Hey fam…

Happy new month!… And welcome to the “Off the Grid” series. I went with that title because it sounds like a fitting expression for the agenda of the month.

First of all, if you’re reading this in the week it was posted, it’s either you’re part of the Two Cents mailing family and got notified that a new post is up (shout-out to those of you that are subscribed to the blog), or you just decided to check in here out of curiosity. Well, if you’re part of the second category, consider joining the family by subscribing:)

In case you don’t know what the “Off the Grid” series is all about, I announced in the last blog entry that I’d be taking on the month-long digital declutter experiment proposed by Cal Newport in his book, Digital Minimalism. More about the experiment here.

I also stated my intentions to stay accountable here and give updates on how I’m faring through the challenge. This series will serve as weekly updates and will run through the month. I’ll be sharing my experiences and lessons, and I’ll be doing it in a more traditional journaling style. After all, it’s Two Cents Journal:)

The format of the posts is largely undefined at the moment and might vary from week to week, depending on what I think is worth sharing.

Re-designing My Environment

It’s only a couple of days into the experiment, and the past few days have been spent primarily on re-arranging my digital space, both on my mobile phone and on my computer, to fit the demands of the challenge. As suggested by Cal Newport, I proceeded to eliminate “optional technologies” (apps and digital tools that I can do without for a while, without any serious consequences).

Of course, some platforms are inevitable, given certain responsibilities that I cannot avoid. But for such apps, I am implementing some systems that help regulate my usage, such as having “online office hours”.

The Consciousness of Time

September seemed to have sped by at 2x speed. It’s the 6th week in my school’s calendar, and it still feels as though the semester is only 2 weeks old. I guess I understand how Einstein felt when he proposed the theory of relativity of time.

Well, it seems like the year is keen on reaching the finish line in record time as the past 3 days have not been any slower. The only difference being that I am more conscious of the speed at which the days run by. I had thought that shutting down all the “distractions” would make everything move much slower with the increasing chance of boredom. How wrong I was.

I guess this is because I’m still as active as ever. With a ton of things to get to, I’m constantly moving from task to task. And with so much activity, time is often compressed and “flies”.

Mental Declutter

Beyond cleaning up my devices, I have also realized that shutting down external media sources brings about a mental quietness that enables better productivity.

In one of the posts back in February, I wrote a post on Information Overload and how it can get toxic if not controlled. The problem with information overload is that we do not realize our “unhealthy” intake of ubiquitous information from news outlets and social media until we are eventually overwhelmed.

It’s interesting how much mental solitude we can wield simply by taking control of the information we expose ourselves to. It leaves us less exposed to external influences. In the absence of access to social media, I almost forgot that Nigeria’s Independence was on the 1st of October. It was just like every other regular Friday. Well, with the state of things in the country, I doubt I missed much.

I also realized that I subconsciously turned to some of these platforms as a means of escape whenever I felt the slightest tinge of boredom or frustration while working on tasks. Having cleared my phone of such apps, I am forced to sit through such frustration without interrupting the flow by distracting myself.

I still catch myself scrolling through my phone from time to time in search of those apps, but with each attempt, I am reminded that there’s no escape. I believe that with time, I’ll eventually overcome the itch.

Moving Forward…

The week ahead would be the first complete week in the experiment, and I am excited to see how it pans out. I’m looking to intentionally cultivate certain habits and practices that support my goals and productivity. I’ll admit that I often do not fare too well with sticking to habit-building long enough to have it automated. Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping it’s different this time.

I think this is a good place to draw the curtain on this entry… Until next week…

Stay safe!✌🏾