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. I tested an ideation process.
To minimize the number of tools I use, which can exacerbate that scatterbrained feeling, I tested an ideation process: think in Obsidian → write in Word → share on my blog.
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 100+ bookmarks made me realize that I don’t need to bookmark everything that piques my curiosity, and let’s face it, as a Generalist that list is never-ending. I need to be mindful about why I’m saving something, because the internet moves quickly, and chances are, what I bookmarked four months ago is now a beautiful 404 page.
Things always take longer than planned.
I went into this thinking it would take a few months, but sorting out my photos folder was quite the slog to get through. On the upside, it’s been fun to revisit memories, and slightly cringe to see how many B.S.P (before smart phones) selfies I took during my teenage years.
And it’s not just photos that are time consuming, closing old accounts is just as tedious. You can fall down rabbit holes; there's accounts you can’t delete without contacting their support team…sigh. I should think twice before signing up, everything seems to require an email address these days, and deleting your account is such a pain (looking at you, Hello Fresh).
Final thoughts.
All this tinkering around has made me think more deeply about my relationship with technology. This project was never about productivity hacking, 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. 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.