The digital age has seen a boom in the amount of information we have access to. No longer are we confined to our local sphere to learn and grow, which has been a great help for society to share ideas and move forward. But a big downside with this has been noise. In modern times, attention has become the new currency, and everybody is fighting for yours. This has caused our lives to become cluttered, and it becomes easy to lose sight of what is truely important. So let’s see how you can simplify your tech — and life — to focus on what really matters.
Why Simplification is important for your life.
Our lives are busy, and with so many things jammed in, it can be tough to find time for the things that matter. Technology is now also a big part of our lives, and likely consumes more time and attention than we would like.
Have a think about your own life: how high is your phone use; does your smartwatch send you notifications all day; at what point does your technology become too much? In our digital world, it’s all to easy to get trapped in digital distractions and lose sight of what is important to you. So let’s take a look at how we can reclaim our time and our focus.
How to Simplify your Tech to improve your life.
1. Be Conscious of App and Social Media Usage
Apps like social media is a big part of many of our lives, but they are designed to be addictive. There is a growing problem with losing a lot of time on platforms like Facebook, Instagram or TikTok, and studies have found this to be isolating. This conflict of addicting platforms and dissatisfaction can quickly lead you to losing focus.
Instead of letting social media dictate your life, take control yourself and simplify how and why you use it. Depending on why and how you use each platform, intentional use might look a bit different, but there are common ways to approach healthier interactions with one of society’s biggest temptations:
- Be purposeful of who you follow. The great thing about social media is you can follow so many people. But that’s also one one of its dangers. Chances are, out of the long list of accounts you follow, there are only a few for which you really care about. To combat this, you can use features like Instagram’s Favourites Feed to cut through some of the noise.
- Detach from likes, follows and shares. It can be easy to focus on post interactions, but that has negative health implications. The good news is that some platforms allow you to hide the number of likes, etc. on your posts, which can be a good first step to detaching.
- Use it as a stepping stone to meaningful socialising. What humans really need is in-person socialisation, and there’s no reason we can’t use social media to get us there. Put a focus of your posts on the people, and use group features to plan things easier.
- Set screen-time limits if you’re struggling with addiction. Both iOS and Android have digital wellbeing features that let you set screen-time limits. If you’re finding yourself mindlessly scrolling through Twitter, Reddit or any other platforms, see if setting a limit can help.
2. Embrace Digital Minimalism
A minimalist digital lifestyle doesn’t necessarily mean throwing away all your technology. It means curating your digital environment to get out or our way rather than consume your day. This can be a great way for you to simplify your tech to improve your life. It doesn’t mean your passion for technology has to go either, but it means setting boundaries for how and why you use your tech.
Digital minimalism might look different for different people, but the core principles are the same. The goal is to get distractions out of the way and put a focus on what matters. This might mean:
- Removing apps without a clear purpose. If you scroll through your list of apps, you might find dozens that you haven’t used in a while, or don’t get value from. Something as simple as a clear workspace can help you refocus.
- Setting up timers, routines or modes to remove distractions. Another great feature on modern devices is focus modes. These let you control what can notify you throughout your day, letting you customise what breaks through. These can be great for work, family time, winding down before sleep or just generally throughout.
- Cutting down on the endless notifications you never read. For many of us, notifications are an ongoing nightmare. From constant updates to spam emails you never read, there can be a lot. Communication channels like email, text or any other messaging apps like WhatsApp should be focused around what things actually matter to you, not what platforms are trying to sell. Spend some time to curate your notifications and make sure each time you’re interrupted, it’s for a good reason.
3. Be Deliberate about your Time
We often come back to technology because it’s easy. It might fill a temporary need for dopamine, but it misses the mark for our long term goals. We don’t have to plan a lot of technology use because of the convenience, so it can quickly become the default option.
A key way to overcome the ‘tech default’ is to plan in advance, and be deliberate about how you spend time. For example, if you feel like your time with your family is limited, plan ahead and set aside times where you can spend quality family time. It’s in situations like this that technology can thrive; keeping everybody organised isn’t easy, but technology makes it possible. It’s not always about restrictions, but about making the effort to simplify your tech to what matters in your life.
Taking it further, joining groups, teams or clubs can be a great way to scratch your social itch without resorting to technology overuse. These often involve weekly, fortnightly or monthly commitments which can help ground you in the present. It also gives you a great chance to be surrounded by people who share your goals or passions. The best part: technology is a great way to find these groups and to keep up-to-date them.
Key Takeaways
Technology is a wonderful tool, but it can become a distraction from what matters to you. There are many ways you can start to find clarity in your life, and there’s no better time to start than now. Take this new year as a chance to start to simplify your tech future.
It’s not about having less technology, it’s about having the right technology and using it the right way.
– Tiffany Shlain
Is your business’s technology becoming overwhelming? At FONSEKA, we can help simplify your tech by building a consolidated platform for you to manage your operations. Reach out today to see how we can help! https://fonseka.com.au/contact