This summer I needed to disconnect, and i got it. on a mental level, but also electronically. And it has been largely thanks to reading Digital Minimalism, of Cal Newport, an author whose line of thought I admire, I try to put into practice and I recommend.

through this book, which has the suggestive subtitle “In defense of care in a noisy world”, I have shaped the kind of relationship I want to have with social media: use them consciously, taking advantage of the possibilities of connection and contact with other people and with interesting organizations, but without losing control of my time, of my care or my emotional well-being. It is written in prose that combines rigorous research exposition with entertaining anecdotes that make key points concrete..

And the best thing is that it is not about leaving all social networks, but to limit its use to adequate levels for our brain. The book begins with a proposal 30 days without social networks and then gradually introduce them, in a manner appropriate to our interests. I have been all August without opening my accounts Twitter and of LinkedIn and, Although it was hard at first, I have arrived renewed to September. Now I open them two or three times a week, with intention, seeing the topics that really interest me, and I have already discovered several interesting initiatives without suffering from the tense messages of the “trending topics”.

And the best thing is that Cal Newport does not stay in “stop the inappropriate use of social networks”, but it also advances four guidelines to take advantage of the time that is freed up for us:

• Take the opportunity to be alone, at internal connection time.
• leave the “likes” as a form of relationship and replace them with direct conversations (in person, by phone or video call), in real interactions more adapted to our emotional capacities.
• Cultivate healthy leisure, that gives us energy instead of taking it away.
• Paying conscious care to our attention, which is limited. Instead of wasting it on activities that do not bring us much, concentrate it on what makes us grow and take care of each other.

So if you see that I use social networks less, you will know that I am taking care of my attention. And if you want us to discuss something, Better by phone or in person than by social networks, do you seem to?

Good start to the school year,

F. Javier Romeo