▓▓▒▒░░ Making mental space ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒░░░░░░░░░░░░░

▓▓▒▒░░ Digital Minimalism

I think the first time I heard about Cal Newport's book "Digital
Minimalism" was on Ploum's gemini capsule (gemini://ploum.net).  He
was praising the book for his own disconnection last year--or the
year before.  I was curious about it, but didn't go and look at it.
Then, a few days ago, Alex Karle talked about it in an article on
his phlog at gopher://alexkarle.com/0/phlog/034.txt.

And I thought to myself: "why not?"

Indeed it is a quick and very interesting read.  It's true that
it's very social network-centric, and like Alex and probably many
others on gopher/gemini, I haven't been on those platforms for a
while (and don't plan to get back either).  I understand that this
book is made for the general public.  Such that it is obvious it
has to deal with Facebook, Instagram, and the like.  But those are
still just examples, and the book is enriching for all types of
digital content/addiction.  And the author clearly emphasizes this,
giving some more cases examples.

One might think, wrongly, that this book only covers the theme of
digital minimalism in terms of personal development.  Even if it is
true that the author tries to give keys to get out of the harmful
effects of an almost 24/7 connection to platforms whose goal is to
suck our soul, the fact remains that the subject is deeper.

I haven't finished reading it yet (I'm about a third of the way
through the book) but I already, and especially, appreciate to find
large references to authors I don't really know.  Like Henry David
Thoreau for instance, whom I never studied (even if his name rings
a bell), and his apparently very famous "Walden" published in 1854
(because of my European education, I must admit that I am not very
well versed in US philosopher, but this author seems to me to be a
good entry point).

Cal Newport also makes extensive mention of the need for solitude,
even boredom, as well as the benefits of walking.  In both cases,
he insists, it is important to be with oneself without distraction
other than the flow of one's mind.  This is not the first author
I've read who talks about the importance of having moments for
oneself, without interferences.  The idea, as I understand it, is
to reconnect with ourselves and to avoid having our brain
constantly cluttered by external sources that would prevent us
from, for instance, advancing in our own projets or, more simply,
to keep a form of peace of mind.  In short, it is about making
mental space.

And that's something that resonates with me.

▓▓▒▒░░ Time to take stock of the situation

Before I even had the idea to read this book, so I can focus
completely on my studies, I told myself that I needed to detach
myself as much as possible from both my cell phone and my computer.
Especially from the computer which, I must confess, totally
overwhelms my mental space and my daily life (and even if I'm not
connected to Internet most of the time).  To the point of not doing
things that I consider essential, even important.

I will give a little example.  Today is the 14th of April.  Exactly
two months ago, for Valentine's Day, I received a nice fountain pen
and some stationary.  Right away the idea was to write a letter to
my grandmother and send it to her along with printed pictures of
the baby.  Guess what?  The paper, the ink and the pen are there,
on my desktop, but nothing was done.  Where was my attention
focused the whole time?  Just on the left of the desk, on the
screens of my computer.  To study, sure, but also for "everything
else".  And this "everything else" is clearly taking too much space
in my current life.

We'll agree that this example is not a big thing, but it's still
important to me: I can't seem to free up the time and mental space
to just write a simple damn letter to my grandmother!

To make the point, I could also copypaste my to-do list which is
full of entries.  For some, the tasks are pretty simple, others are
long, or short, or...  Well, a to-do like you know it and like you
might have as well.  And I realized today that some important
things had been noted in it but that the dates are outdated; like
the letter for my grandmother.

Clearly, I have a problem.

▓▓▒▒░░ Walking my way out

The cell phone was the easy part to get rid of since I already use
it sparsely.  But, in spite of that, I kept it with me all the
time, when I was out and about obvisouly, but at home too, just
because it was my primary way of keeping track of time!  Yes!  So
that, several times a day I found myself turning it on to see the
time.  Then while I'm at it, why not go see if I have any new
mails?  Or new messages?  Thanks to the gods, I don't have games,
or social media apps in it, but you can clearly see the slippery
slope here.

Anyway, I bought a watch.  And, from now on, if I use my phone it's
only to check my bank account (every few days) or to answer my
parents (my mother sends me almost daily messages).

By the way, as an aside, I was amused to read in Newport's book
that I had this same idea as one of the person he was in contact
with while writing his book.  And, like her, I can now even leave
the house without my phone, and without it bothering me in the
least.  Well, my wife complains about not being able to contact me
when I go to the supermarket because she forgot to ask me to bring
something back, but she'll get used to it, right?

Oh, and of course, my watch have an alarm function, so I don't need
my phone when I go to bed either.

On the computer front, on the other hand, I admit it will be way
harder.  Because when I'm not with my toddler, or out for the
groceries, I'm on my computer.

And I was thinking I could use Cal Newport's keys to help me with
this.  In his book, he explains the value of completely cutting out
non-essential things for a month.  Obviously, living in our modern
world while being totally disconnected from the screen is
complicated (at least for me). So the idea is to select the
important tasks to keep and to get rid of the rest.

I'm still in the process of making a list of "critical" needs
around my computer (e.g. paying the rent, checking and/or keeping
contact by email, admnistrative/university tasks, &c.), and, for
some, setting up "operating procedures" (how, when, for how long
and for what can I use the computer?).

For the rest, the "non-essential", I've already embarked on a quest
of a digital-analog conversion (have you ever searched the antonym
of "digitalize", and being disappointed that "analogize" isn't
correct?).

For instance, my first resolution was to print out all my courses
that I need to study on, and bought what it takes to organize them.
Quite clearly, it was a small investment (I have almost 3000 pages
printed, and counting) but I no longer need to be full time on my
computer to study.

In the same way I will "analogize" what I can from the computer,
like to-do lists, quick notes, &c.  I have a bunch of empty paper
notebooks I could make good use for.  I could even make like Ploum
did and write phlog posts with an analog technology, then take the
time to transcript them.  I guess after having read "The Typewriter
Revolution" by Richard Polt, he now uses a typewriter, which he is
always very proud to showcase when he makes public appearances
(it's an Hermes 3000 if I'm not mistaken).  But I don't know if
he's still "writing then transcripting" though, since it must take
quite some time.

▓▓▒▒░░ En route for a diet!

According to Cal Newport, it's a good idea to stay on this dry diet
for at least one month, in order to slowly reintroduce afterwards
better habits.  I must say that this is a technique that I
understand and that I have already used in an other field, namely
the food/nutrition (which allowed me to lose 40 kilos (88 pounds)
without taking them back, so I know it does work for me).

I think I've talked about it here before, but I consider my
computer a bit like my (stable) home, a digital home.  So I suspect
that this diet is going to be difficult to keep.  Yes, it might
even be clearly hard.  But anyway, the goal is to be able to
concentrate more on my studies and on all those important analog
things I don't do anymore.  And finally, to see my computer for the
tool that it is and not as the box that constantly fill my mental
space it has become.

While working to actually start this personal project, I hope and
wish you, too, to take good care of your mental space.  Till the
next time, please wish me luck!


                                            f6k, 2o23/o4/14