My Personal Digital Diet Plan (7 Tips)
Take control of your digital consumption. Create the healthiest version of your personal brand.
When it comes to personal branding, an online presence has become non-negotiable. But, just like with most consumption, remember everything in moderation. Optimise what’s most valuable and substitute the junk for high-value alternatives. And make sure you’re fully stocked for what matters most in the future.
If you follow me on LinkedIn or Instagram, it may appear as though I spend significant time on social media. Not so.
When I began my personal brand coaching business, I believed, like in my corporate marketing roles, digital technology would become all-consuming. Both a great opportunity and a necessary evil.
Then, I stumbled upon Netflix’s documentary, The Social Dilemma. It struck a cord. The ominous tone and dramatic whistle-blowing positioning seemed superfluous. They mostly simply stated the obvious. That being:
We live in an attention economy.
Technology platforms are designed to encourage you to spend as much time on them as possible.
That’s the business model.
Hearing this addiction-inducing behaviour referred to as ‘slot machine’ hit home nonetheless.
I began experimenting with taking back control. No mindless opening of apps or scrolling. I’d open apps only to share content. For a few minutes, I'd then respond to comments, check notifications and view the top post from my connections.
With these small changes, my work and downtime expanded dramatically. I joined a new local library, aiming to reduce even my ebook screen time. There, I stumbled upon Cal Newport's Digital Minimalism. Now, I officially had a phrase for my new mindset.
Digital Minimalism
The best-selling author and Georgetown University Professor defines ‘digital minimalism’ as:
“A philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimized activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else.”
The book proposes technology companies optimise behavioural addiction through:
Intermittent positive reinforcement
The drive for social approvals
Both are powerful forces your human brain is highly susceptible to.
But, you don’t need to give in to addiction. Here are tips from my personal digital diet plan:
Tip #1: Assess the nutritional value
You’re often told “everything in moderation”. So, as Newport suggests, optimise your activities for the greatest value.
I suggest focusing your time on just one or two platforms. Those with the greatest return on investment.
Tip #2: Schedule your content prep times and service
When it comes to personal branding, content creation is important. But, avoid creating a paradox for your digital minimalism mindset. Like a well-planned meal prep, schedule your content creation into a regular routine. Create offline first, before serving up your content online. Staying offline before publishing, limits the time for potential distractions online.
Use scheduling features or services where possible. Batch content for longer periods. You’ll maintain a personal brand presence, without being pulled into a digital vortex.
Tip #3: Treat yourself with intention
Schedule your consumption treat times
Schedule not just your content creation, but your consumption too. You don’t have to miss your close connections’ latest news. Just be intentional about how you consume it. The algorithms serve you what’s most relevant anyway. By checking in every few days, you won’t miss anything significant.
Binge the best
Binge long-form educational content. Enjoy the guilt-free consumption of valuable blogs, podcasts or YouTube. Binge-learning will always be a high-value alternative to bingeing Netflix.
Stack the junk
Consider consolidating what Newport describes as low-value leisure activities. Think scrolling and TV-streaming. I recommend it’s a rare time to embrace multi-tasking. The more low-value activities you stack together, the less value they take from the rest of your day.
Tip #4: Replace digital junk with nutrition-rich alternatives
A nutrition-rich diet replaces low-value consumption with high-value alternatives. Newport suggests returning to an earlier era. One where leisure time involved demanding hobbies, such as craftsmanship. Try to stop chasing the dream of finally ‘doing nothing’. Instead, challenge yourself even in your downtime.
Tip #5: Give your guests a seat at your table
Seek conversation-centric communication over connection communication
Newport reframes the over-importance often placed on social media for ‘connection’ purpose.
MIT Professor, Sherry Turkle, advocates for conversation-centric communication. Anything involving nuanced analog cues, like tone of voice and facial expression.
Email, social media and texts instead become connection communication.
Connection communication plays a logistical role in the relationship. It arranges the conversation connection (like the meeting location, time and event). It uses technology as a modern-day tool for your social survival.
Tip #6: Take stock
In Show your Work, best-selling author, Austin Kleon, discusses turning ‘flow’ into ‘stock’.
‘Stock and flow’ is the economic concept adopted by Robin Sloan as a media metaphor.
“Flow is the feed. It’s the posts and tweets. It’s the stream of daily and sub-daily updates that remind people you exist. Stock is the durable stuff.”
Like a well-stocked pantry, ‘stock’ can last months, even years into the future. It’s the long-form evergreen content. The key is to grow your stock in the background, while you maintain your flow.
Tip #7: Become the Producer
The future of your personal brand is not your resume; it’s the body of work you’ve created. The seeds you planted one at a time.
As Marie Forleo says, make your mantra:
“create before you consume.”
When it comes to your digital diet, be conscious about your consumption. Ensure everything you consume feeds the person you want your personal brand to become.
So, what does your digital diet look like?
