Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Decluttering your Smartphone
I recently finished Jaron Lanier’s fascinating book, 10 Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now. While none of his arguments have anything to do with keeping organized per se, the problems he identifies are similar to the root problems behind a lot of peoples’ clutter problems.
Lanier’s first argument is that social media is taking away your free will. Facebook and Google (in particular) operate by gathering as much data as possible, in order to make advertising so personalized and focused that it takes superhuman effort to resist. The last thing you need (if you are trying to reduce clutter) is something that makes it easier to buy and harder to resist.
Lanier also argues that you are addicted to your devices, which means that they are controlling you—not the other way around. If you’re having trouble with clutter, you are already feeling out of control; why invite in something else that you need to control, let alone something that is bound to distract you when you are trying to focus?
Another point he makes is that the algorithms prove what cunning advertisers have known for years: We are more susceptible when we are anxious and unhappy. So whether the goal is more sales or more clicks, when you are depressed by the news, or feeling sad/isolated/jealous while scrolling through other people’s vacation pictures on Facebook, you are more likely to try to cheer yourself up by clicking and buying.
If nothing else, it seems ironic that something that has so much organizational potential—your phone can put all your contacts and your calendar, not to mention access to your email and the entire Internet in the palm of your hand—has turned into a succubus, devouring, time, attention spans (and possibly democracies).
Even if those arguments don’t move you, you can probably admit that your phone is getting messy. People have pages of apps. You can scroll around endlessly before you find the app that’s supposed to save you five minutes. I recently spent 15 minutes reorganizing my apps. Start by going through and deleting the ones that you don’t use (if it can’t be updated, delete it unless you really still use it). Then sorting them: put the ones you use the most on the first or second page, and group like with like: music apps together, maps together, etc. I put all of the ones that belong to my children on the third page, so I don’t have to see them. The best part of this organizing challenge is that you don’t need a dumpster and you won’t have to go to the Goodwill when you are through. For bonus points: delete Facebook or Twitter (you can subscribe to this newsletter and receive it via email). Try it for a month—you can always reload them.
Then, for heaven’s sake: put down your phone! It’s summer! Dig out your old Nikon to take your vacation photos. Talk to your kids. Eat dinner with out Instagramming your meal. You may find that you are more focused, buying less, and having more fun. Who doesn’t want that?