A few weeks ago I finished reading Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport and decided I wanted to experiment with his Digital Declutter protocol that the book proposes:

30-days without optional digital technology. No tv, no video games, no social media, and no smartphones whenever possible.

To be honest, I thought it was going to be a breeze for me. I've been drastically reducing my time spent with screens over the last two years and don't spend much time scrolling social media. I read and write regularly with little trouble focusing at this point so I thought "surely this will be easy."

I was wrong.

The moment I started deleting apps off my phone my heart began to race. There were three in particular that spiked my anxiety:

1. Email: The first thing I do when I pick up my phone is check my email. I don't know why. There's rarely anything interesting in there but I do it, automatically, like breathing air, my thumb always finds it's way to that little mail icon.
2. Podcast Apps: If I have one media addiction it's podcasts. There's nothing more pseudo-productive than listening to smart, interesting people talk about ideas that peak my curiosity as I passively do mundane tasks. It makes learning feel so easy but right there is the catch: learning doesn't occur unless the brain is forced to stretch. The anxiety I felt knowing I'd have to cook dinners in silence only proved that podcasts are mostly entertainment to quite my mind, at least the way I consume them.
3. Chrome & Safari: Yep, I even deleted the internet off my phone. I mean when was the last time you couldn't look something up the moment you had the thought to? It's been quite some time for me and my anxiety reminded me that I'm not so immune to these digital luxuries as I thought.

This might all sound extreme to the modern mind. But the keyword in the digital declutter is removing all optional technology. Obviously I need the internet to do my banking, write these newsletters, and check my email which is why Newport recommends in his book simply using a desktop or laptop comptuer for the essentials.

The real goal is to get away from the 24/7 dependence on smartphones which Newport calls the constant companion model. Getting away from this constant companion model allows us to get away from digital distractions so we can live a more meaningful and intentional life.

Other technology rules I'm abiding by for the next few weeks is:

• No tv or movies unless I'm watching it with my wife at the end of the day.
• No streaming music apps. I'm going back to CD's and vinyl for my audio needs.
• No audiobooks either. (I guess that means the only voice left in my head is my own...)
• I can text but only as a means of logistical maneuvering. Otherwise, I'm trying to make the effort to call people more.
• I'm leaving my smartphone at home or in a bag out of my pockets unless my wife really needs me to have my phone on hand.

What this all means is that I'm forced to aggressively pursue alternative forms of leisure and communication. I have to go see people in person or talk to them on the phone. I have to read more books and do more creative work to keep myself entertained. I have to go outside and explore more just so I don't lose my mind.

And that is really the crux of the experiment: what can life look like without the digital mediating every interaction? A few weeks ago I wrote about the key to success for participants in his initial experiment that you can read about here. But the big takeaway is that without compelling alternatives, the comfort of distractions is almost impossible to overcome.

It's time for me to start looking for some compelling alternatives.

I plan on writing a full recap of what I learn along the way so let me know if you have any questions about the process that I can take into consideration while going through it.

Something tells me I'm going to have a lot more time and energy to write now.

Prompt:

What technology do you think would be the hardest to go without for 30-days? What do you think you would do instead if you didn't have access to it?