Cluttered digital lives

Instead of defaulting into the low-quality obsessions that leave us wondering where the time has gone, we should cultivate high-quality hobbies that lead to lasting satisfaction.

• First allow for a period of abstinence.
• Follow this by a selective re-introduction of only those tools and technologies that pass a more rigorous cost-benefit analysis than you typically impose.

They go hand-in-hand.

Addiction seems to be the inevitable consequence of our culturally-created environment changing faster than our biologically-hardwired brains.

"The underlying behaviours we hope to fix are ingrained in our culture, and […] they’re backed by powerful psychological forces that empower our base instincts. To re-establish control, we need to move beyond tweaks and instead rebuild our relationship with technology from scratch, using our deeply held values as a foundation." - Cal Newport

How can you tell if you have a digital hoarding problem?

Think back over the last week and see if you can remember a time when you struggled to find a digital file on your phone or computer – maybe someone’s address in an email chain, or a really great cocktail you Instagrammed for posterity.

Platforms like Google Drive are “open temptations” for hoarding because they make it so easy for us to accumulate files and almost never prompt us to review them, The sense that something is retrievable if we just store it somewhere provides a false sense of security. And there’s plenty of storage available

While our entire day is stuffed with noises of all kinds, getting quiet time, doing nothing gets more and more crucial. We need to be able to look at nothing, with no input going inside us, listening to nothing and get in a state of 'boredom', with no smartphone or computer to poke your mind.

We don't get any bright ideas in front of the computer, but the mind can activate while driving, in the shower, and at times when we are not engaged in any mental activity.

Studies show that letting your mind wander activates it. It makes you more productive and goal-oriented, as you have provided your mind with some space, to play around and grow.

If you are sitting, you will automatically pick up your phone (or iPad), so a better way is to go running or hiking, with the phone turned off, and let your mind refresh itself doing anything, daydreaming, singing or planning.

Our biggest mistake is how we start the day. Instead of checking email on your phone, try a simple mindfulness practice when you wake up. 

It can be quietly taking a few deep breaths or meditating for 20 to 30 minutes.

A common mistake is to fill your calendar with the wrong tasks.
A meeting can break your day into two pieces, each too small to do anything hard in.

Instead, take advantage of your body's natural rhythms. Focus on complex, creative tasks in the morning and schedule your meetings for the afternoon.

It's is the practice of controlling distractions, being present in the moment, finding flow, and maximizing focus, so you can create a life of choice, around things that are important to you.

It is the ability to recognize when your attention is being stolen (or has the potential to be stolen) and to instead keep it focused on the activities you choose. 

Attention management offers a deliberate approach that puts you back in control, by managing both external and internal factors.

Practicing attention management means fighting back against the distractions and creating opportunities throughout your day to support your priorities. 

It takes about 6,400 hours of class time and studying to get a 4-year degree. Assume that it takes you only 5,000 hours to master your field.

While you are happy that you've prepared for your profession, the knowledge you've learned is fast becoming outdated. We can safely assume that in 10 years, 50% of the facts in the field would be outdated. This means that for you, just to keep up in your current field, you'd need to learn 5 hours per week, 50 weeks a year.

When we consider the future of work, there are two trends we should keep a note of. They are:

1. Half-life of knowledge
2. Law of increasing learning

Retirement can simply mean to maximize one's resources so that one can finally live life on one's own terms. It can mean continuing to work in projects that one finds interesting or fulfilling.

The core takeaway of all the personal definitions of retirement is Freedom. If one can do whatever is desired without worrying about resources or time, a fulfilled life ensues.

A few smart strategies that can be deployed:

1. Installing pods for deep work while having common areas for collaborative work.
2. Wearing headphones that are easily seen to signal that you are not to be disturbed.
3. Turning your office into a library, following the same culture of quietness where everyone is hushed and respectful.

Real work, by definition, should be rare, valuable and cognitively demanding.

Email does not check any of these boxes, and is, therefore, a pseudo work.

Just point directly at the request, by circling, pointing or directing clearly to the original request.

You can restate your original request, summarizing in one or two sentences.

If your original email was never read, this will be beneficial again.