Because I have very much enjoyed other books by Cal Newport: So Good That They Can’t Ignore You and Deep Work. The key is using it to support your goals and values, rather than letting it use you. Technology is intrinsically neither good nor bad. He then shares strategies for integrating these practices into your life, starting with a thirty-day 'digital declutter' process that has already helped thousands feel less overwhelmed and more in control.

He shows how digital minimalists are rethinking their relationship to social media, rediscovering the pleasures of the offline world, and reconnecting with their inner selves through regular periods of solitude.

What we need instead is a thoughtful method to decide what tools to use, for what purposes, and under what conditions.ĭrawing on a diverse array of real-life examples, from Amish farmers to harried parents to Silicon Valley programmers, Newport identifies the common practices of digital minimalists and the ideas that underpin them. Common sense tips, like turning off notifications, or occasional rituals like observing a digital sabbath, don't go far enough in helping us take back control of our technological lives, and attempts to unplug completely are complicated by the demands of family, friends and work. Now, Newport gives us a name for this quiet movement, and makes a persuasive case for its urgency in our tech-saturated world. They don't experience 'fear of missing out' because they already know which activities provide them meaning and satisfaction. They stay informed about the news of the day, but don't feel overwhelmed by it. They can have fun with friends and family without the obsessive urge to document the experience. They can get lost in a good book, a woodworking project, or a leisurely morning run. They're the calm, happy people who can hold long conversations without furtive glances at their phones. In this timely and enlightening book, the bestselling author of Deep Work introduces a philosophy for technology use that has already improved countless lives.ĭigital minimalists are all around us. It's the key to living a focused life in an increasingly noisy world. Digital minimalism applies this idea to our personal technology.

Minimalism is the art of knowing how much is just enough.

Newport digital minimalism