Digital Minimalism – Answer to your Tech Addiction

There’s a fascinating shift happening right now—a movement where people are returning to vintage tech. You might be thinking of vinyl records, but now, even the iPod—released more than 20 years ago—qualifies as Ancient Technology.

We’re seeing a transition from overcomplicated phone cameras to simple point and shoot cameras or even Polaroids, focusing on capturing cherished moments in the real world, moments that AI simply cannot recreate. 

You can even make a statement with an Analog Watch. There’s a timeless elegance to these handcrafted pieces that tell the world you aren’t “always on,” bound by the constant notifications. Instead, you’re in control of your own pace.

Man’s slavery to Instinct was never meant to be exploited by Machine.

Now, let’s clear something up. Digital minimalism isn’t the same as digital detox. Digital detox is a knee-jerk reaction by people trying to escape the overwhelming pull of technology.

How many of you have tried a digital detox? Even if you made it through a full 30 days, the gravitational pull of technology was way too strong, right? And since everyone else is doing it, you had no choice but to join the Addiction.

The functional equivalent of digital detox today is like trying to quit smoking or alcohol—it’s hard, and Perpetual Modernisation doesn’t make it any easier.

Then what is Digital Minimalism?

It’s not about fighting the urge to check your phone. It’s about making small, deliberate changes that, over time, become part of who you are, so those urges don’t exist anymore.

How to Start Your Digital Minimalism Journey?

I often get asked about dopamine detox, and honestly, as a neuroscientist, this makes absolutely no sense to me.

The brain has over 100 neurotransmitters, all in a moment to moment state of flux. It’s not about withdrawing from a single chemical, but rather bringing hierarchical neurochemical balance to whole brain networks. This process is by no means linear and requires multilevel integration between Central and Autonomic Nervous Systems.

Now, that might sound complex, but I’m here to make it simple. I personally employ 3 non-negotiables for digital minimalism, and I invite you to experiment with them in your own life.

1. Sleep:

Despite what anyone will tell you, the simplest most effective way to bring the brain into neurochemical balance is quite simply: Sleep. It costs you nothing, but there are certain tools you can use to assist the process.

Two things affect sleep quality: sleep hygiene and a stimulant intake.

Let’s start with sleep hygiene. Step 1. throw out your alarm clock. This is a relic from industrialisation. I personally don’t wake up to an alarm unless I absolutely have to—like for an early morning flight. Instead, I set a sleep alarm, tracked with a biometric device that maps my three-day sleep cycle to set my time in bed for optimal recovery.

Lighting is another big factor. I use lighting that doesn’t exceed 3200 Kelvin such as salt lamps and infrared lighting.

If you have watched my TEDx talk, you’ll know that I lived in a cave for 3 months without any electricity or running water. This profoundly changed my sleep cycle. My only light sources were the campfire, the stars, and the moon. When I returned to City, I chose not to acclimatise to City lights. That was eight years ago and I have no interest in going back!

Your chronotype might differ, so I recommend tracking what benefits your sleep. In this morning routine obsessed culture, I’d encourage you to start by creating your sleep routine.

Now, the second part of sleep is a stimulant-free lifestyle. Due to my upbringing, I do not take any medication, drugs, alcohol or even coffee. You may question, what does stimulants have to do with digital minimalism – hear me out.

When I arrived in Australia at 23, I tried to fit in with a culture that is build on coffee and alcohol.

I started with coffee. A small Mocha. They said it would be a great entry-level coffee. I was awake for 4 days straight. My attempt at alcohol did not go any different. This lead me down the notorious path of starting Australia’s first and to date, largest Drug and Alcohol free parties. This was initially met with resistance and people thought it was a joke. Yet within a few years, our events grew to 600-1500 people.

I have no hesitation in saying I have zero regrets in missing out on getting wasted on the weekends. The point of this analogy is:

Technology is the modern equivalent of social lubricants such as Alcohol. 

It’s hard to escape, and you’ll face resistance. It will be a challenge to even participate in society, let alone connect with people. This was most evident during the stay-at-home crisis – but will get to this…

For now, I want to emphasis that  it was never about chasing domaine, ecstasy or any other artificial High. You can’t simply avoid one chemical and hope your life will magically fall into place. Instead, design a life around real connections, movement, nature and balance which no amount of stimulants – digital or otherwise can ever replace. This lifestyle leaves no reason to detox, as it is not toxic in the first place!

This is the second key to digital minimalism that I don’t think gets talked about – build a life that you don’t feel the need to escape from.

To be sure, we will be tempted by our vices, and that’s ok. Digital minimalism is about making small changes and we soon find ourselves trading our vices for our nonnegotiables.

2. Digital Withdrawal:

Like many of you, I abandoned Myspace for Facebook in the late 2000s. It was great at first, but when smartphones arrived, I found myself doom scrolling. It is no surprise that the bell icon literally mimics the actual bell used in Pavlovian conditioning experiments. So a decade ago, I turned off all notifications and put my phone on silent so that I would not be bothered unintentionally.

Then something happened that would change everything. The stay-at-home criss appeared out of no where and we were suddenly locked up in our homes with nothing but digital devices to comfort us. A new app also appeared on the scene with vertical videos and this for me was the end of the line.

I’ve never used TikTok, and when Instagram introduced reels, I left that platform too. I still post content, but I use tools that allow me to avoid opening the app.

The real game changer was in 2023 when Apple released Assistive Access. I always wanted a minimalist phone but was too deep into the Apple ecosystem to switch. Unlike what the name suggests, Assistive Access is quite the contrary. It is inconvenient, glitchy and annoying. This is exactly what I was looking for. I have no more than 12 apps on my phone with limited functionality. I sacrifice convince for an exercise in patients. Dopamine for delayed gratification and digital noise for clear focus.

I can safely report that I have no desire to switch back.

3. AI SAFETY:

Finally, let’s talk about generative AI. Similar to setting boundaries with toxic people, I set boundaries with Machine. The chatGPT interface mimics a messaging formats like iMessage or WhatsApp – by design. The app has no place on my phone. I refuse to have conversation with Machine.

Earlier this year, I was meticulously preparing for my TEDx talk, when people suggested using ChatGPT. In my view, I had not right to stand on the RED DOT if the words I spoke were not my own. Our interaction with Technology is something that concerned me deeply and using chatGPT directly contradicts with the message of my TEDx Talk: Danger of Replacing Instinct with Technology.

TED however, had other plans and Banned this talk for being Offensive. Ironically, if I had used ChatGPT, I probably would not have been Banned. I never thought an institution like TED would be the one to Demonise Original Thought. You can watch the Full TEDx Talk below to make up your own mind.

Generative AI is taking a toll on our ability to think. I’ve seen people argue with ChatGPT as if it were a person. And while younger generations are experiencing AI fatigue, older generations are experiencing profound sense of “Machine Mysticism” and have become emotionally attached to it.

At a time when people are reporting the highest levels of loneliness then any other time in history, there is a evolving preference to connect with Machine over Human.

So if you have read this far, hopefully you can see that Digital Minimalism isn’t Deprivation. It is quite the opposite! It’s about finding our way back to the real world, setting strong boundaries – with Machine, and building a life that doesn’t need detox in the first place. Are you with me?