您是否发现自己几乎被数字设备所困？当您发现自己无聊时，您是否会在社交媒体上无休止地滚动超过您的预期？对于现代世界中的许多人来说，这就是我们生活的现实。但是，正如许多人也知道的那样，这可能会损害生产力和心理健康。
如果你觉得你的数字世界正在接管你的真实世界，那么为什么会发生这种情况背后有一些实际的科学，以及一种防止它的方法。您仍然可以通过技术过上平衡的生活，只是需要做出一些改变和限制。
什么是数字极简主义？
数字(Digital)极简主义是减少或消除您在屏幕后的大部分时间的行为，并以符合您的价值观和目标的方式使用您的数字设备。Cal Newport的《(Cal Newport)数字极简主义(Digital Minimalism)》一书描述了这种做法以及实施它的步骤。
数字极简主义的第一部分是确定您使用的技术可以被认为是可选的。这些东西在摆脱后不会对您的职业或个人生活产生重大影响。
然后，您可以选择一些爱好或兴趣，以替代通常花在这些可选技术上的时间。30 天里，你应该用这些活动来阻止自己回到技术领域(going back to technology)。然后，您可以慢慢重新引入它们，同时注意使用它们的方式和原因。
数字极简主义的另一点是为与朋友和家人的真实互动创造更多时间。与社交媒体以外的人进行的活动对心理健康有巨大的好处。即使是快速的电话或视频通话也可以像与某人共度时光一样有效。
为什么要考虑数字极简主义(Digital Minimalism)？
大多数社交媒体旨在让您尽可能长时间地留在他们的平台上。他们通过为您的大脑提供有益的感觉来做到这一点。每次你得到一个新的赞或评论，或者你看到一张有趣或有趣的新图片时，你的大脑就会受到多巴胺的冲击。
多巴胺(Dopamine)是一种被认为是感觉良好的化学物质。然而，这是一种短暂的感觉。
这意味着要再次获得这种感觉，您必须继续使用社交媒体。这就是为什么，有时，它会让人感觉像是上瘾了。对于某些人来说，这就是它可以成为的样子。这就是为什么结束这个奖励循环很重要的原因，这样可以提高您的工作效率并总体感觉更好(feel better in general)。
实践数字极简主义是阻止这种循环的好方法。它会给你更多的时间来提高工作效率，让你更加注意你选择如何度过你的时间。从长远来看，您还会看到情绪健康的改善。你可能会发现你整体上更快乐，更充实，更符合自己。
实践数字极简主义的方法
如果开始数字极简主义本身听起来像是一项艰巨的任务，那么有很多方法可以让您慢慢融入生活方式并帮助您减少屏幕时间。
屏幕时间跟踪器(Screen Time Trackers)
您可能没有意识到这一点，但现在许多设备都可以跟踪您的屏幕时间(screen time)以及您在某些活动上花费了多少时间。例如，在 iPhone 上，您可以进入设置中的“屏幕使用时间(Screen Time)”来访问一系列管理智能手机使用的功能。
使用智能手机或桌面应用程序(Use Smartphone or Desktop Apps)
您可以将许多应用程序安装到手机或计算机上，您可以在某些网站或应用程序上设置时间限制。一个很好的例子是冷火鸡(Cold Turkey)，您可以为 Windows 或 Mac 下载(download for Windows or Mac)它。此应用程序将允许您在特定时间阻止网站，以帮助您完成更多工作并阻止拖延。
关闭设备 (Shut Down Devices )
如果您觉得自己有检查设备的冲动，完全关闭它们可能有助于阻止您这样做。如果大脑习惯于快速获得奖励，那么通过增加获得奖励感觉的难度来规避这种情况会减少那些强迫性的感觉。
成为数字极简主义者
尽管将自己从数字和社交媒体中移除似乎令人生畏，但您可以做得越多，您会在生活中发现越多的好处。立即消除所有不需要的技术使用可能是不现实的，但使用某些方法和工具是很有可能的。
这种对数字极简主义的改变并不意味着永远废除技术，而只是能够识别出它的使用何时对你造成的弊大于利。
What is Digital Minimalism and How Can It Help You?
Do you find yourself almost stuck to your digital devices? When you find yourself bored, do you scroll endlessly on social media for longer than you mean to? Fоr many of us in thе modern world, this is just the reality of how we live. But, as many also know, this can be damaging to productivity and mental hеalth.
If you feel like your digital world is taking over your real one, there is some actual science behind why this happens, as well as a way to prevent it. You can still live a balanced life with technology, there’s just some alterations and restrictions you need to make to do so.
What is Digital Minimalism?
Digital minimalism is the act of reducing or erasing much of your time behind a screen, and using your digital devices in a way that aligns with your values and goals. The book Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport describes this practice and the steps to implement it.
The first part of digital minimalism is determining what technology you use could be considered optional. These are things that, when gotten rid of, would not have a significant impact on your professional or personal life.
Then, you can pick some hobbies or interests you might be able to replace the time usually spent on these optional technologies with. For 30 days, you should use these activities to stop yourself from going back to technology. Then, you can slowly reintroduce them while being mindful about how and why you are using them.
Another point of digital minimalism is to create more time for real interaction with friends and family. Activities with people outside of social media have enormous mental health benefits. Even quick phone calls or video calls can work as well as spending time with someone.
Why Should You Consider Digital Minimalism?
Most social media is designed to keep you on their platforms as long as possible. They do this by providing your brain with rewarding feelings. Each time you get a new like or comment, or you see a new picture of something interesting or funny, your brain gets a hit of dopamine.
Dopamine is one of the chemicals that are thought of as feel-good chemicals. However, it is a short-lived feeling.
This means that to get that feeling again, you have to keep using social media. That’s why, sometimes, it can feel almost like an addiction. And for some people, that’s what it can become. This is why it’s important to put an end to that reward cycle, in order to increase your productivity and just feel better in general.
Practicing digital minimalism is a great way to stop that cycle. It will give you more time to be productive, and allow you to be more mindful about how you’re choosing to spend your time. In the long run, you’ll also see improvements in your emotional well-being. You may find that you are happier overall and more fulfilled, and more in tune with yourself.
Ways to Practice Digital Minimalism
If starting digital minimalism sounds like too much of a daunting task on its own, there are plenty of ways you can slowly ease yourself into the lifestyle and help you lessen your screen time.
Screen Time Trackers
You might not be aware of it, but many devices now have ways to track your screen time and how much time you spend doing certain activities. For example, on iPhone, you can go to Screen Time in your settings to access a whole bunch of features for managing your smartphone use.
Use Smartphone or Desktop Apps
There are a lot of apps out there you can install onto a phone or computer where you can set time limits on certain websites or apps. A good example of this is Cold Turkey, which you can download for Windows or Mac. This app will allow you to block websites during certain times to help you get more work done and deter procrastination.
Shut Down Devices
If you feel like you have a compulsion to check your devices, completely shutting them down may help to discourage you from this. If the brain is used to getting a quick reward, circumventing that by making it harder to get the reward feeling will decrease those compulsive feelings.
Becoming a Digital Minimalist
Although removing yourself from your digital and social media presence might seem daunting, the more you can do so, the more benefits you’ll discover in your life. It might be unrealistic to cut out all unwanted technology use right away, but using certain methods and tools it’s very possible.
This sort of change to digital minimalism doesn’t mean doing away with technology forever, but simply being able to recognize when its use is causing you more harm than good.
