A Fine balance between curiosity and digital hoarding
In part one of my digital decluttering journey, I wrote about the outcome I desired, what was currently working, and what wasn't. Here in part two, I outline what steps I took and what I learned after several months of experimentation.
01. I created a ‘Learning Hub’ using a Notion database.
The idea is that I wanted a digital library that I could browse and reference, but also to help me share cool resources I stumbled upon with others. It’s still a work in progress as I balance my desire to be intentional and my tendency to want to bookmark everything.
02. One folder structure to rule them all.
I decided on a core folder structure, which I’ve applied across my digital spaces. The hope is that it’ll make it easier for me to file things away and know where to look when I need a reference.
03. Fewer apps, please.
Because there's a cool new app/SaaS tool being created every 5 seconds, and the Generalist in me struggles with "shiny new object" syndrome, I took the time to reflect on my existing tool kit.
- Do I even use this app? Do I need it? Be honest, c'mon now.
- Am I just complicating my life (a.k.a. using this tool is actually taking up more of my time than saving it)
- What's wrong with using a simple Word doc? Do I need a fancy writing app, or do I have some old grudge against Word...
- Does using this bring me joy? Great, maybe we can keep this one (yay!)
Key takeaways:
It’s all about gentle structure.
Being too rigid with my personal schedule doesn’t work as well as allowing curiosity to be my guide. I can time-block but what I do with that time needs to remain open. I’m currently using time-block categories: Reading, Learning, Project, Community, but I leave the ‘what’ (book, project, etc.) open to whatever is piquing my interest in that moment.
Things on the internet get old, fast.
Deleting over 100 bookmarks reminded me that the internet moves quickly, and chances are, what I bookmarked four months ago is now a beautiful 404 page. Pause before you star.1
Things always take longer than planned.
I went into this thinking it would take a few months, but sorting out my photos folder alone took an eternity. On the upside, it’s been fun to revisit memories, and very cringe to see how many B.S.P selfies2 I took during my teenage years.
And it’s not just photos that are time consuming, closing old accounts is just as tedious. You risk falling down rabbit holes; there's accounts you can’t delete without contacting support teams… sigh. Everything seems to require your email address these days, and deleting an account is such a pain in the arse (Ahem, Hello Fresh).
Final thoughts.
All this tinkering around has helped me think more deeply about my relationship with technology. This project was never about productivity hacking,3 it was about being intentional. I don’t want to be chronically online, in fact, I long for the opposite, but I know there is value in online experiences and digital tools. I’m not sure what my philosophy on tech is, right now it’s nebulous (⬅ new favorite word). I find myself aligned with many modern-day Luddite ideas, but I’m not naïve enough to think that I can just go live in a cabin in the woods either. As usual, it seems like I’m trying to find the right balance between two worlds, knowing that either extreme isn’t where I want to live.