Digital minimalism is a philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimized activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else.
This definition is from the book Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life In a Noisy World by Cal Newport. And while there is enough content in this definition to, say, fill a book, I want to focus on the last line.
To “happily miss out” does not mean that everything will be pleasant, ideal, or happy.
Scientifically, it is strongly suggested that meaningless online activity (clicking, texting, interacting with a device) inhibits important processing centers in our brain. That’s right, it makes our thinking weak. Also, these habits have been linked to depression, anxiety, and chronic diseases of the brain.
Reducing or removing online activity may mean short-term inconveniences or new experiences like boredom or solitude. It is also likely to increase human conversation and human interaction. All of these activities—boredom, solitude, and increased conversation and interaction—are linked to processes in the brain that improve cognition, focus, and happiness. Oh, and genius.
Importantly, our current understanding suggests that we not only have to remove ourselves from undesirable technology time, we also have to be okay with it.
Until we commit to “happily missing out,” we will not likely experience the change we desire. In fact, emotion has the greater impact. If you set your phone down but fret about missing a text or being left out of the group, you will most likely lose both the battle and the war.
There is good reason to believe this underpins most things. From a golf shot to throwing a baseball to our relationships and our faith. Superficial, inauthentic commitment to building, planning, and practicing your craft, game, and life will eventually, if not quickly, end poorly.
To recap: meaningless online activity leads to depression, anxiety, and chronic brain disease. Boredom, solitude, and human interaction lead to focus, happiness, and genius. Pursue meaningful activities and experiences. Is your day positioned for and abundant with people and things that are shining? People and things that are authentic, true, and aligned with good things?
This is what I’m committed to, and I will happily miss out on the rest. Wholly. Congruently.
Simple. Hard. Worthy.
Doing what matters will help you get committed.
