The one sentence summary

You can fight for your choices and identity in the digital age by making some specific changes to your habits.

WHAT THE BOOK SAYS

  • Most people are now suffering from a number of crises: in the brain, the body, time, space, privacy, relationships and socially.
  • The economy of distraction makes a lot of companies a lot of money.
  • Most people underestimate the amount of time they spend online by about two hours a day – that’s a month a year.
  • The book suggests a series of challenges to improve things:
  1. Measure how much time you spend online.
  2. Identify your internal triggers (Why do you keep checking email?)
  3. Get the right motivation (What else would you rather do?)
  4. Get rid of notifications
  5. Declutter your smartphone (remove little-used apps)
  6. Set up some highly focused work time (without technology)
  7. Practice staying present in the moment (15 minutes a day)
  8. Get back into deep reading (concentrate properly)
  9. Notice when you multitask
  10. Stop multitasking – it doesn’t work.
  11. Train your memory to claim back something you have outsourced to technology.
  12. Make space for boredom– that’s when new thoughts arise.
  13. Spend less time sitting.
  14. Incorporate physical breaks into your tech routine.
  15. Incorporate regular breaks in nature into your routine.
  16. Set up a ritual to physically separate yourself from your tools.
  17. Take time to read anything before sharing it.
  18. Slow down and take a pause.
  19. Define your priority (What will make a big difference today?)
  20. Limit your social media usage.
  21. Get off the digital leash (work out what can wait until tomorrow).
  22. Remove devices out of sight.
  23. Create tech free zones at home or work.
  24. Take a break from social media.
  25. Fool the algorithm – remove as much information about yourself as possible.
  26. Take care of your privacy.
  27. Manage your online reputation.
  28. Link to people online – express views, don’t just hit the like button.
  29. Get out of your online bubble.
  30. Take a break from watching online porn.
  31. Keep your phone away when talking to someone in person.

WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT IT

  • Anyone can apply any of these suggestions and make improvements to their life.
  • “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” Blaise Pascal

WHAT YOU HAVE TO WATCH

  • Not much, but reaction to the suggestions will doubtless vary depending on how much the reader is struggling with digital addiction.