Digital minimalism
Photo by Sarah Dorweiler on Unsplash
I first came across the term Digital Minimalism some years ago on YouTube, but I had no idea the day would come when I would consider it.
On the 11th and 15th of this month, there were 2 events that occurred in my life that made realise how reliant on my mobile device I had become.
The 11th
On the 11th, February, it was around 8 pm & I was tucked in for the day. I checked my phone and its battery was low, so I decided to plug it to charge.
When I plugged it initially, it was charging but after a while, it stopped. I took the charger out and tried plugging it back in but I couldn't.
It was like there was something blocking the charging port. I stood up, turned on a bright light, and then I saw; that my charging port had literally broken off into the type-C USB port.
Damn! My battery level was only 11%, it was 8 pm so it was impossible to get the device fixed that night, and damn! how do I go through the night without being on my device? To make matters worse, I had an evening nap that day, so I was definitely going to be up till at least midnight.
I tried connecting my laptop to Mifi for an Internet connection, but for some reason, the Mifi refused to work.
The 15th
On the 15th, my device was back in good condition but for some reason, I was finding it hard to access the Internet. Even when I did, it was annoyingly slow. The whole day, I felt frustrated. Got to find out later there was an Internet outage due to damaged internet at the West African seacoast. Leading to a large internet outage across Ghana and Nigeria
On both occasions, I felt truly miserable. I realized how attached I had become to my phone screen and the Internet in general. It was really bad. The first night, I literally couldn't sleep, and the other day, I felt miserable throughout.
Luckily I had a hardcopy of Atomic Habits by James Clear. I picked it up and it helped me stay sane.
These experiences made me take a step back and reevaluate my relationship with technology.
From decreased productivity and attention spans to disrupted sleep patterns and strained interpersonal relationships, excessive screen time can take a significant toll on our well-being even without us recognizing it.
Photo by Le Buzz Studio on Unsplash
These devices are legit taking over our lives.
In response, I've been actively implementing strategies that could help reduce my reliance on digital devices and reclaim control over my life.
For the remaining part of this year, I aim to :
- Engage more in offline activities
- Practicing mindfulness
- Limit screen time; one way is by picking up physical copies of books to read
I believe that by taking proactive steps to strike a healthier balance between technology and real life, we can reclaim our time, attention, and ultimately, our sense of agency in an increasingly digital world.
It's time for me to break free from the shackles of device addiction and embrace a more mindful and fulfilling way of living.
The 13 Aferican Games and the African Individual Chess Championship
On the Chess scene, last week the 13th African Games chess event, was hosted in Ghana.
It comprised of 2 different time controls; Rapid and Blitz. With both, each having singles, and mixed doubles (team) events
There was a total of 18 countries in participation with the top dogs being the Egyptians that featured Africa's number 1 Amin Bassem
Team Nigeria secured 2 bronze medals in the tournament, one by Peace Sampson in the individual Blitz event, and the other from the mixed doubles Blitz event.
photo by Othims
We also had 12-year-old Aina Mahasambatra Tsinjoviniavo from Madagascar, setting the record as the youngest chess player to win a bronze medal in chess at the 13th African Games.
But the Egyptians showed why they're the strongest in the continent.
Source
GM Amin Bassem made history by clinching all four Gold Medals in the tournament. WGM Shahenda Wafa also won Gold in the women's singles rapid event but got silverware in the Blitz event.
A few days after the 13th African Games had concluded, the African Chess Championship began with Amin Bassem and other top chess players in the continent competing including GM Bilel Bellahcene (ALG), IM Mariano Ortega Amarelle (CPV), & IM Fy Antenaina Rakotomaharo (MAD) amongst others.
For all those who do not know who Amin Bassem is, he is currently the African highest-rated chess player and has been so for years now.
IM Chitumbo vs GM Bassem | Source
He became a Grandmaster at the age of 18 and went on to medical school to become a Doctor. He later returned to playing chess professionally achieving above 2700 elo rating and becoming top 50 in the world, the first ever African player to do that.
He is currently the sole leader of the African Individual Chess Championship after defeating GM Bilel Bellahcene in round 6
The game was a pretty even fight from the beginning and they reached an equal rook endgame.
But after a few inaccuracies from Bilel, Amin went on to clinch the advantage and win the game.
View the full game here
Bassem remains the heavy favorite to win the tournament, which will make it his 5th Gold medal in the span of 3 weeks.
You can follow the African Individual Chess Championship games HERE
I am @samostically,I love to talk and write about chess because i benefited alot from playing chess. I love to review books and movies too!.I believe life is all about staying happy and maintaining peace.
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