Giving away books.

Inspired by Marie Kondo, I freed some of my books from the cluttered shelf where I had packed them and gave them away to friends. Sparked a lot of fun conversations. The remaining books now have space to breathe on the shelf. I've uncovered the books I haven't read yet. There are still lots left that I'm not yet ready to let go of. Somehow it feels as if the books I have loved define me and I find it hard to let go even if I haven't re-read them in years. I feel I have trapped them here - and books need to keep moving, opening new minds as they go. Book swaps sound like a great idea - must try soon! Read More......

The minimalists' framework

Frameworks are great tools and bring structure to a situation.  One helpful framework I came across in the Mimimalists book I read recently is the following five focus areas for life.  

1. Health
2. Relationships
3. Growth
4. Contribution
5. Passion

I'm still assimilating this. I need to assess where I stand in these areas.  Then comes the important step of making small improvements in each area, aiming to be in a better position every time.  Overall I like the idea of getting rid of the excesses to focus on what's really important in life.  

I used to think that minimalism was about getting rid of stuff but that seems to be only a part of it.  It actually is about making room for what is important.  It's about pausing to think about how something will add value before a purchase. About cultivating a conscious mind that doesn't run on autopilot.

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Default settings

'Be open to learn.' - this is something I've heard in the context of the career.  It is hard enough to apply it in the workplace - sometimes, work just leaves no time to pause and learn.  But we are more than our job title.  And I've never done a serious attempt to incorporate learning in the rest of my life. 

Just letting life run its course is the easy option.  Taking time to self reflect is making me see a lot of aspects I have to improve on -  relationships, health and hobbies to start with.  I've stuck to the default settings in these areas - but that way I've lost out on making progress, seeing growth and achieving  something. 

Now that I'm seeing this, it is overwhelming.  Righting the wrongs of the past many years is going to take a lot of work.  Acknowledging the gap is just the first step.  Now comes learning.

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Spring cleaning life

Now that I look up from my smartphone, I see clutter all around me.  There are books I've bought that I've never read.  Clothes I bought that don't quite fit.  Things I've saved up thinking vaguely I'd use them some day.  Snacks that are tossed after a few weeks in the cupboard.  Accessories that I don't really like much.  Gifts that I hope to re-circulate.  Appliances I had hoped would ease my life a little more.  Sentimental keepsakes which are of no use.   Things I've bought because they were a great deal even if I had no particular need for the item.  And so much more.

I read about minimalists who are thoughtful about what possessions they add on.  I know I won't be able to turn minimalist but I do wonder if there are some things I could learn from them.  I hear about Marie Kondo and her methods to deal with clutter.  These expert opinions may help me to understand and fix the problem of clutter both in my physical and digital world I hope.

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Busy day and a new book

Most of the time, a  busy day is a happier day.  Today was one of those productive days.  I actually was able to tackle each email I received instead of skimming the top few in sight.  That feels like quite an achievement considering there are days when things just keep piling up and await the escalations to start.

I started on a book 'The shallows' by Nicholas Carr.  The first chapter was interesting.  I picked it up because it deals with the topic of my last blog post - information overload.  There were several quotes where people admitted having changed in many ways conditioned by the internet, resulting in lower attention span and patience levels - I completely identify with that. It was interesting to read that with every evolution of the media we use to consume content, we ourselves change in many ways in tune with the new medium.  It doesn't depend on the content quality but rather the nature of the medium itself. 

For example, with the coming of the internet, we pay our bills online.  Imagine if you had to go to the electricity board office, the phone company, the bank and so on physically each month to pay these bills.   That would be quite a hassle now even for those who yearn for the good old days.  Our expectations have changed in response to the medium called the internet.  The medium changes the way we think - now we expect our transactions to happen without any errors amidst the million others that take place every moment.  We resent any time that we have to spend to correct some error that creeps in unexpectedly.  Our voices carry further when we express our opinions. 

The question of information overload isn't going to have a simple answer I see.

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Overload

For a long time now, my web activity has been restricted to email, social media sites and the occasional news check. The internet is great. It connects people and makes our life easier in many ways.

However I wonder if the benefits really outweigh the cost. My email is overflowing with spam that I have no clue how to contain. Facebook and twitter are overrun with sponsored and recommended posts. I google something and ads follow me wherever I go. I waste hours watching mindless videos and memes. When I post something, I watch anxiously till I see a few likes and comments. Imagine how ridiculous we would find this if it wasn't in just bits and bytes on the screen but had a physical presence?

There is probably some phrase researchers have to define this state. I wouldn't know - I haven't read anything meaningful for a long time. My attention span is low and I do not retain much of what I read or see. I skim instead of savor. Direct interactions and conversations with people has become more difficult. There is just so much of content overload and I've let it all wash over me without thinking about the impact on my mind and behavior.

There is good content out there - meaningful stuff that actually adds value to me. But maybe this content isn't as in the face as the meaningless chaff that floats around.

Now I wonder how I can get out of this mess without losing the wonderful benefits of this connected life. Where do I begin?

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