Category: General

Terminal-Only Week Day #01 – CMus (Digital Minimalism)

Day 1

When it comes to challenges I love to set myself some boundaries or try out new things over a set period of time in order to gain new insights into the world of productivity. While I tried to learn the basics of vim last week I now want to focus on an entire new level of productivity. Digital Minimalism does not necessarily mean decluttering files, or social media. It could also refer to computing in a minimal, more productive way.

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A Month Without Notifications Changed My Life

One month ago I wrote an essay about my new phone set-up. I originally customized it in order to not be distracted all the time, especially because of my finals in university. Back then I thought, I would turn things back to normal as soon as I’m done with my exams. But Instead I kept the notifications off and let my homescreen be as minimal as possible. I also discovered the most incredible things.

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How to Turn Your Android Into a Minimalist Phone

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your smartphone? I certainly have. Companies and start ups try to cash into this by offering services or devices that are labeled “minimalist” and are supposed to keep your head clutter-free. But the truth is, most of these devices are just an attempt into obtaining either our personal data or way too much cash for something incapable of basic things. I’ve tried my best to adjust my own phone to meet the minimalist criteria without missing out on the Android-available features. It is so easy you can do it as well!

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Ember [Short Story]

Rain was knocking on the roof above Mary’s head. She leaned against her wardrobe looking into the distant vastness of the woods surrounding her parents’ home. Even though I was standing at the door, she seemed lonely, desperate and empty. She did not even turn her head. I still remember the first time we met. It was a day quite similarly rainy and depressing. We were both five years old and I was crying because I hated water. She came straight to me, gave me a warm smile and whispered silently into my ear: “Do not cry, I’m here for you,” while she hugged me. I was a stranger to her. She saw my desperation and started what would become the most important and long-lasting friendship I would ever experience. Continue reading “Ember [Short Story]” →

Why does ‘success’ leave you with emptiness?

Success. Everybody wants it, working hard day by day in order to achieve it. The constant urge to reach a better grade on a test, a higher paycheck at the end of the month, clicks on your website or YouTube channel. It is predominant. But once we reach it, it is not enough. Sometimes it can even feel like it‘s never enough. Often we find ourselves asking: “Shouldn’t I be happy? I got an A on that test”. Why is that?
Maybe the root to it is our perception of success. Does happiness really equal success? Apparently not, since it doesn’t bring us the joy we crave for. Why is reaching our goals not enough? The explanation could be easier than we thought!

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Does Social Media Kill Creativity?

I created my Facebook account back in 2009. This year I thought about deleting it alltogether quite often. Why you might ask? I miss the time before social media. It is certainly not just nostalgia knocking on the door. I am sure that social media does not have enough benefits to actually justify its existence. While there are tons of research which already show the bad influence of social media on our everyday life (e.g. this article in which Facebook admits just that) it might even harm the way we use the internet in general, especially when you consider how much bitterness and hate is spread on Twitter and Facebook, even by government officials.

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