Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport | Book Review + Notes [Part 1: Ganito Ka Din Ba?]

• Intro: Screentime
• Part 1: Ganito Ka Din Ba?
• Part 2: Bakit Tayo Nagkaganito?
• Part 3: Minimalists vs Maximalists
• Part 4: So Anong Dapat Gawin?

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Heto na ang mga quotes and commentaries sa book na to. Self explanatory naman yung title so wala nang intro.

In all honesty, naaapektohan talaga yung mood ko and sometimes hindi ko ma-pinpoint kung bakit. Sometimes obvious yung reason pero minsan basta naapektohan na lang ako. Parang nasisira na agad yung araw after ko magcheck ng iba-ibang social media apps.

CALL TO ACTION: Wag nang magcheck ng phone sa umaga. Do your morning routine first. Magtiklop ng kumot, maglinis ng litter box, pakainin ang mga kitties, load dishwasher, etc.

Grabe ‘to. Yung tipong nage-enjoy naman ako sa pinapanood ko or nasa mood akong mag-drawing pero hindi pwedeng hindi ako magche-check ng phone kahit kaka-check ko lang few minutes ago. Laging may interruption. Kase nga involuntary na sya. Ang hirap nang pigilan kase nakasanayan mo na.

CALL TO ACTION: Live a more intentional life. Always check yourself. Kung ang rason ng pagdampot ng phone mo eh para magcheck ng feedback sa recent post or story mo, don’t do it. Just don’t!

Kaya ang hirap din talaga mag-delete ng apps eh. The benefits:

• Messenger – communication with family and close friends
• Instagram – andito yung business ko at art account ko to get clients
• Facebook – iniisip ko kung baka pwede ko na ‘to i-delete kasi sinesend na rin naman ng mga kamagnak ko sa group chats yung mga photos nila (let’s see)
• Discord – andito yung book club namin
• Telegram – malapit ko na ‘to i-delete

I think yun lang yung mga social media apps na ginagamit ko.

I think dito, if you are sure what your values are, if you really dig deep kung ano bang importante sayo, you can have self-control. Importante ba talaga na macheck mo kung sino nang nag-like or nagcomment sa post mo? Kung sino at ilan yung nag-view ng IG stories mo? Diba hindi. Sabi nga sa libro na ‘to, they’re just “bright dings of pseudo-pleasure”.

Sa intro part ng book, minention na merong actionable steps na ipapagawa sayo. The author termed it as “digital declutter”. So since hindi pa ko tapos magbasa and I’m taking these notes as I go, medyo excited and na-challenge ako.

“During this period, you’ll wean yourself from the cycles of addiction that many digital tools can instill, and begin to rediscover the analog activities that provide you deeper satisfaction. You’ll take walks, talk to friends in person, engage your community, read books, and stare at the clouds.”

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

Medyo challenging kasi COVID times. But the author is also claiming that relationships will strengthen once tumigil na tayong mag-like and mag-comment sa social media posts. Bakit parang ang hirap paniwalaan neto 😭

Let’s face it, checking your likes is the new smoking.

Bill Maher

Hindi ako naka-relate sa smoking kase hindi naman ako nagyoyosi. Pero super gets yung pinaparating nya.

In fairness naman sa sarili ko, hindi naman ako super extreme. But I admit that I almost always check. Nagtatampo ako kay Kenneth pag hindi nya ni-like yung pinost ko. Guilty din ako na kapag may nag-message or nag-comment, ramdam ko yung urge na dapat makareply ako agad.

“They honestly think there is no choice left. But alert and healthy natures remember that the sun rose clear. It is never too late to give up our prejudices.”

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

And yun nga yung nakakabother. Yung lack of self-control. Yung urge na kelangan mong mag-share right here right now. Eto yung nafi-feel ko pag nagppost ako ng IG stories. Kase feeling ko dapat real time. I’m being very honest and vulnerable dito sa post ko na ‘to pero that’s okay. Alam ko naman na hindi lang ako ang nakaka-feel nito and baka makatulong pa sa iba yung pag-share ko.

So eto daw yung isa sa mga reasons kung bakit ba humantong sa ganito:

It’s not entirely our fault kaya let’s be kinder to ourselves. Kasi sa totoo lang, nakaka-frustrate pag hindi mo na kayang ikontrol ang sarili mo. Napipikon ka na sa sarili mo. Pero hindi pa naman huli ang lahat. At hindi nga kasi natin kasalanan ang lahat. May right din tayong sisihin sila.

…in many cases these addictive properties of new technologies are not accidents, but instead carefully engineered design features.

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

Super gandang analogy nito. Since dati akong magsusugal, alam ko yung feeling ng high pag nananalo ako. Pero sa usapan na ‘to, imbis na cash ang prize, it’s the likes or heart reacts. So every time dadamputin mo yung phone mo, it’s like spinning the slot machine at hindi mo alam kung anong makukuha mo.

…rewards delivered unpredictably are far more enticing than those delivered with a known pattern. Something about unpredictability releases more dopamine—a key neurotransmitter for regulating our sense of craving.

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

7% pa lang ako sa book pero sobrang dami na agad insights. And nung sinimulan ko ‘to kahapon, nag-improve na agad yung screen time ko.

Pero hindi. Ayoko munang mag-celebrate. Pag na-sustain ko ‘to ng ilang months saka pa lang ako maniniwala na nagimprove na talaga ko.