We are taught that we need more tools to become more efficient. On first inspection this rule sounds reasonable. The more machines or programs we have access to, the less time we need to spend on the tasks. But does that automatically mean we have more free-time? I am not sure.
Many public spokespeople for minimalism would probably agree with me. Not only is Marie Kondo advising you to cherish your decimated belongings, she also encourages you to have less to plan, oversee and organize. This is true for private homes, as well as the work environment (Kondo & Sonenshein, 2020). The term “digital minimalism” has come up in the occasional YouTube video by renounced minimalist Youtubers (e.g. Matt D’Avella has posted a video on his approach of “digital minimalism”).
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past 5 years, you are probably familiar with the term minimalism. In case you did just emerge from under your favorite boulder, welcome to 2022, you are in for a ride my friend. But how is this concept to be understood?
The definition of the minimalist lifestyle by www.becomingminimalist.com is “The minimalist lifestyle is about living with only the things you need. Minimalists are free from the desire to buy and accumulate more. Instead, they find happiness in relationships and experiences.“
- Less visual clutter – better focus
Have you ever experienced a difference in productivity when you were working in a library, or another public working space compared to a messy bedroom or your own office? Many find it easier to focus and reduce distraction in the first environments compared to the latter ones. Why is that? We as humans are evolutionary pre-programmed to constantly scan our environment for possible threats. An environment that provides a lot of visual stimulation (i.e. has a lot of stuff to look at in) needs to be scanned longer to assess it. This means that at least unconsciously your brain needs to process a lot more information than in a less cluttered one. This affects the way you are able to focus, because your brain has to regularly switch from unconscious scanning to conscious awareness to determine whether a stimulus is a possible threat. Does that mean that you can only ever work in the shared office space or in a library? No. It just means that it is worth decreasing the visual clutter in your working space to help you focus.
- Fewer things that need your attention (fewer things on your to-do list)
It’s only logical that fewer possessions (physical or digital) will lead to fewer responsibilities. If you have twenty houseplants, you’ll spend (ideally) more time watering and taking care of plants than when you own two houseplants. This simple logic applies to anything that requires regular maintenance starting from responsibilities such as house chores up to the reading of newsletters that regularly show up in your email inbox.
So how can you go about decreasing your (unnecessary) responsibilities so you have more time for the things that are important to you?
Start by getting an accurate idea of the present situation. This can be achieved by keeping track of your responsibilities for a couple of days. Anything that requires regular action from you should go on that list. For example, reading and answering emails, taking care of house plants and vehicles or attending meetings. After you think you have a pretty good idea of what your responsibilities are you can go through that list and identify items that you no longer want to spend time on. Whether this means unsubscribing from newsletters or finally quitting a committee or group that you are a member of is completely up to you. The goal is that your days are more often filled with things that you enjoy and value, instead of activities you dread and don’t see the point of.
- More creativity due to a “blank canvas” environment?
Historically, a messy work environment is seen as a sign of a creative mind. Famously, Einstein, Mark Twain and Steve Jobs were known for their messy desks. Research on this topic by Vohs, Redden and Rahinel (2013) found that individuals who were given a work environment were more likely to come up with creative solutions, but less likely to make donations to a good cause or make healthy decisions on a choice of a snack once the experiment was completed. Does that mean you either have to be creative or good? Not really, this is just one study and the results should not be used as a general guideline.
My personal opinion, that I happen to share with tidying-up guru Marie Kondo, is that I find it easier to be productive and also be creative in a tidier environment. A messy surrounding distracts me and stresses me out. If you notice yourself being distracted often, it might be worth seeing how you can lower external distractions by making your environment less stimulating.
- Less stressing and more doing
Most of us procrastinate on tasks occasionally, if not regularly. What many don’t know about procrastination is that it is often caused by feelings of overwhelm (e.g. not knowing where to start) and anxiety about negative outcomes (e.g. confrontation). Minimalism simplifies decision making, because eventually the person will end up having to make fewer decisions in general. This means that it is easier to focus and to decide what action to take next. One outcome of this is that firstly, minimalists find it easier to get going, because they don’t have to worry about prioritizing the wrong task (Tibbet & Ferrari, 2015; Chernev, Böckenholt & Goodman, 2015) as much as someone who isn’t a minimalist. Secondly, they end up spending less time procrastinating on tasks because of their worries.
Ok, so do you have to start throwing your stuff out now? Only if you want to. If you are wondering how you can use (some) of the ideas of minimalism to simplify your life, I recommend that you start at a time that is suitable for you and if necessary read up about the topic before you get rid of all of your stuff. I’ve listed a few reading recommendations below.
What are your thoughts? Are you a clutter-lover or a cleanliness-fan? Let me know in the comments!
Book Recommendations:
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Greg McKeown
Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism, Fumio Sasaki
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, Marie Kondo
Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life by Marie Kondo & Scott Sonenshein
References:
Chernev, A., Böckenholt, U., & Goodman, J. (2015). Choice overload: A conceptual review and meta‐analysis. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 25(2), 333-358.
Kondō, M., & Sonenshein, S. (2020). Joy at work: organizing your professional life. Large print edition. New York: Little, Brown Spark.
Tibbett, T. P., & Ferrari, J. R. (2015). The portrait of the procrastinator: Risk factors and results of an indecisive personality. Personality and individual differences, 82, 175-184.
Vohs, K. D., Redden, J. P., & Rahinel, R. (2013). Physical order produces healthy choices, generosity, and conventionality, whereas disorder produces creativity. Psychological Science, 24(9), 1860-1867.
Photo by Samantha Gades on Unsplash
Margaretha Madoures 