TL;DR: Use fewer tools, master them deeply. Plain text over proprietary, local over cloud, process over tools.
We’re drowning in tools, apps, and notifications. Digital minimalism offers a way out.
The Problem
The average knowledge worker uses 9.4 apps daily and switches between them 1,100 times per day. Each switch costs cognitive resources.
Cal Newport
“Digital minimalism is a philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected activities that strongly support things you value.”
The Cost of Digital Maximalism
| Symptom | Impact |
|---|---|
| Notification fatigue | Fractured attention |
| Tool proliferation | Context switching |
| Feature creep | Complexity overhead |
| FOMO | Decision paralysis |
Principles
1. Fewer Tools, Mastered Deeply
I use Obsidian for notes instead of:
- Apple Notes + Notion + Evernote + Google Keep
One tool, deeply understood, beats five tools poorly used.
2. Plain Text Over Proprietary
Markdown files will outlive any app:
2005: MySpace profiles → Gone
2010: Google Reader feeds → Gone
2024: Your markdown files → Still there
3. Local Over Cloud
Your data should live on your machine first:
- No internet required
- No subscription needed
- No company can shut you out
4. Process Over Tools
The Zettelkasten worked with paper index cards. The Second Brain works with any app.
Tools Are Secondary
The best system is the one you’ll actually use consistently.
My Digital Minimalism Stack
| Need | Tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Notes | Obsidian | Local, Markdown, linking |
| Tasks | Plain text TODO | Simple, portable |
| Calendar | Default app | Good enough |
| Default app | Resists over-optimization | |
| Reading | Kindle + Paper | Focused, no notifications |
The Intentionality Test
Before adding a new tool, ask:
- What specific problem does this solve?
- Can an existing tool do this adequately?
- Is the benefit worth the complexity cost?
- Will I still use this in 5 years?
Applying Minimalism to Notes
The PKM space is full of tool-hopping:
The Collector's Fallacy
Saving information feels like learning, but it isn’t.
Instead:
- Write to think (slow thinking)
- Connect ideas (evergreen notes)
- Publish to share (personal website)
The Paradox
Digital minimalism requires more intentionality, not less engagement:
Maximalism: Passive consumption of everything
Minimalism: Active curation of what matters
The goal isn’t to use less technology—it’s to use technology more deliberately.
Practical Steps
- Audit your tools: List everything you use
- Identify essentials: What actually supports your values?
- Remove the rest: Uninstall, unsubscribe, opt out
- Resist re-accumulation: Apply the intentionality test