As we prepare for another weekend of relaxation and unwinding after another productive and task-filled week, It is important to remember to identify and separate habits and activities (yes, social media) that are liable to stop us from fully disengaging and allowing ourselves to rest. 

Our recommended read for the weekend provides some valuable tips: 

In this highly readable book, Newport acknowledges the struggles that many people have with achieving balance in their social media use. Rather than blaming themselves for lack of self-control, he points out that humans are ill-equipped to fight back. He argues that less is often more when to comes to new digital tools. Digital Minimalism should be the way to go!  

The book is divided into two parts: an explanation of the philosophy, examining the forces at play, making digital tools so irresistible to people, and an argument for how unplugging will improve relationships. The second is a toolbox of practical suggestions for regaining control over digital habits and which lifestyle changes are conducive to this.

The necessity of a 30-day ‘digital declutter’: Then you go off all optional social media for a month to “wean yourself from the cycles of addiction that many digital tools can install. However, during that decluttering period, a person must aggressively pursue analogue, high-quality leisure activities to fill the inevitable void. Another point that fascinated me is – the importance, and even necessity, of humans to use their hands to feel profound meaning in life.

“Why you use craft to leave the virtual world of the screen and instead begin to work in more complex ways with the physical world around you, you’re living truer to your primal potential. Craft makes us human, and in doing so, it can provide deep satisfaction that are hard to replicate in other (dare I say) less hands-on activities.”

Relationships, hobbies, and general quality of life will improve as we cease to fill the quiet, empty moments of our lives with mindless scrolling and begin to question the actual benefits that these social platforms offer us. For example, would you not be better off meeting a friend for coffee once a month or calling a relative for a half-hour each week than spending that time observing their posted photos and clicking ‘like’ as a means of staying in touch?

Finally, if your phone usage, Netflix habit, or Twitter addiction has ever caused you concern, then you should read this book. It’s written precisely and engagingly, with Newport briefly recapping his points at the end of each chapter and offering lists of takeaway practices or lessons. But be forewarned – you might just find it so inspiring that, like me, you’ll do the impossible and hit that ‘deactivate’ button.

Happy reading!