I know, I know. Minimalism isn’t exactly all the hype anymore. You all threw out all your shit years ago, when I was still hoarding things like a maniac. Minimalism isn’t even my goal to be honest and I don’t think I’ll ever be a true minimalist.
I guess it would be more appropriate to call me a maximalist by nature. A hunter and gatherer. My brain seems to be hard wired to come up with new ideas, start new projects and collect things. I cannot count how many lists I have. Lists of things. And even lists of lists of things.
And I’m terrible at finishing things, and at letting things go. Especially the things that I started and that I’m still interested in, which apparently is a big, broad range of things. Combine this with (at least) some signs of ADHS/ADS and the focus of a toddler, and guess what? Not the best combination for your mental hygiene and productivity.
But I digress. If the last quarter of 2020 taught me anything about life, it’s that nothing lasts forever, and that some of my habits weren’t very sustainable at all. So I kinda, sorta unintentionally made this the motto for my new year:
Do I still need this?
- What are the chances, that I eventually really read this PDF that sat in my download directory for the past three years now?
- When was the last time I actually used this little whatever-it-is that still sits on my desk?
- Do I really care about the opinions of this one crazy distant-friend-on-facebook who thinks Covid is a hoax and Bill Gates eats babies for breakfast?
- Does this little habit and that tiny pattern I picked up really get me anywhere, anymore? Or could it be replaced with something better.
- Do I really still need all of this?
There’s only so much time. And there’s plenty of books waiting on my bookshelf I am actually looking forward to read. So many projects that actually need my attention. Friends I haven’t talked to in a while and enjoy talking to. And – last but not least – my little family with two pretty cool kids to raise.
Ideas are plenty. The good one’s will stick, no matter me hoarding them. This year is dedicated to my attention, it’s time to let go of a few things.
Bring it on, 2021! I’m ready.
PS:
To make this post complete, here’s some of the things I got rid of and changes I made:
– delete the facebook app
– mute a few people on facebook
– delete swarm and a bunch of other apps
– throw out some stuff at home
– no alcohol on weekdays
– read more books
– use twitter way more active and concious (instead of passively consuming)
– sell some old electronic stuff (e. g. my SLR equipment)
– finally digitize some old videos I found, including recordings of my late father and of a seven year old me embarassingly singing into the camera in pijamas (some things need to be preserved for posterity)
PPS:
This is not intended to be some “I set my goals in public to make me stick to it” post. I’m pretty positive that I will break some if not most of the things above in a heartbeat, and that’s fine. But it reminds me that a little change from time to time is a very good thing!