Digital Minimalism

Narrated by Will Damron and Cal Newport, Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport has a runtime of 6 hrs 59 mins on Audible.

Publisher’s Summary

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestseller

Minimalism is the art of knowing how much is just enough. Digital minimalism applies this idea to our personal technology. It’s the key to living a focused life in an increasingly noisy world.

In this timely and enlightening book, the bestselling author of Deep Work introduces a philosophy for technology use that has already improved countless lives.

Digital minimalists are all around us. They’re the calm, happy people who can hold long conversations without furtive glances at their phones. They can get lost in a good book, a woodworking project, or a leisurely morning run. They can have fun with friends and family without the obsessive urge to document the experience. They stay informed about the news of the day, but don’t feel overwhelmed by it. They don’t experience “fear of missing out” because they already know which activities provide them meaning and satisfaction.

Now, Newport gives us a name for this quiet movement, and makes a persuasive case for its urgency in our tech-saturated world. Common sense tips, like turning off notifications, or occasional rituals like observing a digital sabbath, don’t go far enough in helping us take back control of our technological lives, and attempts to unplug completely are complicated by the demands of family, friends and work. What we need instead is a thoughtful method to decide what tools to use, for what purposes, and under what conditions.

Drawing on a diverse array of real-life examples, from Amish farmers to harried parents to Silicon Valley programmers, Newport identifies the common practices of digital minimalists and the ideas that underpin them. He shows how digital minimalists are rethinking their relationship to social media, rediscovering the pleasures of the offline world, and reconnecting with their inner selves through regular periods of solitude. He then shares strategies for integrating these practices into your life, starting with a thirty-day “digital declutter” process that has already helped thousands feel less overwhelmed and more in control.

Technology is intrinsically neither good nor bad. The key is using it to support your goals and values, rather than letting it use you. This book shows the way.

Audiobook Details

• Narrated by: Will Damron and Cal Newport
• Length: 6 hrs 59 mins
• Publisher: Penguin Audio
• Release year: 2019
• Audible category: Business & Careers / Career Success / Motivation & Self-Improvement

Listener Ratings

Digital Minimalism holds an average listener rating of 4.6/5 from 5408 Audible ratings.

On Audible, ratings for this title break down into narration performance and story separately:

• Performance (narration): 4.6/5
• Story: 4.6/5
• 5-star ratings: 71% of all ratings

What Audible Listeners Are Saying

5/5 stars — “one of the best reads from Cal Newport”
I’ve read all of Cal’s books and this is one of the best. This is a very applicable way of implementing some of the things you may have learned in Deep Work.

I’m in Day 5 of my "Digital Declutter" and couldn’t be happier, already seeing amazing results.

— Bradley Miles, Audible listener

5/5 stars — “insight and thought provoking “
Great book for anyone who feels they are distracted by life ( in this social media era). The author gives good advice on how to reduce distracting phone habits ( the main culprit in why it seems we dont have enough time in a day) so that we can lead a more fulfilling and present daily life.

— cesar Rivera, Audible listener

5/5 stars — “Life hacks for the digital world”
For someone like myself who lives in the digital world– developing web applications, marketing on the web, and creating digital music. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but it did make me think, and kept my attention throughout. I like how the author highly suggests what you should do, but gave both sides of the story and never forces his way of thinking. The book is truly about prioritizing your time, and the book gives several examples of how and why you should do so. Whether I’ll ever consider myself a minimalist, I did find this book a useful reminder to prioritize time for the things I enjoy, and to think about the specific uses for all technology I use.

— Patrick Johnson, Audible listener

For full pricing and the 30-day Audible free trial offer, see the link on this page.