Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
-Max Ehrmann, “Desiderata”
Is it just me, or has the world become noisier lately? Not in an auditory way, but an information-coming-from-all-directions way.
I remember, maybe five years ago, people lamenting the increase in online noise because “everyone” had a blog. Well now it seems “everyone” has a blog, podcast, YouTube channel, and a multitude of social media accounts. It’s starting to feel like too much to absorb, too much to keep up with, too much time traded for too little in return.
My digital attention span has hit its limit. I’ve found myself craving silence, some respite from the ceaseless chatter. More and more often, I’m closing my laptop and walking away—sometimes to wander around my neighborhood, other times to sit in the garden, pull up my knees to my chin, and stare into space. I want to think my thoughts instead of reading everyone else’s.
Max Ehrmann’s “Desiderata” is one of my favorite poems—I’ve read it so often I know it by heart—and lately, the above line has been a sort of mantra for me. Whenever I start to feel FOMO (the Fear of Missing Out), or pressure to add my voice to the din, I tell myself it’s okay to be quiet, to go placidly amid the noise and haste. It’s okay to focus on writing my book, to make something special for you, instead of churning out Tweets, videos, or content for the sake of content.
And in the process, I’ve rediscovered what peace there may be in silence. Do you remember what it was like before Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube? Before the Internet was a constant presence in our lives? I do. I remember having the time to concentrate and reflect and ponder and think. I remember being bored, and doing something creative instead of scrolling through strangers’ photos or posting my own.
Technology is wonderful—I wouldn’t have this career without it—but we need to be able to turn it off. We need to disconnect from the digital world and reconnect with ourselves. We need to make sure those outside voices don’t drown out our inner one.
So give yourself permission to go placidly through your day. Instead of keeping up with the social media scene—whether that’s obsessively checking your feed, or trying to be seen, heard, liked, followed—step back. Instead of jumping into the fray, feel free to tune out and do your own thing. Slow down, be silent, breathe a sigh of relief. Log off for an hour, a day, a weekend, and embrace JOMO (the Joy of Missing Out).
That’s the best explanation I can give for why I haven’t written much in this space. I’ve been reading, writing, thinking, and pouring all of my energy into my next book. Instead of more posts on “How to Declutter This and That”—there’s plenty of those in my archives—I want to give you something deeper and more profound, something to curl up with and contemplate in quieter moments.
I’ll still be popping in here with musings, personal thoughts, inspiration from stuff I’ve been reading. But on the whole I’ll keep this space quiet, contemplative, succinct, serene.
Anyone else feeling the digital fatigue, or urge to disconnect? Have you closed a social media account (or are you thinking about it)? I’d love to hear your stories and strategies in the Comments.
{If you’d like to learn more about minimalist living, please consider reading my book, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide, or joining my email list.}
No, I don’t think it’s just you, at all. I currently am living with my daughter and family, including three kids six and under. I’ve been contemplating what a “no screen” day would be like for all of us, which would mean turning off the tv too. I guess I could start by trying it myself!
I’m considering restricting my screen time- my phone is the main ‘time waster’ screen, but I am also in the habit of sitting in front of the TV when I could be using the time more productively.
I think I am going to try the folllowing from today:
-TV only to be used for streaming a yoga class
– phone checked once a day (unless responding to messages). I’ll also use my phone to listen to podcasts
– other internet things need to be done on my laptop
I did come off Facebook for a while and didn’t miss it- however my running club arrange everything via Facebook so it is much easier to be on Facebook than not! I think reducing social media and screen time will be excellent!
Two weeks ago I unplugged for a couple of hours, and a relative from out of state couldn’t get in touch with me and sent a sheriff’s deputy to see if I was okay! I guess it has become THAT UNUSUAL to be unplugged.
This is such a great post, Francine. Your reason why this space have been void of your usual posts is understandable.
I, too, felt the digital fatigue. I don’t have any social media accounts because of that. Though I started an online presence (a blog), I opted to stay anonymous. That choice is somewhat made to protect myself from “obsessively desiring to be seen, heard, liked or followed”. I write to share, but I don’t want to sap the fun out of it. “I give myself permission to go placidly” in how I blog. (For instance, I don’t have a set schedule of how many times I post.) When I felt pressured to keep up with other blogs, I give myself a favor by doing the opposite. I do nothing.
“I want to think my thoughts instead of reading everyone else’s”. Perfectly said. Great post.
I’ve been leaving my phone at home while at work & only turning it on twice a day to check for calls & texts.
The irony of saying there are too many blogs… in a blogpost.
Early this year I dropped out and deleted my Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest accounts.
I subscribe to the Washington Post and N Y Times on line and enjoy both with my morning coffee.
This has resulted in 4 extra hours each day that i had previously spent on line.
I now use the Internet as a tool not an addiction. My mobile phone stays in my purse at all times. I can hear it ring. All my friends are aware they may have to leave a message.
I’ve done exactly what Maggie has done, though I only skim my city’s paper in the morning.
This has resulted not only in much more uncluttered time, but much less stress, comparison with others, unhappiness, and b****ing (by me, I have to admit).
I do remember life before the Internet, and in so many ways it was better. The internet is a great tool, and so is the mobile phone, but they can suck the life out of you if you let them.
Bravo, Francine!
I live with son abd family which includes two young
Little girls. Yesterday after.everyone left for workc
And daycare i sat down to get on social media and
Stopped…. the frobt door was open the birds were
Singing and three deer were in my front yard
I sat in the quiet ans just enjoyed it all. It was a lovely
Quiet morning. I expect this morning to be the same.
This post couldn’t have been more timely. I was just staring at my to do list wondering if I there is some way to do my job without social media. Even though I enjoy engaging with people on those platforms, I let my heart and mind get too attached at times. This is a good reminder to step away occasionally and find respite from the noise.
I am overloaded.
“I feel the need to wothdraw from the entanglements of life”.
I agree with you completely.
I have a twitter account but it overwhelmed me, so I deleted it for awhile. To do that, I unfollowed hundreds of people then deleted the account. When I wanted to post, I reactivated my account weeks later, and only follow a handful of people. (I still only visit twitter once a month, if that.)
I mostly use facebook and instagram – mostly for the instagram stories. I’m quite addicted to them actually. They’re relaxing for me after work and end up inspiring me to make a healthier recipe or smoothie or try a new workout.
I recently went on my first cruise ever (won’t be my last!) and had this thought that I couldn’t let go of my phone that week, that I needed internet access to stay connected. Well, that’s expensive and I chose to just connect when in port (only a handful of times that week). It was freeing to use my phone for photos of the beautiful scenery and to capture the week (people, food, activities, etc.) , but the rest of the time was spent talking to my cousin and people around us, going for walks on the deck, playing cards, seeing shows, enjoying wonderful food… and it was refreshing to see over 1300 passengers not on their phones but interacting with others or soaking in the scenery. I’d like to bring more of that vacation mentality to my everyday life.
I love that folks are starting to think about unplugging. I’m already about 75% there, since I’ve never gotten in that deep to begin with. I have a smart phone but it’s turned off and in my purse and only gets turned on when I’m on the road. I have a Facebook account with only 15 friends. I never watch TV but I do use e-mail a fair bit. I’ve never done Twitter, Instagram, etc. I read a paper copy of the newspaper. Maybe if being unplugged gets to be more popular I won’t get teased so much about what I do and don’t do.
Ditto!!! I’m ready for deeper and more profound. JOMO!!!
I am winding down my Facebook account and have closed my Pinterest account. But I am wondering if my reluctance to have an online presence is affecting my ability to change jobs as I have heard employers like to check you out on LinkedIn, etc.
Baby, I am a recruiter. The best candidate I placed had the worst LinkedIn account I’ve seen – almost no info, basically a photo, a name and his current company name. His new employer loves him and it has never been a problem for him to change jobs. So don’t worry about LinkedIn too much – a good CV, people skills and applying for vacancies should be enough.
Oops, Baby = Gaby. Autocorrection.
Olá . Apenas sugestão:
O LinkedIn é uma ferramenta fundamental para alavancar carreira profissional.
I really miss your updates on your blog since I would consider your blog one of the best blogs of minimalism on the internet and I still recommend your blog archives to others that are new to minimalism. I find it very sad that you will not be keeping your blog updated anymore, but if you find more peace in your life without updating your blog regularly anymore, then I understand completely. Keeping a blog going is big responsibility and I can understand how someone could get burned out by that responsibility. :(
But thank you for creating a minimalism blog that is enjoyed by many including myself. I wish you all of the best that life has to offer and thank you so much again. :)
I also miss this blog a lot. I found it much more inspiring and profound than most other blogs on minimalism. I often whish that there could be new entries based on old blog post with just an introducting comment, un paragraph or an updated and then the old post. Just to keep the conversation alive and the inspiration fresh. Things have evolved since the old post were written and the readers have evolved. This blog is unique, also by the quality of the comments.
yes! This is exactly how I feel atm! I;ve signed up to a lot of blogs I love, youtube channels, podcasts and insta accounts and even still being selective it is still a lot of noise (although I do love my real minimalist emails :)). I recently had some RSI issues with my hands and arms so was forced to put my phone and laptop away which has been nice to step away from the need to keep up with everyone and just be still! A new book sounds like a better use of free time than constant scrolliing :)
Although I enjoy reading certain blogs (this one among them), I recently came to the conclusion that I have a plethora of blog posts that come into my mailbox every day that I delete without even opening. Why? Because by the title I can see that some product is being promoted, there’s a chance to win something, it’s a podcast or a vlog, the subject matter isn’t appealing, it has a political bent…..and the list of reasons go on. Yet I’ve hesitated to unsubscribe because every so often there is the rare post that contains something useful or interesting. But lately I’ve begun to wonder if the time spent scrolling through them to see if today is that the rare day is worth it. Tomorrow I will begin to unsubscribe from “rare day” blogs. I can use that time to sit on the porch with a cup of coffee and watch the breeze dancing with the leaves of the trees instead.
I’ve never had not do I want a Facebook account. I watch my husband scroll through his feed for minutes before finding something worthwhile or a post from a friend or relative. He’s becoming more and more frustrated with his experience on that platform. I also don’t have a Twitter or Instagram account. Don’t want those either. I find that they’re a timesink. I used to enjoy Pinterest but very rarely scroll through it anymore. I generally use it as a repository for ideas that I find elsewhere.
I have a smartphone. I use it to call and text. I use the map app on it and occasionally use it for pulling up coupons from my email account. I take pictures with it. I don’t even use it to read emails, lol! I guess I’m fairly unplugged for someone in this day and age.
I’m with you, Kim!
Excited about the possibility of a new book! Yay! I just finished !00 Essentials and loved it.
I recently closed Tumblr, and I’m thinking of closing Twitter and Goodreads since I rarely log on to them. There’s just too much to keep up and it’s overwhelming me.
l deleted my Facebook account 2 years ago and now have no social media at all. It was the best decision I’ve ever made for multiple reasons. Thank you for this awesome post.
I just deleted my Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter! Feels so good. I’m tired of all the input and want to take a step back.
I don’t use social media, but I still find I spend way too much time reading blogs and watching YouTube. I have come to the conclusion that every so often we need to do a “min-declutter” on what we are spending our time doing. (Rather as we do mini de-clutters of our possessions.) Every so often I cut my subscriptions and tidy up the amount of blogs I have marked. Otherwise it gets overwhelming and I feel as though the internet is ruling me, not the other way round. I recently read an article that said instead of having “To Do” lists we should have a “Do More” and a “Do Less list. I am planning to do this soon as a way of re-evaluating how I use my time and whether I am doing what feeds me, as opposed to what is negative. It is so easy to drift otherwise.
I used to have a Facebook account and I was on Pinterest. About 2 years ago I deleted and closed both and haven’t missed either. At first it seemed weird not checking in all the time, but then it just felt so good I didn’t even consider going back.
I read some blogs and occasionally comment on a post that speaks to me, I also follow world news and read – sometimes skim – articles on various subjects. The thing that I’m very happy about is that I’m more of a reader, since the world seems to be full of videos these days…especially since they’re often not very good…In my not so humble opinion. :) Not that I don’t enjoy a good visual every once in a while, there are lots of lovely videos on tiny houses etc.
I guess I’m pretty happy with my digital habits, since I also have other ways of spending time like reading, drawing, meeting friends, thinking, decluttering :D.
I have very few social media accounts, and even at that, I feel the need to pull back from them. I have only two accounts: Facebook and Linked In, and very few friends or “links” in either service. Even so, the appeal of those services has dropped off considerably as I’ve gotten older. I’ve purged group memberships, liked pages, and friends since I’ve discovered minimalism but not I need to cut back on my time spent on those sites.
Like The Minimalists, I’ve purged apps from my phone, not that I had many of a social-media bent to start. The ones that I’ve kept are the ones that I use regularly. I’ve unsubscribed from a good 90% of my email subscriptions and auto-notifications to keep my inbox clean
I run a business that depends on the internet interactions with clients and customers, which for some reason people assumed this gave them permission to contact me at all hours of the day or night. In May I put my smart phone away and embraced my flip phone. I publish my hours I am available to be contacted, 90% of my competitors think their business lives and dies due to social media, no it is the one on one, nose to nose contact, it is setting boundaries that people very quickly respect, it is being present in each moment that makes for good business and a balanced life. Business is as strong as ever, by the way.
Hi Francine,
Thanks for this article. I really needed it, Sometimes I do get distracted with all that noise and have to remind myself to come back to a quieter place. It’s all about balance and moderation. Thanks for the reminder!
Cheers,
Sandra
I have been feeling this way so much lately!!! It was very refreshing reading this post and knowing that I am not alone. I think many people are feeling this way now. The wave we are all riding of being connected all of the time is taking it’s toll. I deactivated my FB account a long while ago and it helped a ton. I called it the FB rabbit hole because once you’re in you can’t get out too easily. I keep thinking how much time we truly waste scrolling and “liking” and commenting (as I’m doing now LOL). And so much of our time is spent in front of a screen now. I truly miss the days that we could go out shopping all day uninterupted and come home to an answering machine for messages. It definitely takes more effort to unplugged now, but it’s worth it to get some time for ourselves back.
My husband is angry because I don’t do Facebook any more. He shows me posts he thinks I need to see Some people post about every move they make. Then he watches 3-4 hours of TV every day. If I watch it at all, it is 1-2 hours. I listened to the news in the car. There is one big national story each day and I read the newspaper a few times a week. I do the Sunday New York Times crossword each week.
We were in a nice restaurant. At the next table was a couple with a toddler in a high chair. The child started to fuss, so the father handed the child his new cell phone. There was no talking to the toddler, no coloring, no engagement at all. I often feel that today’s children are expected to be soothed immediately by a screen. How will they learn human interaction?
We went to Hawaii and around the islands with my sister and her family. My husband and I each took a carry on bag and a small zippered tote. If we were not coming back to Chicago in the winter, we could have left our extra sweat shirts, gloves, and hats at home. When we land at Chicago, we put our sweatshirts under our windbreakers. Besides watching tourists spend lots of money on souvenirs, we also saw whales, volcanoes, and mountains. All my clothes are second hand. I took some pictures with my phone. I keep filling bags each week for the food pantry and the library sale. I have 3 pairs of jeans, two nice pairs of slacks, and 10 tee shirts. I also have 5 sweatshirts counting the zippered and over the head kind. The only thing I would like is a heavy lined sweatshirt for spring in a really dark, solid color. I bought a nice spring jacket in a light color at a thrift shop a few years ago.
I check Facebook twice a week. My husband gets angry that I don’t check everything all the time.
Thank you for this Francine Jay, this is one of my favorite articles so far! Specially the FOMO & JOMO… I try and share this with my High School students (Italy) often and even thought it is hard because of their age and technology I have challenged them to unplug and some of them have found amazing rewards. I find myself, like you said in this article, constantly trying to unplug. I’ve been meaning to thank you for this blog for a long time, and now I thank you even more for unplugging yourself and encouraging others to do so as well… to then come back with more energy, deeper thoughts and more aware of what and who is really important in our lives. THANKS again. Let’s all enjoy some quiet time :)