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.
