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Depending on your current habits, starting with Digital Minimalism will help get through the others in one year.

dominotw 7y ago
curious whats in that book. I feel like i already know what i am doing wrong re tech addiction but that i think is psychological issue with me. Not sue what a book can tell me.
- pjmorris 7y ago
  I think the same for me. What I've gotten from books r.e. psychological issues are perspective and tools. Perspective: sometimes a writer puts things in a way that illuminates or alters how I see my situation. Tools: sometimes a writer has an idea or a scheme that I can put to practical use. The pomodoro timer on my desk has been handy even without adopting every aspect of the method. That came from a blog rather than a book, but same idea (to me.)
- techstrategist 7y ago
  The great thing about books is that they not only provide knowledge, but can provide some course of action. The book is both - an intro of "look how awesome you can be without the tech", a detox plan, and a plan to deliberately reintroduce helpful technology. I am as guilty as anyone in that I have partly read the book, implemented a few of the suggestions, but haven't fully embraced. I think the holidays will be a great time to finish reading it and start my 30 day declutter.
pjmorris 7y ago
Yeah, I suspect success with the overall goal may come down to better digital discipline. Starting with commenting on HN threads :)
nireyal 7y ago
Have you read my book, Indistractable, @techstrategist? Would love to know what you think of it! I spent 5 years researching and writing a tech positive guide to the deeper psychology of distraction.
- tren 7y ago
  Hey Nir, I just finished your book (loaned from the library). I feel like it has a lot of good information, however the people who are most likely to benefit from it are least likely to read it, or read anything at all for that matter. I'd already implemented most of your recommendations before reading it, and this year I feel like I've finally balanced tech consumption so that it's at a healthy level. It's allowed me to read over 20 books, pursue my hobbies in more depth and spend more time with my kid. Things that worked for me: - no tech in the bedroom, I leave my phone in the living room every night. - start a morning routine without tech every day, I meditate, do stretches and a light work out. - i try to read as much as possible in hard copy from the library. 3 week loans push me to finish things. I look forward to getting a notification that one of my reserves has arrived. If the library doesn't have a book it will inter library loan or purchase it for me most of the time. - all phone alerts turned off except for text msg/calls - only use FB messenger light if I'm going to use FB at all - plenty of time to do nothing. I don't think the human machine is meant to be on all the time
  - techstrategist 7y ago
    I agree with these, although I do still struggle implementing them.
  - nireyal 7y ago
    I love that you’ve become Indistractable! Congrats!! What did you think about the section on “how to raise Indistractable kids”?
    - tren 7y ago
      I think it's good advice for a lot of people. You're a role model for them, if you're always checking your phone your distraction will rub off on them. I try to spend a couple of hours each day with my kid focusing 100% on what we're doing. I try to follow Derek Sivers advice as much as possible: https://sivers.org/pa https://sivers.org/pa
- techstrategist 7y ago

curious whats in that book. I feel like i already know what i am doing wrong re tech addiction but that i think is psychological issue with me. Not sue what a book can tell me.

pjmorris 7y ago
I think the same for me. What I've gotten from books r.e. psychological issues are perspective and tools. Perspective: sometimes a writer puts things in a way that illuminates or alters how I see my situation. Tools: sometimes a writer has an idea or a scheme that I can put to practical use. The pomodoro timer on my desk has been handy even without adopting every aspect of the method. That came from a blog rather than a book, but same idea (to me.)
techstrategist 7y ago
The great thing about books is that they not only provide knowledge, but can provide some course of action. The book is both - an intro of "look how awesome you can be without the tech", a detox plan, and a plan to deliberately reintroduce helpful technology. I am as guilty as anyone in that I have partly read the book, implemented a few of the suggestions, but haven't fully embraced. I think the holidays will be a great time to finish reading it and start my 30 day declutter.

pjmorris 7y ago

Yeah, I suspect success with the overall goal may come down to better digital discipline. Starting with commenting on HN threads :)

nireyal 7y ago

Have you read my book, Indistractable, @techstrategist? Would love to know what you think of it! I spent 5 years researching and writing a tech positive guide to the deeper psychology of distraction.

tren 7y ago
Hey Nir, I just finished your book (loaned from the library). I feel like it has a lot of good information, however the people who are most likely to benefit from it are least likely to read it, or read anything at all for that matter. I'd already implemented most of your recommendations before reading it, and this year I feel like I've finally balanced tech consumption so that it's at a healthy level. It's allowed me to read over 20 books, pursue my hobbies in more depth and spend more time with my kid. Things that worked for me: - no tech in the bedroom, I leave my phone in the living room every night. - start a morning routine without tech every day, I meditate, do stretches and a light work out. - i try to read as much as possible in hard copy from the library. 3 week loans push me to finish things. I look forward to getting a notification that one of my reserves has arrived. If the library doesn't have a book it will inter library loan or purchase it for me most of the time. - all phone alerts turned off except for text msg/calls - only use FB messenger light if I'm going to use FB at all - plenty of time to do nothing. I don't think the human machine is meant to be on all the time
- techstrategist 7y ago
  I agree with these, although I do still struggle implementing them.
- nireyal 7y ago
  I love that you’ve become Indistractable! Congrats!! What did you think about the section on “how to raise Indistractable kids”?
  - tren 7y ago
    I think it's good advice for a lot of people. You're a role model for them, if you're always checking your phone your distraction will rub off on them. I try to spend a couple of hours each day with my kid focusing 100% on what we're doing. I try to follow Derek Sivers advice as much as possible: https://sivers.org/pa https://sivers.org/pa
techstrategist 7y ago