The Number That Scared Me
I installed a screen time tracker because I was curious. The next week, I got my report: 4.5 hours of daily screen time. 150+ phone pickups per day. Average of 6 minutes between each check.
I felt sick. What was I even doing for 4.5 hours? Mostly nothing. Scrolling. Refreshing. Checking if anything new happened in the last 6 minutes (it hadn't).
This wasn't how I wanted to spend my life.
What Digital Minimalism Actually Means
It's not about smashing your phone or moving to a cabin in the woods. It's about being intentional. Using technology for specific purposes, not just because it's there.
The goal isn't zero technology. It's technology in service of your values, not technology that hijacks your attention for other people's profits.
- I deleted apps I didn't need. If it wasn't directly supporting something I cared about, it went. I could always re-download them later (I haven't).
- I moved my phone across the room. If I wanted to check it, I had to physically get up. Amazing how much harder that makes it.
- I turned off all notifications except calls and texts. Nothing else is urgent. Nothing.
The Art of Deep Work
Cal Newport defines deep work as "cognitive activity performed in a state of distraction-free concentration." It's the work that actually matters—the stuff that requires focus and produces real value.
My morning ritual now looks like this:
Phone stays in another room until 11am. Coffee. Three hours of focused work on whatever matters most. No email, no Slack, no "just checking" anything.
The boredom practice
This one sounds weird but it's crucial: I practice being bored. When I'm waiting in line, I don't pull out my phone. When I'm on the subway, I just... sit there. It's uncomfortable at first. Your brain is screaming for stimulation.
Push through it. You're training your focus muscle. Every time you resist the urge to reach for your phone, you're getting stronger.
What Changed
That 4.5 hours dropped to about 1.5. The 150 daily pickups went to about 30. But more importantly, I started finishing things. Projects that had stalled for months got completed. I wrote more. I read actual books.
Focus is the new superpower. Everyone's drowning in distraction. The people who can concentrate will outperform everyone else.