Digital Minimalism - Cal Newport

Digital Minimalism

By Cal Newport

  • Release Date: 2019-02-05
  • Genre: Self-Improvement
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 364 Ratings

Description

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestseller

"Newport is making a bid to be the Marie Kondo of technology: someone with an actual plan for helping you realize the digital pursuits that do, and don't, bring value to your life."--Ezra Klein, Vox

Minimalism is the art of knowing how much is just enough. Digital minimalism applies this idea to our personal technology. It's the key to living a focused life in an increasingly noisy world.


In this timely and enlightening book, the bestselling author of Deep Work introduces a philosophy for technology use that has already improved countless lives.

Digital minimalists are all around us. They're the calm, happy people who can hold long conversations without furtive glances at their phones. They can get lost in a good book, a woodworking project, or a leisurely morning run. They can have fun with friends and family without the obsessive urge to document the experience. They stay informed about the news of the day, but don't feel overwhelmed by it. They don't experience "fear of missing out" because they already know which activities provide them meaning and satisfaction.

Now, Newport gives us a name for this quiet movement, and makes a persuasive case for its urgency in our tech-saturated world. 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. What we need instead is a thoughtful method to decide what tools to use, for what purposes, and under what conditions.

Drawing 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. 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. 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.

Technology is intrinsically neither good nor bad. The key is using it to support your goals and values, rather than letting it use you. This book shows the way.

Reviews

  • Values over mindless distractions

    5
    By Devil Doc Yoda
    A short but profound book on the importance of focusing on your values, and the hijacking of this pursuit by digital distractions.
  • Devoured in 3 Days.

    5
    By Cailie M.
    That’s all.
  • Pragmatic and Theoretical

    4
    By robdog151
    Cal does a great job zooming into individual habits and zooming back out to cultural norms without getting lost in space. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone looking to streamline their relationship with technology.
  • Change of Heart

    5
    By Yaankeedoodle
    Fantastic book. Especially great read during the virus when everyone is at hone. Completely changed my view on technology.
  • More Digital Minimalism

    4
    By FullyRendered
    It’s a good read. Enjoyed it. Might read it again. I like the real examples he gives in the book of those who have gone minimal on the digital. Cal did a good job laying out good reasons and ways to rely less on social media and tech if and when it consumes us. It’s a wake-up call. Recommended.
  • An eye-opening paradigm

    5
    By iAeronaut
    The author does a terrific job on building his argument and providing the reader with practical tools to sort out all the noise generated by an economy that actively works on capturing people’s time and attention. As an avid user of technology in the aerospace industry, I believe that this book is excellent to draw attention on the importance of developing a disciplined use of digital tools.