What is digital minimalism? How to curate an online experience that supports your mental and emotional wellbeing

Feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated by the contstant notifications blowing up your phone? Wondering why your YouTube recommended feed is full of crap you don’t want to watch? I’ve definitely been there and know how mentally draining it can be to sift through it all. And I know you feel the same. Because on a recent IG story poll where I asked if you’d be interested in tips for for editing your feed to be more mentally and emotionally healthy for you, 100% of you said yes! So, since your wish is my command, I’ve pulled together the things that have worked best for me as well as a bit of research about how these notifications affect our brains and I’m ready to help. Enjoy!

what is digital minimalism, and why does it matter?

Digital minimalism is pretty similar to conventional ideas of minimalism: clearing away clutter so that you can focus on what matters most. We usually think of this in context of physical goods, but it applies to digital stuff, too. And because we live in a world where we are constantly using apps and websites that are designed to lure us in and suck our attention the same way slot machines do by getting us stuck in a “wanting / liking” dopamine and opioid loop, it’s so important to know how to take back control of your online and digital experience.

Digital minimalism is one way we can make sure we are in control of our devices, instead of them controlling us.

How can digital minimalism support mental health?

I find that too many notifications or a cluttered feed make my brain feel like it’s “spinning” because my mind has to do a lot of fast filtering, make a lot of small, quick decisions and jump really quickly between tasks. However, when I cut out the unnecessary distractions, I notice a few immediate benefits.

Better focus. Fewer distractions mean better focus! For me, this is a major stress-reducer. It means I am more productive, which helps boost my confidence and reduce my task list, and means I can get “in the flow” while working on things I love, like writing!

Give your mind a rest. And for me, a rested mind means less anxiety and more happiness.

Curate a feed that adds real value for you. Your time and energy are precious and you should protect them by making sure the things that get your attention add value for you.

How to practice digital minimalism

There are a dozen ways you can do it, but here are some of the most common.

Unsubsribe, unfollow or delete anything that doesn’t “add value.” For example, if I follow a YouTuber who regularly pops up on my feed but I haven't clicked on their videos in a couple months I might unsubscribe from their channel because clearly their content is not adding value to my life right now. Now, please know I am absolutely not advocating for simply turning off anything that feels uncomfortable. Sometimes we really need to lean into difficult topics and do the hard work that is required to learn about the world and/or how to modify our behavior. What I am advocating for is consuming content in a way that is healthy for you, which brings me to my next point.

Subsribe to things that do “add value.” After you remove all the clutter from your feed you can think about subscribing to a couple things that will add the kind of content that feels good to consume or helps you in some way. Recently for me this looked like an anti-MLM channel, a thrift-flip channel and a fitness channel on YouTube.

Do a ditigal detox. This can look like turning off your phone or internet for a few hours, going for a walk in nature while leaving all devices at home, taking a few days away from social media, or whatever else helps you "turn it off” for a while to give your brain a break.

Turn off notifications. If you find yourself constantly dismissing emails from a certain brand or feeling irritated by the number of Facebook notifications you receive, take a few minutes and toggle those notifications off within each app or website. I know it can feel a little tedious, but trust me - it’s well worth the time investment.

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Do it your way

As much as I can offer tips and ideas for how you can practice digital minimalism, ultimately you need to find a way to practice it that works for you. You know your limits and what you can partake in given your life circumstances at a given moment. Sometimes you can do more, sometimes you can do less. That's totally fine and totally human. One of my favourite quotes is “learn to rest, not to quit” and I think that applies here perfectly, especially when it comes to consuming content online. It’s ok to take breaks for as long as you need as long as you don’t totally tune out what’s happening in the world.

I hope you found this helpful! If you try any of these techniques let me know, and share how they helped you!