep Down. Are craftsmen.”
• Do not install apps that can be used on a laptop.
• Allocate periods of time with no screens.
• Set aside a weekly period for digital declutter: delete unused apps, documents, and photos.
• Remember: “Your time equals their money.”
• The digital screen is a major factor shaping our lives.
• Observation:
• The digital screens given to children can be more addictive than drugs.
• Stop using devices during downtime.
• Recognize that concentration is a superpower.
• Watch entertainment content with others.
• Accept that convenience may lessen when you align your life with your values.
• Do not adopt a new app or technology solely for a minor improvement; always consider the baggage it brings.
• Understand that demanding activities are more restorative than passive consumption.
• Real-world structured social interactions are far more enjoyable than digital ones.
• Producing valuable work with your hands is more stimulating than passive digital consumption.

10. The 3-Week Detox Program

Week 1: Spend an Hour a Day Without Devices, ALONE

• Purpose:
• Experience solitude (even if it feels like a deprivation at first).
• Decide in advance when and where you will practice this digital fast.

Week 2: Replace Downtime With More Engaging Activities

• Options Include:
• Real Conversations:
• Engage in board games, join a sports league, or have coffee with friends—this is termed “supercharged socializing.”
• Note: Social media connections are low bandwidth.
• Try spending a weekend in a specific coffee shop and invite your friends to join (hint: maybe somewhere near AL BURHAN).
• The structure provided by an activity (like a board game) takes the pressure off spontaneous socializing.
• Exercise or Other Demanding Activity
• A Creative Hobby:
• Consider calligraphy, gardening, or any hands-on craft.

Week 3: Shift From Text to Voice and Face-to-Face Communication

• Guidelines:
• Don’t text or reply to texts—opt to call or meet instead.
• Disable all text-based notifications.
• Schedule a single daily time slot for checking texts.
• Politely ask your contacts to call you instead.
• For conversations that could easily turn into text chains, pick up the phone.
• Use your commute as an opportunity to call someone.
• Final Thought:
• “You could be the one person in their life who actually talks to them on a regular basis, forming a deeper, more nuanced relationship than any number of exclamation points or bitmap emojis.”

11. Additional Tips

• Laptop:
• Keep it strictly in the office.
• Portable Companions:
• Always carry a journal and a book.
• Communication Windows:
• Allow only one designated time to check WhatsApp and email.

Final Reflections in Light of Islamic Values

In our deen, time is sacred, and every moment is an opportunity for dhikr (remembrance of Allah), learning, and nurturing our relationships with family and community. Digital minimalism isn’t just a trendy Western idea—it echoes the timeless wisdom found in Islam: use your resources wisely, avoid excess, and always focus on what will benefit you in this world and the next. By applying these principles, you can reclaim control over your time and attention, ensuring that your digital habits support your higher values rather than detract from them.