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Digital minimalism: a complete guide to setting up a mindful digital environment

32 min read

📋 Contents

  1. Introduction: The problem of information overload
  2. The PARA system as a foundation
  3. Step 1: Replacing social media with knowledge work
  4. Step 2: Grey buttons for the smartphone
  5. Step 3: Telegram as a source of knowledge
  6. Analogue tools for digital minimalism
  7. The psychological basis of change
  8. A checklist for change

For those who don't want to spend ages figuring out Obsidian's settings

Try my ready-made Obsidian template and start systematising your information today

Learn about the template
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🎯 Introduction: The problem of information overload

The symptoms of information overload

Every day a huge stream of information comes down on us. Some of it is genuinely useful, and we save it into our knowledge system — for me that’s Obsidian, which I often talk about on the channel.

But what to do with the rest of the stream? For a long time I tried to save and think over everything, but over time I’d just give up.

The signs I noticed in myself:

  • ✅ A headache from an excess of information
  • ✅ Constant tension in the body
  • ✅ Energy goes into fighting information, not into important matters
  • ✅ A feeling of pseudo-productivity: collecting other people’s thoughts instead of creating my own
  • ✅ A vicious circle: the more I save, the less I act

The key insight

In the era of endless information, to stay mindful and productive, digital minimalism is necessary.

The goal of the article

In this guide we’ll together set up the digital environment so as to protect ourselves from information excess — both on the computer and on mobile devices.

📁 The PARA system as a foundation of digital minimalism

What is PARA?

The foundation of my digital minimalism is the PARA system (Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives).

PARA stands for:

  • P — Projects
  • A — Areas (of life)
  • R — Resources
  • A — Archives

Why is PARA minimalism?

The main strength of the PARA system is that it’s action-oriented: all the accumulated knowledge (resources) must find application in real projects and areas of life.

This immediately forces us to move on to mindful consumption of information.

The key question: Why store what will never be used?

Practical application: 12 key topics

For effective filtering of information I defined for myself 12 key topics that I’m interested in studying.

My 12 topics:

  1. 💼 Business
  2. 🤖 Machine learning
  3. 📊 Product marketing
  4. 🧠 Psychology
  5. 📚 Knowledge system
  6. 🏋️ Health and fitness
  7. 💰 Finance
  8. 🎨 Creativity
  9. 📱 Productivity
  10. 🌱 Personal growth
  11. 🔬 Science
  12. 🎯 Leadership

How to choose your topics

  1. Analyse your current projects
  2. Identify the areas of life that need developing
  3. Recall what you constantly read/watch
  4. Limit yourself to 10-15 topics (no more!)

The filtering system

Such a simple filtering system helps me:

  • ✅ Immediately cut off unnecessary topics that won’t be reflected in my projects
  • ✅ Not clutter my “second brain”
  • ✅ Mindfully choose what to save
  • ✅ Focus on what’s really important

The filtering rule:

New information → Matches one of the 12 topics? 
→ Yes → Save in Resources
→ No → Ignore

🎲 Step 1: Replacing social media with knowledge work

^c41fa9

The problem: Endless scrolling

My main problem was social media, whose feeds were perfectly tuned to my interests.

What was happening:

  • ✅ Yes, I got value
  • ❌ But the brain demanded more and more: more insights, more information, more emotions
  • ❌ The impostor syndrome got stronger: it seemed like I knew too little
  • ❌ Attempts to simply give up social media failed

The solution: A “knowledge roulette” in Obsidian

Then I decided not to fight, but to replace social media with Obsidian. I created a system in it that gave me the same effect of “randomness” as a news feed, but with benefit.

Setting up the Improved Random Note plugin

Step 1: Installing the plugin

  1. Open Obsidian
  2. Go to Settings → Community plugins
  3. Click Browse
  4. Find Improved Random Note
  5. Click Install → Enable

The plugin

Step 2: Configuring the plugin

  1. Specify the path to the folder: Resources (or whatever your resources folder is called)

Step 3: Creating a button on the home page

Create a button using the Buttons plugin or use the command directly:

QuickAdd settings

!

Setting up a swipe for a quick return

For convenience I set up a swipe for a quick return to the home page.

On mobile (iOS/Android):

  1. Install the Homepage plugin
  2. In the settings specify your home page (e.g. Home.md)
  3. Use the swipe-left gesture to return to the previous note
  4. After viewing a random note, return to the home page and launch the roulette again

The home page

The psychological effect

The advantages of the “knowledge roulette”:

  • ✅ The same dopamine response of anticipation as in social media
  • ✅ But instead of empty content — immersion in your own knowledge and ideas
  • ✅ A reminder: I already have a huge knowledge base
  • ✅ Earned dopamine from working with your own thoughts
  • ✅ Strengthening the neural connections between notes

Using Obsidian on the phone

I mainly work on the computer, and I use Obsidian on the phone for:

  • 📖 Reading my notes
  • ✍️ Adding comments
  • ⚡ Creating quick notes
  • 🎲 Using the “knowledge roulette” in moments when I’m tempted to open social media

The home-page template

For those who don't want to figure it out for ages

Try my ready-made Obsidian template and start systematising your information today

Learn about the template

My template:

📱 Step 2: The “Grey buttons” method — making the phone boring but useful

The problem: Physical discomfort from the phone

Constant use of social media on the phone caused not only a dopamine addiction, but also physical discomfort:

  • ❌ Neck pain
  • ❌ “Fog” in the head
  • ❌ Deformation of the little finger you hold the phone with
  • ❌ Eye strain
  • ❌ Poor posture

I tried the popular methods:

1. Greyscale mode

  • ✅ Scientifically grounded
  • ✅ Reduces the appeal of bright icons
  • ❌ But colours are necessary for work

2. Using the phone as a “feature phone”

  • ✅ Breaks the cycle of constantly checking notifications
  • ❌ But functionality is lost

The solution: The “Grey buttons” method

I developed my own method — “Grey buttons”.

The goal: Make the phone boring, but keep it a useful tool.

The principle: Add “friction” between desire and action, but don’t destroy the ability to use the necessary apps.

Step-by-step setup of the “Grey buttons” method (iPhone)

For Android

On Android devices, instead of the Shortcuts app, use Tasker or MacroDroid. The principle stays the same.

Stage 1: Cleaning up the home screen

Step 1: Removing all apps from the home screen

  1. Hold your finger on an empty spot on the screen until edit mode appears
  2. Swipe all the pages with apps to the left, leaving only one
  3. Move all the apps to the App Library (swipe left to the end)

An empty page:

Step 2: Disabling the extra pages

  1. In edit mode tap the dots at the bottom of the screen
  2. Uncheck all the pages except one
  3. Tap Done

Stage 2: Adding useful widgets

Recommended widgets:

  1. ChatGPT (or another neural network)

    • Size: Medium
    • Location: The top part of the screen

  2. Health (steps)

    • Size: Small
    • Shows the step progress for the day

  3. A reading app (e.g. Readwise Reader, Kindle)

    • Size: Small
    • Quick access to reading

  4. Google Calendar

    • Size: Small
    • Shows the tasks for today

Widgets:

Setting up Google Calendar as a task manager:

Planning on the computer

  • On the computer I use the “Month” view
  • This lets me sensibly distribute the load over the coming days
  • It helps avoid burnout and procrastination
  • On the phone I see only the tasks for today
  1. Open Google Calendar on the computer
  2. Switch to the Month view
  3. Create task-events, distributing them across the days
  4. On the phone the widget will show only today’s tasks

Google Calendar:

Stage 3: Creating “Grey buttons” in the Shortcuts app

The general principle of creating a button:

  1. Open the Shortcuts app
  2. Go to the My Shortcuts tab
  3. Tap + in the top right corner
  4. Configure the shortcut according to the instructions below
  5. Tap the three dots → Add to Home Screen
  6. Choose a grey icon and a name

Button 1: “Media” (Social media)

The goal: Make access to social media harder via an extra click.

Creating the shortcut:

  1. Add the Menu action

  2. In the “Prompt” field write: Choose a social network

  3. Add menu items:

    • YouTube
    • TikTok
    • VK
    • Other apps you need

  4. For each item add the actions:

    • Connect to [network settings] (turn on)
    • Wait 2 seconds
    • Open App → choose the needed app
    • (Optional) Start Timer → 10 minutes

Media - automation

A timer for short-term rest

If using social media is part of short-term rest, add a 10-minute timer. This will create a natural time limit.

Adding to the home screen:

  1. In the shortcut settings tap the three dots (⋯)
  2. Choose Add to Home Screen
  3. Name: Media
  4. Icon: choose a grey icon (e.g. a grey square)
  5. Tap Add

Export the icon to the home screen

Button 2: “Neural networks”

The goal: Quick access to AI services with the automatic connection of additional settings.

Creating the shortcut:

  1. Add the Menu action

  2. Prompt: Choose a neural network

  3. Menu items:

    • ChatGPT
    • Claude
    • Perplexity
    • Gemini
    • Other AI services

  4. For each item:

    • Connect to ... (turn on)
    • Open App or Open URL

Adding to the home screen:

  • Name: Neural networks
  • A grey icon

The neural-networks button

Organising chats with neural networks:

A system for working with neural networks

Temporary/Incognito mode:

  • Use it for everyday questions
  • For queries not related to your 12 topics from Resources
  • This doesn’t clutter the history

Normal mode:

  • For deep dialogues on your key topics
  • Periodically clean up the dialogues

Export to Obsidian:

  1. Ask the AI to compose a summary of the entire dialogue
  2. Copy the summary
  3. Send it to the Inbox folder in Obsidian
  4. Process it later, linking it with existing notes

A spot for a screenshot

A screenshot of an example of a dialogue summary with ChatGPT

Button 3: Separate apps

For frequently used apps, create separate buttons:

Telegram:

  1. New shortcut → Open App → Telegram
  2. Add to the home screen with a grey icon
  3. Name: Telegram

Obsidian:

  1. New shortcut → Open App → Obsidian
  2. Add to the home screen
  3. Name: Obsidian

Religious apps (e.g. for prayers):

  1. Create similar shortcuts
  2. Use the corresponding grey icons

The buttons:

Button 4: A 2-minute timer

The goal: A universal timer for short tasks.

Application:

  • ⏱️ A break between sets at the gym
  • 🦷 Brushing teeth
  • ☕ Brewing tea/coffee
  • 🧘 A short meditation

Creating the shortcut:

  1. Add the Start Timer action
  2. Set 2 minutes
  3. (Optional) Add Set Volume → 50%
  4. Name: 2 min

Adding to the home screen:

  • A grey icon with a clock image
  • Name: 2 min

The two-minute timer:

Button 5: Banking apps

The goal: Access to financial apps via a menu.

Creating the shortcut:

  1. A menu with the prompt: Choose a bank

  2. Items:

    • Bank #1
    • Bank #2
    • Bank #3
    • Your other banks
    • Crypto wallets

  3. For each → Open App

Adding to the home screen:

  • Name: Banks
  • A grey icon with a money/card symbol

The button for banks:

Button 6: A quick reminder

The goal: Creating reminders for short-term tasks without cluttering the main task manager.

Application:

  • 🧺 “Take the clothes out of the washing machine in 30 minutes”
  • 📞 “Call in 2 hours”
  • 🍝 “Check the stove in 15 minutes”
  • 💊 “Take medicine in 4 hours”

Creating the shortcut:

  1. Add the Ask for Input action
    • Prompt: What to remind?
    • Type: Text
  2. Add the Ask for Input action
    • Prompt: When
    • Type: Reminder

Adding to the home screen:

  • Name: Remind
  • A grey icon with a bell

A quick reminder:

Why not Google Calendar

The built-in “Reminders” app is ideal for short-term tasks:

  • ✅ Opens faster
  • ✅ Doesn’t clutter the calendar
  • ✅ Automatically deleted after completion
  • ✅ A simple interface

The final look of the home screen

After the setup, your home screen should look like this:

The top part (widgets):

  • ChatGPT (medium)
  • Health - Steps (small)

The middle part (widgets):

  • A reading app (medium)
  • Google Calendar (large)

The bottom part (grey buttons):

Row 1:

  • 📱 Media
  • 🤖 Neural networks
  • 💬 Telegram
  • 📝 Obsidian

Row 2:

  • 🕌 Religion
  • ⏱️ 2 min
  • 💰 Banks
  • 🔔 Remind

The grey buttons:

The psychology of the “Grey buttons” method

How it works:

  1. Visual boredom: Grey icons don’t attract attention
  2. Additional friction: You need to do an extra click (choosing from a menu)
  3. Mindfulness: A pause between desire and action
  4. Preserving functionality: All the apps are accessible, but less noticeable

A comparison with a regular home screen:

CriterionA regular screen”Grey buttons”
Visual appeal🔴 High🟢 Low
Speed of access🔴 Instant🟢 +1-2 seconds
Mindfulness🔴 Action on autopilot🟢 A mindful choice
Functionality🟢 Full🟢 Full
Protection from “accidental” openings🔴 No🟢 Yes

The result

Such a simple design sets the right priorities and makes access to “cheap dopamine” harder, returning control over your attention to you.

Additional iOS settings for minimalism

1. Disabling notifications

Path: Settings → Notifications

Disable notifications for:

  • ❌ All social media
  • ❌ News apps
  • ❌ Email (optional, leave only VIP contacts)
  • ❌ Games

Leave them only for:

  • ✅ Messengers (only important chats)
  • ✅ Calendar (reminders about meetings)
  • ✅ Banking apps

2. Screen Time

Path: Settings → Screen Time

Configure:

  • Limits on app categories (e.g. Social media — 30 min/day)
  • “Downtime” mode at certain hours
  • Reminders about breaks every hour

3. Focus Modes

Create several focus modes:

Work:

  • Allowed: Obsidian, Google Calendar, Telegram (only work chats)
  • Forbidden: All social media

Reading:

  • Allowed: A reading app, Obsidian
  • Forbidden: Everything else

Rest:

  • Allowed: Media (but with a timer!)
  • Forbidden: Work apps

💬 Step 3: Turning Telegram into a source of knowledge

^d8d536

The problem: Overload in Telegram

Unlike social media with their endless algorithmic feeds, Telegram lets you make the flow of information more controllable.

But even here a problem arises:

  • ❌ Too many channels
  • ❌ You don’t have time to read everything
  • ❌ Important information gets lost in the stream
  • ❌ Personal conversations mix with information channels

The solution: PARA for Telegram

I applied the same PARA system to organise my subscriptions in Telegram.

Step 1: Creating folders

Create the following folders:

  1. 📁 Projects

    • Channels and chats related to current projects
    • Work groups
    • Chats with contractors/partners

  2. 📁 Personal

    • Family
    • Friends
    • Close people

  3. 📁 [Your 12 key topics]

    Create folders by your interests from Obsidian, for example:

    • 📁 Business
    • 📁 ML/AI
    • 📁 Product
    • 📁 Psychology
    • 📁 Knowledge system
    • 📁 Health
    • Etc.

  4. 📁 All chats (move to the end)

How to create a folder in Telegram:

  1. Open Telegram
  2. Hold your finger on any chat
  3. Choose Add to Folder → Create Folder
  4. Name the folder
  5. Add the needed chats/channels

Step 2: Sorting channels into folders

The sorting rules:

  1. All channels from the All chats folder → to the Archive
  2. Personal conversations → to the Personal folder
  3. Work chats → to Projects
  4. Information channels → distribute by topic

How to add a chat to a folder:

  1. Hold the chat
  2. Add to Folder
  3. Choose the needed folder

How to archive:

  1. Swipe the chat to the left
  2. Tap Archive

Or:

  1. Hold the chat
  2. Archive

The Archive

The 10-15 channels rule

Keep no more than 10-15 channels in each folder. This forces you to be selective and subscribe only to genuinely valuable sources.

Step 3: Criteria for selecting channels

Keep only the channels that:

✅ Match one of your 12 topics ✅ Publish the author’s personal experience (not just an aggregator) ✅ Give practical tools, not just theory ✅ Publish quality content regularly ✅ You actually read (check the statistics for a month)

Unsubscribe from the channels that:

❌ Are kept “just in case” ❌ Publish too often (more than 5 posts a day) ❌ Duplicate information from other sources ❌ You haven’t opened for more than a month ❌ Generate content via AI without added value

An analyst bot for Telegram channels

The bot’s news channel: Telegram: View @mysight_news The bot itself: MySight Bot

Even with folders I didn’t have time to read everything. So I created an analyst bot that solves this problem.

How the bot works

The workflow scheme:

1. You forward a post from a channel to the bot
                ↓
2. The bot analyses the last 20 posts of the channel
                ↓
3. The bot highlights ideas matching your interests
                ↓
4. You get a brief summary
                ↓
5. (Optional) Create an audio summary to listen to
                ↓
6. If interesting → forward to Obsidian via Telegram Sync

The bot's results:

Setting up the analyst bot

Coming soon

The analyst bot is in the stage of active development. Planned improvements:

  • 📊 Analysis of up to 50 posts (instead of 20)
  • 💬 A dialogue based on all the channel’s posts
  • 📝 Direct export to Obsidian (without a second bot)
  • 🎯 Customisation of the filtering criteria

Follow the updates on Telegram: View @mysight_news

Using the audio summary

When it’s useful:

  • 🚗 On the road (car, public transport)
  • 🏃 During a walk or run
  • 🍳 While cooking
  • 🧹 While cleaning

An audio podcast

Integration with Obsidian via Telegram Sync

If you liked the ideas from the analysis, you can automatically send them to Obsidian.

Setting up the Telegram Sync plugin

Step 1: Installing Telegram Sync

  1. In Obsidian: Settings → Community plugins → Browse
  2. Find Telegram Sync
  3. Install → Enable

Step 2: Creating a bot in Telegram

  1. Open Telegram
  2. Find @BotFather
  3. Send the command /newbot
  4. Follow the instructions:
    • Bot name: My Obsidian Bot
    • Username: your_name_obsidian_bot
  5. Copy the API Token

A spot for a screenshot

A screenshot of the dialogue with BotFather when creating a bot

Step 3: Configuring the plugin

  1. In Obsidian open the Telegram Sync settings
  2. Paste the bot’s API Token
  3. In the “Folder” field specify: Inbox
  4. Click Get Telegram updates
  5. Send any message to your bot in Telegram
  6. In Obsidian your Chat ID should appear
  7. Save the settings

Telegram Sync

Step 4: Use

Now any message sent to your bot will automatically create a note in the Inbox folder.

The workflow:

1. You forward a post to the analyst bot
2. You get a summary of ideas
3. If interesting → You forward the summary to the Telegram Sync bot
4. A note is automatically created in Obsidian/Inbox
5. Later you process it: link it with existing notes

📓 Analogue tools in the digital-minimalism system

Despite the name, my digital minimalism system has important non-digital tools.

1. A notebook for emotions and a diary

Why a notebook, and not Obsidian?

Despite all the capabilities of Obsidian, I realised that for writing down emotions, thoughts and keeping a diary it’s easier for me to use an ordinary paper notebook.

The advantages of a paper notebook:

✅ The brain doesn’t need to make an extra effort to open a program ✅ A clean, chaotic expression of thoughts without structure ✅ No distracting factors (notifications, other notes) ✅ The physical action of writing calms you down ✅ Confidentiality (not in the cloud) ✅ Less temptation to edit and “polish” your thoughts

The notebook:

My workflow with the notebook:

1. Morning/Evening: Free writing in the notebook
   ↓
2. I express emotions, thoughts, plans without filters
   ↓
3. Periodically (once a week): I review the entries
   ↓
4. I transfer the key ideas into Obsidian
   ↓
5. In Obsidian I link the ideas with existing notes

What I write in the notebook:

  • 😊 Emotions and feelings (an emotion diary)
  • 💭 Stream of consciousness (Morning Pages)
  • 🎯 Reflection on the past day
  • 💡 Spontaneous ideas (they often appear before sleep)
  • 📝 Plans for the day (a rough sketch)
  • 🤔 Philosophical reflections

What I DON’T write in the notebook:

  • ❌ Structured notes (Obsidian is for that)
  • ❌ Information from articles/books (straight to Obsidian)
  • ❌ Tasks and projects (Google Calendar)
  • ❌ Technical notes (Obsidian)

Recommendations for choosing a notebook:

  • 📏 Size: A5 or similar (convenient to carry, enough space)
  • 📄 Paper: Plain or dotted (freedom for drawings and diagrams)
  • 📘 Binding: Hard (you can write on your lap)
  • ✍️ Pen: Gel or fountain (pleasant sensations when writing)

The Morning Pages technique

Try the Morning Pages technique:

  • Every morning write 3 pages of stream of consciousness
  • Don’t edit, don’t think — just write
  • This “clears” the brain of mental noise
  • After 2-4 weeks you’ll notice the effect

2. A kitchen timer

Why a PHYSICAL timer, and not an app?

I use the most ordinary kitchen timer instead of a timer on the smartphone.

The problem with a timer in the smartphone:

❌ Opened the phone → Saw a notification → Got distracted ❌ While setting the timer → Accidentally went into social media ❌ The timer’s sound → You take the phone again → A risk of getting distracted

The advantages of a physical timer:

✅ No chance of getting distracted by notifications ✅ Quick setup (turned it, set it) ✅ The time is visible without the need to turn on the screen ✅ You can put it far from the phone ✅ Tactile sensations (turning the wheel)

Where I use the timer:

🏋️ Workouts:

  • Rest between sets (1-2 minutes)
  • A plank or other static exercises
  • Interval training (30 sec work / 30 sec rest)

🍅 The Pomodoro technique:

  • 25 minutes of work
  • 5 minutes of rest
  • After 4 pomodoros — a long break of 15-30 minutes

🦷 Brushing teeth:

  • 2 minutes (the dentists’ recommendation)

🍳 Cooking:

  • Boiling eggs (7 minutes for soft-boiled, 10 for hard-boiled)
  • Brewing tea (3-5 minutes)
  • Any processes requiring precise timing

🧘 Meditation:

  • 5-10 minute sessions

Modifying the sound:

How to make the sound quieter

Initially the sound of a kitchen timer can be too loud.

The solution: Cover the speaker with paper tape or electrical tape in several layers. This will muffle the sound to a comfortable level.

Alternatives:

If you don’t like mechanical timers, you can use:

  • ⏰ An hourglass (for short intervals, very meditative)
  • 🕰️ Simple electronic timers without a smartphone display
  • ⌚ A smartwatch (if it’s not a temptation to check notifications)

3. A magnetic board for tracking habits

The concept:

On a magnetic board with a marker I track three basic habits: workout, reading and a walk.

Why a magnetic board, and not a tracker app?

❌ Habit-tracking apps (like HabitBull, Streaks):

  • You need to open the app → a risk of getting distracted
  • Often overloaded with features
  • Gamification can become an end in itself (the chase for streaks)
  • Not always at hand

✅ A magnetic board:

  • Always in view (hangs on the wall)
  • Instant action: took the marker, put a tick
  • Visual motivation (you see the progress)
  • Simplicity: no buttons, settings, notifications
  • A physical action (putting a tick) = more satisfaction

The rules:

  1. One tick = one completed habit per day
  2. A cross = skipped (I don’t hide failures)
  3. At the end of the month: I calculate the completion percentage
  4. The goal: not 100%, but stability of 70-80%

Important: Tracking basic needs should be as simple as possible

The simpler the system, the higher the probability that you’ll use it. If to mark something you need to open an app, log in, find the right habit — you’ll quickly abandon it.

Why exactly these 3 habits:

🏋️ Workout:

  • Physical health
  • A basic need of the body

📚 Reading:

  • Intellectual development
  • Quality content vs scrolling

🚶 A walk:

  • Movement + fresh air
  • Clearing the mind
  • Prevention of a “sedentary” lifestyle

Don't overload the board

Don’t try to track 10-15 habits. This will lead to burnout.

A maximum of 3-5 of the most important basic habits. The rest can be added later, when these become automatic.

Additional ideas for the board:

  • 💧 Drink 2 litres of water
  • 🧘 Meditation for 10 minutes
  • 📝 Keeping a diary
  • 🌅 An early rise (before 7 a.m.)
  • 🚫 A day without social media

Setting up the board:

  1. Buy a magnetic board (A4 or A3 format)
  2. Divide it into columns with a marker
  3. Write the names of the habits at the top
  4. Hang it in a visible place (not in a cupboard!)
    • Near the desk
    • In the bedroom (visible in the morning and evening)
    • On the fridge

A spot for a screenshot

A photo of the board hanging on the wall in the workspace

The synergy of analogue and digital tools

How it works together:

Morning:
1. 📓 Notebook: Morning Pages (3 pages of stream of consciousness)
2. 📱 Obsidian: A quick review of the day's tasks (from Google Calendar)
3. 🏃 A walk: An audio summary from the Telegram bot
4. ✅ The board: Mark the walk

Day:
5. 💻 Work: Pomodoro with the kitchen timer
6. 🏋️ Workout: A timer for rest between sets
7. ✅ The board: Mark the workout

Evening:
8. 📚 Reading: A paper book or an app (30 min)
9. ✅ The board: Mark the reading
10. 📓 Notebook: Reflection on the day + plans for tomorrow
11. 📝 Obsidian: Transfer 1-2 key ideas from the notebook

The principle

Digital tools — for structured information and long-term storage.

Analogue tools — for spontaneity, simplicity and physical interaction.

🧠 The psychological basis of change

Manage, don’t fight

My whole system is built on a simple principle: don’t fight the digital world, but mindfully manage it.

The key insight

It’s impossible and unnecessary to completely give up the digital world. The goal is to make it a tool, not a master.

The four stages of awareness

Any change in life goes through 4 stages of awareness:

1️⃣ Unconscious incompetence

“I don’t know what I don’t know”

  • We don’t notice the problem
  • We scroll feeds for hours
  • We accumulate notes mindlessly
  • We think everything’s under control

The signs:

  • “I have no problems with social media, I do get value!”
  • “I just save interesting things, nothing wrong with that”
  • No awareness of lost time

A spot for a screenshot

2️⃣ Conscious incompetence

“I know that I don’t know”

  • We understand that we’re losing time and energy
  • But we still don’t know how to change it
  • Attempts to simply “give up” fail
  • A feeling of helplessness

The signs:

  • “I understand that I spend too much time on the phone”
  • “I save a heap of articles, but never read them”
  • “I tried to delete social media, but came back a week later”
  • The start of the search for solutions

What helps to move to the next stage:

  • ✅ Studying systematic approaches (PARA, GTD)
  • ✅ Understanding the psychology of habits
  • ✅ Examples of other people who solved the problem

3️⃣ Conscious competence

“I know that I know, but it takes effort”

  • We know the methods and apply the system
  • But it requires conscious effort
  • You need to remember the rules
  • Sometimes we “slip up”, but return to the system

The tools applied:

  • ✅ PARA for filtering information (12 key topics)
  • ✅ “Grey buttons” instead of bright icons (additional friction)
  • ✅ Bots for analysing information streams
  • ✅ The “knowledge roulette” instead of social media
  • ✅ Analogue tools for basic tasks (notebook, timer, board)
  • ✅ Telegram folders by the PARA system

At this stage:

  • You mindfully choose when to open social media
  • You notice when you get distracted
  • You return to the system after a “slip-up”
  • It works, but requires attention

4️⃣ Unconscious competence

“I don’t think about what I know — I just do it”

  • The system becomes a part of us
  • We no longer think about how not to get distracted — we just don’t get distracted
  • The actions are automatic, but mindful
  • This is the new normal

The signs:

  • You automatically filter information by the 12 topics
  • You instinctively avoid useless clicks
  • Working with knowledge has become natural

How to achieve it:

  • ⏱️ Time: it usually takes 3-6 months of constant practice
  • 🔄 Repetition: daily application of the system
  • 📊 Tracking: seeing the progress (the habit board)
  • 🎯 Focus: not trying to change everything at once

The reward system: A dopamine menu

The problem:

Social media and endless scrolling give quick, but “cheap” dopamine:

  • ❌ Short-term pleasure
  • ❌ No long-term benefit
  • ❌ Causes addiction
  • ❌ Drains energy

The solution: A dopamine menu

I created for myself a list of alternative sources of joy not related to screens.

The categories of the dopamine menu

🌳 Category: Nature and movement

  • A walk in the park (30 min)
  • A run (even 10 minutes)
  • Cycling
  • Working in the garden/with plants

👥 Category: Social interaction

  • Meeting a friend (coffee, a walk)
  • Calling a close person (by voice, not texting!)
  • Board games with the family
  • Cooking together

📚 Category: Deep consumption

  • Reading a paper book (at least 20 pages)
  • Watching a quality film (chosen in advance, not “whatever comes up”)
  • A documentary on a topic of interest
  • Listening to a podcast on a walk

🎨 Category: Creativity and hobbies

  • Playing a musical instrument
  • Drawing/Sketching
  • Cooking a new recipe
  • Photography
  • Writing (a notebook!)

🧘 Category: Recovery

  • Meditation (5-10 minutes)
  • Breathing exercises
  • Stretching/Yoga
  • Just lying down and doing nothing (!)

🎯 Category: Achievements

  • Cleaning one zone in the apartment (order = control)
  • Sorting out one drawer/cupboard
  • Closing a small task from the list
  • Creating something of your own (a post, a note, a recipe)

How to use the dopamine menu

When you want to open social media:

1. Notice the desire: "I want to open TikTok"
               ↓
2. Pause: "Why do I want this? Am I bored? Am I putting off a task?"
               ↓
3. Open the dopamine menu (in Obsidian or a paper list)
               ↓
4. Choose an alternative:
   - If bored → A walk or Calling a friend
   - If tired → Meditation or Lying down
   - If procrastinating → Cleaning one zone
               ↓
5. Do the chosen action
               ↓
6. Get "quality" dopamine + real benefit

The hierarchy of dopamine:

Not all dopamine is equally harmful. There’s a hierarchy of quality:

  1. 🔴 “Toxic” dopamine (avoid):

    • Endless scrolling of social media
    • Autoplay of videos
    • Clicking on clickbait

  2. 🟡 “Neutral” dopamine (acceptable in moderation):

    • Watching a quality film
    • Listening to music
    • Reading an entertaining book

  3. 🟢 “Useful” dopamine (encourage):

    • Physical exercise
    • Creativity
    • Social interaction in person
    • Achieving set goals

The replacement rule

You don’t remove dopamine from your life (that’s impossible and harmful).

You replace “toxic” dopamine with “useful.”

Even watching a film is an upgrade

An important realisation

Even watching a quality film is a replacement of the “bad” dopamine from scrolling with a less harmful and higher-quality one.

Why a film is better than scrolling:

✅ Completeness: a film has a beginning, development, an end (vs an endless feed) ✅ A mindful choice: you choose what to watch (vs an algorithm choosing for you) ✅ Depth: a film can give food for thought ✅ Limited time: 1.5-2 hours (vs infinity) ✅ Sociability: you can discuss it with others

How to make watching more mindful:

  1. Choose the film in advance (not “whatever comes up on autoplay”)
  2. Create a list of films you want to watch (in an Obsidian note “To Watch”)
  3. Set aside time: “Tonight I’ll watch X”
  4. Create an atmosphere: dim the lights, put away the phone, make popcorn
  5. After watching: write down 2-3 thoughts in the notebook (reflection)

The change timeline: what to expect

A realistic timeline:

Week 1-2: 
- Discomfort
- Constantly wanting to return to old habits
- You need to mindfully remind yourself of the system
- Slip-ups every day

Week 3-4:
- The system starts to feel more natural
- Slip-ups are rarer (2-3 times a week)
- The first noticeable results (more energy, less headache)

Month 2-3:
- The system works with minimal effort
- Slip-ups are rare (1-2 times a month)
- New habits become automatic
- A noticeable improvement in productivity and mental state

Month 4-6:
- The transition to unconscious competence
- Old patterns seem strange
- The system is the new normal
- The optimisation of details continues

Slip-ups are normal

Don’t expect perfect execution from day one.

The goal: not 100% adherence, but progress. If before you scrolled 4 hours a day, and now 1 hour — that’s already a huge success.

✅ A checklist for implementing the digital-minimalism system

Stage 1: Preparation (1-2 days)

Obsidian:

  • Install Obsidian (if not yet installed)
  • Create the PARA folder structure
  • Define your 12 key topics
  • Create folders for the topics in Resources
  • Install the Improved Random Note plugin
  • Set up the “knowledge roulette” on the home page
  • Install the Homepage plugin (for mobile)

Mobile (iPhone):

  • Take a screenshot of the current home screen (for history)
  • Remove all apps from the home screen
  • Disable the extra pages (leave 1)
  • Add useful widgets (ChatGPT, Steps, Reading, Google Calendar)
  • Open the “Shortcuts” app

Telegram:

  • Create folders by the PARA system
  • Sort all channels into folders (or into the archive)
  • Unsubscribe from irrelevant channels
  • Limit yourself to 10-15 channels in each folder

Analogue tools:

  • Use a notebook (A5, plain or dotted)
  • Or a kitchen timer
  • Or a magnetic board (A4 or A3)
  • Or markers for the board

Stage 2: Setting up the “Grey buttons” (1-2 hours)

  • Create the “Media” shortcut (a menu of social media)
  • Add it to the home screen with a grey icon
  • Create the “Neural networks” shortcut (a menu of AI services)
  • Add it to the home screen
  • Create separate buttons for:
    • Telegram
    • Obsidian
    • Religious apps (if applicable)
  • Create the “2-minute timer” shortcut
  • Create the “Banks” shortcut (a menu of banking apps)
  • Create the “Quick reminder” shortcut
  • Place all the buttons on the home screen

Stage 3: Setting up additional features (1-2 hours)

Telegram Sync:

  • Install the Telegram Sync plugin in Obsidian
  • Create a bot via @BotFather
  • Get the API Token
  • Configure the plugin in Obsidian
  • Test sending a message

The analyst bot (optional):

  • Explore the possibility of creating it/ordering it from a developer
  • Set up the prompt with your 12 topics
  • Test it on 2-3 channels

iOS settings:

  • Disable notifications from social media
  • Set up limits in “Screen Time”
  • Create focus modes:
    • Work
    • Reading
    • Rest

Stage 4: Setting up the analogue tools (30 minutes)

The notebook:

  • Label the notebook (“Diary 2024” or something personal)
  • Put it next to the bed or the desk
  • Tuck a pen into the notebook

The timer:

  • Cover the speaker (if too loud)
  • Put it on the desk or near the workout zone
  • Test it (set it for 2 minutes)

The magnetic board:

  • Divide it into 3 columns (Workout, Reading, Walk)
  • Label the columns
  • Number the days of the month (1-30/31)
  • Hang it in a visible place
  • Put a marker nearby (on a magnet or a string)

Stage 5: Creating the dopamine menu (30 minutes)

  • Create a note in Obsidian “Dopamine menu”
  • Fill in the categories:
    • Nature and movement (5 activities)
    • Social interaction (5 activities)
    • Deep consumption (5 activities)
    • Creativity and hobbies (5 activities)
    • Recovery (5 activities)
    • Achievements (5 activities)
  • Attach the note to the home page (or create quick access)
  • (Optional) Print it and hang it near the desk

Stage 6: The first week of practice

Daily:

  • In the morning: Write 3 pages in the notebook (Morning Pages)
  • During the day: Use the “knowledge roulette” instead of social media (at least once)
  • During the day: Pomodoro with the kitchen timer (at least 1 session)
  • In the evening: Mark the habits on the magnetic board
  • In the evening: Reflection in the notebook (what worked, what didn’t)

At the end of the week:

  • Check the “Inbox” folder in Obsidian (process the notes from Telegram)
  • Calculate the completion percentage of the habits on the board
  • Write in the notebook: the main insights of the week
  • Transfer 2-3 key ideas from the notebook into Obsidian
  • Assess: what needs to be adjusted in the system

Stage 7: The first month — consolidation

Weekly:

  • Process the “Inbox” in Obsidian (1-2 times)
  • Review the Telegram channels (unsubscribe from irrelevant ones)
  • Check the dopamine menu (add new activities if you found any)

At the end of the month:

  • Wipe the habit board, calculate the final percentage
  • Write down the results in Obsidian (to track progress)
  • Start a new month on the board
  • Review the 12 key topics (are they still relevant?)
  • Optimise the “Grey buttons” (what’s used, what isn’t)

📚 Additional resources

On digital minimalism:

  • 📖 “Digital Minimalism” — Cal Newport
  • 📖 “Indistractable” — Nir Eyal
  • 📖 “Deep Work” — Cal Newport
  • 📖 “Atomic Habits” — James Clear (about habits)

On knowledge-organisation systems:

  • 📖 “Building a Second Brain” — Tiago Forte (the PARA system)
  • 📖 “How to Take Smart Notes” — Sönke Ahrens (Zettelkasten)

On the psychology of attention:

  • 📖 “Stolen Focus” — Johann Hari
  • 📖 “The Shallows” — Nicholas Carr

🎬 Conclusion

The digital-minimalism system isn’t about giving up technology.

It’s about taking control of your attention and energy.

The key principles:

  1. PARA — filter information through the prism of action (12 key topics)
  2. “Grey buttons” — add friction between desire and action
  3. Replacement, not a fight — the “knowledge roulette” instead of social media
  4. Simplicity — the simpler the system, the better the chances of using it
  5. Analogue + Digital — combine the best of both worlds
  6. A dopamine menu — replace “toxic” dopamine with “useful”

Remember:

  • ✅ Progress is more important than perfection
  • ✅ Slip-ups are part of the process
  • ✅ The goal: 70-80% adherence, not 100%
  • ✅ Adapt the system to yourself

A final thought

“We can’t control the entire incoming stream of information. But we can control how we react to it.”

Good luck on the path to a mindful digital life! 🚀