I don't know if it's just me... sometimes I feel like I'm trapped in this funny cycle with my phone. I've been telling myself for months, that I want to practice minimalism when it comes to my digital life. Fewer apps, little or no distractions and less time glued to my phone. It sounds like something easy, right? But the problem is, everytime I try, I end up reinstalling the same apps that I had just deleted few days ago.
Digital minimalism seems like something easy when I read about it online. People say things like "Just delete the apps you don't need" or "Turn off your notifications and take control of your time". In theory, that sounds simple. But in practice? It's like I'm just suffering myself.
Around last week, I deleted Instagram and some other apps from my phone. I was tired of how much time I wasted scrolling and I wanted a clean break. That first night, I felt so proud of myself. I was like "This is digital minimalism at its peak". I even went to bed early, convinced that I had unlocked a new, disciplined version of myself.
The next day, I was working on my IT report and I needed to take a break a bit. Normally, I'd pick up my phone, scroll through Instagram a bit and then return, but because I had deleted most of my apps, I just stared at my phone like it was a useless block of glass and wondered what I should do with it. I felt somewhat frustrated. So I went back to play store and reinstalled everything I had deleted. The relief I felt in that moment told me the truth I had been ignoring, I wasn't actually ready to live like a digital minimalist. My gallery is another battlefield. I'll sit down with determination to delete unnecessary pictures and screenshot, the memes, blurry selfies and "just in case" notes I'll never use. But then, two days later, I've added another fifty screenshots that feels important in the moment but will eventually become clutter again.
Notifications are the same struggle. Everything in my life is connected to my phone, friends, school, work, entertainment and even Hive. Cutting down on apps and screen time feels almost impossible for me. Well, I've come to accept that digital minimalism is not for me. I admire it but I do not think I can live by that standard, lol. Digital minimalism sounds nice in theory, but in practice, it's something else. So instead, I'm thinking about setting my own boundaries in ways that feel even a little bit realistic. Like setting timers, mutting unnecessary notifications or just reminding myself to put the phone down when it's getting too much.
Maybe one day, I'll be able to practice digital minimalism but for now, I've stopped beating myself just to practice minimalism
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