Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World
Cal Newport
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. more
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published Portfolio
4.06
Rating
77359
Ratings
8301
Reviews
Cal Newport
115 books 8128 followers
Cal Newport is Provost’s Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University, and the author of seven books. His ideas and writing are frequently featured in major publications and on TV and radio.From his website: "I write about the intersection of digital technology and culture. I’m particularly interested in our struggle to deploy these tools in ways that support instead of subvert the things we care about in both our personal and professional lives."
Community reviews
Cal Newport provided practical advice on how to embrace the philosophy of Digital Minimalism:- Spend time alone to gain solitude - Leave your phone at home - Take long walks - Write letters to yourself (journaling)- Don't click "likes" - Avoid falling into the slot machine feedback loop of likes - Consolidate texting - hold conversation office hours - Reclaiming conversations- Reclaim Leisure - prioritize demanding leisure activity over pass consumption - use skills to produce valuable things in the physical world - seek leisure activities with real world, structured social interactions - fix, or build something every week - schedule low quality leisure - join something (e. g. a community) - follow leisure plan- Join the attention resistance - delete social media from your phone - turn your device into single-purpose computers - embrace slow media - dumb down your smart phone. more
I badly wanted to like this book. I really did. Because I have very much enjoyed other books by Cal Newport: So Good That They Can’t Ignore You and Deep Work. Both have inspired me a lot and I have recommended these to others in many occasions. This book was way below my expectations. more
3. 5 stars. I appreciate the thesis that by choosing to minimize technology in our day-to-day lives, we're choosing to be more deliberate with how we spend our time. I liked some of the advice to consolidate texting, hold conversation office hours, and in general, choose to be more purposeful with what energy we give to reacting to others. I think this book would have been stronger if he provided research to this points rather than random anecdotes about people who decide to step away from technology. more
I continue to wonder if Newport ever bears primary caregiving duties for anyone. . more
The author describes digital addiction as a slot machine. This book teaches how to become a digital minimalist and talks about the benefits of spending time without a smartphone. You will discover a lot of hobbies and things to learn. You can play board games instead of computer games only. 😍. more
I know the irony of writing such a review on a social media platform, but as always there is potential for both good and for bad, for modest consumption or addiction. One should always keep in mind that humans are social animals, prone to getting addicted to interacting with each other. Online. 24/7. Until real life (which one was that still. more
5 Stars. Where we want to be cautious . . . is when the sound of a voice or a cup of coffee with a friend is replaced with ‘likes’ on a post. more
Every rare once in awhile a Facebook friend announces their imminent departure from Facebook. Or simply quietly slips away, leaving behind a shadow profile in my friends list. I send up a silent cheer when I realize they have deactivated their account, knowing in my belly they are better off without this ubiquitous social media overlord. For a long time, I've felt a sense of disquiet about social media, but the disturbance has become a growing alarm and a deep sadness in recent months. I feel that we, all of us who are connected, have just lost our way. more
2. 25I have somewhat complicated feelings on this book. I feel like I need to say these are all just my opinions. Anyway. Through-out there were so many times I was internally screaming "DISABLED PEOPLE EXIST. more
The most pretentious and rambling book I've ever read. For a book about minimalism, Cal Newport sure does waste a lot of time and words to say very little. Ironically, this whole book could have been a Twitter thread. He does offer a few tidbits of practical advice, but it's all bogged down by pretentious musings and circular prose. Basically, Newport suggests the following: Delete your social apps from your phone. more
این کتاب خیلی روی من تاثیر گذاشت. همیشه از میزان استفاده از گوشیم ناراضی بودم. حس می‌کردم خیلی وقتم رو توی شبکه‌های مجازی هدر می‌دم. این کتاب رو که خوندم، تمرین‌هاش رو عملی کردم و الان سبک زندگیم خیلی عوض شده و حالا راضی‌ترم. کتاب در دو بخش نوشته شده. more
تهوع دیجیتال1. آن اوایل که تازه کتابفروش شده بودم، تمام حسِ خوبم از آنجا می‌آمد که شروع می‌کردم به حرف‌زدن با آدم‌ها و بعد از چند دقیقه، یک‌عالمه کتاب درجه یک و درست و حسابی به آنها می‌فروختم. پیشِ خودم خوشحال بودم که آدم‌ها امروز که به خانه می‌روند، کتاب‌های فوق‌العاده‌ای مثل جنایت و مکافات یا برادران کارامازوف را شروع به خواندن می‌کنند. ولی کم‌کم فهمیدم که به‌شدت اشتباه می‌کردم. یاد گرفتم که اصلِ هنرِ کتابفروشی در آن است که در آن چند دقیقه که حرف میزنی، بفهمی که "زمانِ" خواندنِ چه کتابی برای مخاطبت فرا رسیده. more
Have you read any other book written by a self-proclaimed minimalist. If so, no need to read this one. It's like a checklist: uncritical quotations from Thoreau, unquestioned male privilege, neoliberal individualism, smug superiority. Did you know, the internet is addictive. But, it's not like an *actual* drug; you'll get over it if you just set very firm rules and get a new hobby. more
I liked this book, but I will be sincere. The methods offered here to be a minimalist aren’t realistic for many of us, including me. It’s not that I, and many others, don’t have the will to be a minimalist but it’s that we can’t. Newport does show the benefits of reducing technology use quite nicely but unfortunately this book wasn’t made for everyone. Newport’s previous book was significantly better. more
I like the idea in here--less is more. We do not need all the apps and the social platforms. He's definitely talking to someone like me here. I am not a huge consumer of these platforms (mostly this is age-related). However, I listened to his book using audible and some apps have really helped me expand my mind (meditation apps and audible are two). more
I've been thinking a lot these days about making more deliberate tech choices. No one human--not even Steve Jobs--ever expected technology to invade our lives the way it has. Instead, keeping us tethered to our tech and pulling that lever became the most popular and obvious way to monetize the Internet, and we individuals became, not the consumers, but the product being sold. And instead of cutting ourselves some slack--billions of dollars have been spent in the name of making the screens around us stickier and sticker, is it any wonder we're drawn in. —we feel guilty, as I did the other night, about being too weak to just shut it off and look away. more
One of my favorite reads of the year. No, one of my favorite reads ever. more
Deleted Facebook and Facebook messenger off my phone thanks to this book. Hard not to feel guilty over phone use after reading, probably because I know I waste too much time on it. Would read this one again to help ingrain the importance of living the minimally digital life. “The tycoons of social media have to stop pretending that they’re friendly nerd gods building a better world and admit they’re just tobacco farmers in T-shirts selling an addictive product to children. Because, let’s face it, checking your 'likes' is the new smoking. more
اگر از تاثیرات زیست مجازی بر زندگیتان خسته هستید این کتاب برای شماست اما اگر فکر میکنید حساب کاربری تان در شبکه های اجتماعی «خود شما» است پس طرفش نروید. یکی از چیزهایی که نویسنده این کتاب میگوید و شاید خیلی از ما قبلا بهش رسیده باشیم این است که برای استفاده بهینه از شبکه های اجتماعی چاره ای جز محدود کردن زمان حضور در آنها نیست. برای این کار هم بهترین مقدم این است که برنامه را از روی گوشی پاک کنید و از نسخه وب استفاده کنید که خود به خود به خاطر دسترسی سخت تر نسبت به گوشی باعث کاهش زمان استفاده از شبکه های اجتماعی میشود. نکته اصلی این است که سازندگان شبکه های اجتماعی هم این را میدانند و برای این که بیشتر زمان شما را بخورند همیشه نسخه وب امکانات و دسترسی های کمتری دارد. بله این اقتصاد توجه استمن از دو سه سال پیش ایده ای دارم که این کتاب بهش اشاره نکرد. more
Разговарях с една приятелка относно социалните медии и постоянното гледане в телефона и й предложих поне да изключи звука на месинджър, за да не му обръща внимание постоянно. Тя ми отговори изумено: "Ама всеки път като звънне месинджъра ми става едно такова хубаво - като мини оргазъм. Някой мисли за мен. ". И не са само социалните медии - отвсякъде всеки ни бомбардира и се състезава за вниманието ни. more
نسل ما هزاره‌ها (حدوداً متولد ۱۹۸۱ تا ۱۹۹۶) آخرین نسلیه که زندگی قبل از اینترنت، موبایل و حتی کامپیوتر رو به یاد میاره. زندگی‌ای که هر لحظه و هر ساعت در دسترس نبودی. زندگی‌ای که دائم این حس نیاز برای متصل بودن رو نداشتی. یادمه جایی خوندم که نسل ما موش آزمایشگاهی تکنولوژی معاصر شد. اینترنت و شبکه‌های اجتماعی رو در سن کم جزء جدایی‌ناپذیر زندگی ما شد. more
i’m doing a little experiment this month and i’m only using instagram once a week (instagram is my most used app). and in doing so, i became interested in reading this book since it focuses on phone addiction and being more intentional with your time. it was interesting to read about how we are hyper-connected and how we are continuously prioritizing communication over reflection. we are having less moments of true solitude, which is causing major shifts in mental health. “humans are not wired to be constantly wired. more
The entire thesis of the book is: uninstall all your apps and only reinstall those that actually serve a purpose. The rest of the books is just examples. more
A little over a year ago, I posted an entry to my blog softly decrying the place that social media and screen time was playing in my life. A few months later, as I was preparing for a trip to Europe, I vowed to go without social media for two weeks while I was away (outside of texting my kids). I was . . . more
ایا گوشی‌های هوشمند یک نسل را نابود کرده‌اند؟این کتاب با دلالیل و مثال‌های بسیار بهمون گوشزد می‌کنه که چطور اسیر تکنولوژی و مخصوصا گوشی‌های هوشمند شدیم . این کتاب مثل یک پنددهنده‌ی خوب می‌مونه برای کنترل استفاده از گوشی همراه و دنیای مجازی. این کتاب بهمون می‌فهمونه که گوشی همراه از یک ابزار نسبتا به درد بخور به چیزی تبدیل شده که ما عمرا نمی‌تونیم ازش جدا شیم. اگه زیادی اسیر گوشی‌تون هستین و روزانه ساعت‌های زیادی رو صرف دنیای مجازی می‌کنین، این کتابو بخونید و به عزیزانتون پیشنهاد بدیدکتاب خیلی کاربردیه و حتما ارزش یه خوندن داره ولی تقریبا هیچ‌کدوم از قسمت‌های تمرینش به کارم نیومد. (اکثرشو رعایت میکنم). more
If you are ready to make radical changes in your approach to tech in your life, this book is for you. It has been life altering in the best possible ways for me. I’m noticing that the people who aren’t ready to make changes tend to get defensive and call Newport a Luddite 🤷🏼♀️However, if you almost never use your phone except for making phone calls or don’t use social media, you can probably skip it. Or if you’ve already read other books on the topic, maybe this covers the same ground. I haven’t read some of the other popular titles so I’m not sure about that. more
This Review ✍️ Blog 📖 Twitter 🐦 Instagram 📷 Support me ☕ “Simply put, humans are not wired to be constantly wired. ” I read non-fiction book about the things that constitutes the majority of our lives such as work and sleep. I think social media and our digital presence are also major parts of our lives and I was curious when I saw the title of the book and that’s why I decided to read it. I wasn’t a big fan of the writing style, nor of the multiple examples that were used and I felt were very general and not supported by science. The book was a bit all over the place and kind of harder to go through than my casual non-fiction read. more
this book is a relic. i’m here for the silicon valley critiques as well as the general message of be online less BUT this book was not meant for gen z (or bizarrely as newport calls us iGen in this book), it’s desperately out of touch and manages to blame generational anxiety (which i dont know could be a result of living in a time of perpetual war growing fascism and rapid climate decay) on Phones. also excessive thoreau bootlicking. let’s not idealize a man who promotes the deeply imperialist idea that nature is somehow purer and more separate than human society when indigenous cultures have lived sustainably within the “natural world” for literal eons. let’s not idealize a man whose mom did his laundry for him well into adulthood. more
Îmi amintesc că la începutul lui 2018 recomandam Irezistibil, cartea lui Adam Alter. O puteți citi, dacă n-ați făcut-o încă. De atunci am început un proces de curățenie digitală, îngrijorat de timpul enorm petrecut online, cu false probleme. Anul ăsta, aproape că am abandonat contul personal de Facebook, spre disperarea colegilor și prietenilor care știu că în meseria mea dacă nu exiști zilnic, mult, pe rețelele sociale, atunci nu exiști deloc. Având avantajul că sunt seară de seară la tv, mi-am permis să tai din orele de facebook. more