Day 1 : Un-install Fest
Today I uninstalled most of the apps on my phone. It’s day 1 of my digital declutter.
As someone who already likes to limit the number of apps installed to around what can fit on a single screen, this may not be as drastic of a change as it would be for some. However I still managed to reduce the number of apps installed by over 50% or to about half a screen.
I started by uninstalling any apps on my “out” list. Of course then there are the pesky ones that come pre-installed and can’t be uninstalled. Most Android phones ship with a lot of bloatware these days. Even Pixel devices. Are Gmail and Calendar really required for my phone to function properly?
Then I set about disabling notifications for most remaining apps. Getting rid of the annoying notification dots that appears over the app icons has become slightly more challenging in recent versions of the Android OS, as it’s now buried under Home Settings > Notification Dots > Advanced settings.
What’s left?
What is left on my phone are apps that’s I’ve deemed essential to either my professional life, personal life, or proper functioning of the device.
- Camera — I thought about going retro and getting a polaroid or a disposable camera but having a second or third device to do what my phone already does would violate my principle of real life minimalism.
- Chrome — to allow me to look up important information (ex. drug interactions while at the pharmacy or open hours during COVID for my local outdoor beer garden) or use the mobile website for an app that has been removed if I’m really in a pinch.
- Clock — I thought about buying an alarm clock for my nightstand and I still might but this is what wakes me up in the mornings (for now).
- Contacts — I’m not that good at remembering phone numbers anymore.
- Files — basic functionality for any digital device that includes local storage.
- Google — this is what powers the search bar on the home screen which also cannot be removed and works as a decent shortcut to the browser.
- Google Fi — so phone calls and data plan will continue to function.
- Hangouts — for the three contacts I have that haven’t yet switched to SMS/Messages or WhatsApp.
- Messages — for most (if not all) of my SMS and MMS needs.
- Phone — well.
- Photos — camera app does not work properly without it you can’t view photos you’ve taken which is kind of a bummer.
- Play Store — for updating all 15 of my apps.
- Settings — so I can disable notifications and uninstall apps more easily.
- Strava — this one is on my “restricted” list and will only be used to track and analyze my training runs up until the Boulder Beast. After that I’m considering going low-tech with my training for a stretch.
- WhatsApp — how I communicate with my real friends.
Here is what my home screen and launcher menu looks like after completing the declutter :
What about … ?
You might be asking yourself — What about email ? What about calendar ? What about maps ?
Email, calendar, todo lists, and similar productivity/communication tools I’ve chosen to limit to desktop usage to help keep a clearer boundary between work time and personal time which can be challenging when working from home is mandatory.
Maps is an interesting one. Having recently relocated, my first instinct was of course I need maps to find my way around a new place. However what I’ve learned after experimenting is that if I look up directions on my computer before I leave to walk or drive somewhere and force myself to remember or (gasp) write them down, it helps me learn the lay of the land waaaaayyyyy faster than mindlessly following robot voice commands coming from the speaker on my phone.
Sure I make a wrong turn from time to time, especially driving in New Jersey, the state where you’re not allowed to make left turns and there are traffic circles that go around other traffic circles.
But we don’t call those mistakes. They’re just happy accidents. Ones that sometimes lead to discovering something new.
Conclusion
All in all the digital declutter process seems to be off to a good start but only time will tell. Maybe I’ll miss some apps way more than I thought I would. Maybe I’ll miss some way less. Either way I’m hoping to learn more about myself and how to refine my relationship with technology in the future to become more focused, intentional, productive, and satisfying.
