“Digital Minimalism”: Choosing a focused life in a noisy world by Cal Newport.
I started Book #4 , ”Digital Minimalism” by Cal Newport in early March before COVID-19 shut down the world. As a Gen X’er, I remember the world without technology at your fingertips.
I remember what it feels like to use the phone in the kitchen and have to whisper so your parents would not hear what you are saying. I remember seeing my best friend’s dad with a car phone and wondering why he wanted to have a phone in his car. I remember getting excited about call-waiting, call-forwarding and caller-ID. I remember the first time I used an Apple computer in high school to edit my articles for the yearbook. We only used computers to type & edit our papers. I remember my first beeper and the first time I received “143” or “911” (of course it was never an emergency). And my first phone, don’t even get me started, but you get the picture. Things were different then and things are different now.
“Digital Minimalism” reminded me of my younger days and how much easier communication & human interaction was. I had several take-aways from this book personally and professionally.
- It’s important to reflect on how you use technology and what benefits it gives you. If you feel anxious, overwhelmed, depressed, you probably need to re-evaluate your relationship. It will make you a better _______!
- If your stuck on the digital roller-coaster, set boundaries for yourself. This can involve a schedule or setting parameters for when you will use technology.
- The benefits of improving yourself through learning a new skill, hobby, language, etc. > the time you spend scrolling, liking, posting.
Stay Safe! Stay Healthy! Love one another and keep on reading!
On to Book #5