Dmitry Kudryavtsev

What Apple is doing right, and why I consider them to be minimalist

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:00:00 GMT

I was always an Android fan. I even remember resisting buying one of the Samsung Android phones that had a Home button similar to the old iPhones. I remember saying in one of the forums: “I’ll never touch anything that resembles an iPhones”. Today I’m fully inside the Apple ecosystem. Why?

Time is a non-renewable resource

You probably read my 10k steps a day post (if not — go read it!). At that time I’ve had a Samsung Android phone and got a Xiaomi Mi Band for activity tracking. After many years of resisting any smartwatches, I’ve started to see their appeal. It’s nice to take a look at your wrist and know not only the time, but when’s your next meeting, how active you were today, and more — depending on your needs.

So I decided to purchase a smartwatch. I’ve put a lot of time and effort into researching which one I want, which one suite me best. Apple Watch was obviously out of the picture, even though it ranked as #1 in most reviews I’ve read, but hey — I’ve hated Apple (sort of, I was using a MacBook provided to me by my employer) and I’ve had an Android phone. So I’ve settled on Galaxy Active 2 smartwatch.

At first, it was great. I was spending time customizing it, putting different useful (and useless) widgets, browsing through Galaxy Store to acquire new Face Watches. My watch was finally doing more than one thing. It wasn’t as beautiful as traditional watch, but I’ve never owned any Omega or Rolex watches, and I’m more of a function over form guy anyway.

But then, problems started. Even though I’ve had Samsung phone and Samsung watch, the integration between them wasn’t that great. Notifications for events would arrive 2–3 hours after the event finished. Most of the watch faces were pretty useless (who cares about moon phase?) and I’ve spent more time looking for solutions in different forums and Reddit. Moreover, Samsung’s ecosystem wasn’t that great, but their smartwatch insisted on using Samsung’s calendar or email client. I’ve even started to follow Google Wear news to see when newer and better watch will come out.

However, people around me — my friends, my wife, my colleagues at work — started to slowly switch to Apple and Apple Watch. Based on my observation, end of 2020 and beginning of 2021, should have been the best time for Apple in terms of sales. I’ve invested some more time to understand more about Apple products, make sure they fit me, understand their shortcomings and strengths. What can I say, I’m a very calculated guy. And eventually, I’ve purchased an iPhone with an Apple Watch. Sold my phone and galaxy watch, and happy since them.

If you followed closely, you might have noticed that I’ve highlighted the word time every time I had to spend it into something related to my phone or watch. I’ve spent time for research, I’ve spent time customizing, and I’ve spent time troubleshooting. Time is a non-renewable resource. You can’t earn time. Once its gone — its gone. And instead of investing time in pointless customization or troubleshooting a poor product, I could have invested this time somewhere else — like socialization, side hustle or my self. With Apple, things just work, and I rarely need to spend time to troubleshoot or customize my gadgets because there is very little to customize.

The paradox of choice

One of the biggest complaints I’ve read about iPhone and Apple products in general — is the lack of customization. You can’t change the ringtone. There are minimal settings. Apple decides what’s best for you. Those are all common complaints about Apple products.

Today I believe that Apple simply following the minimalist philosophy — remove unneeded distractions. There are zero reasons to customize your wallpaper or change your ringtone. You feel good the first few minutes, but then — poofff — this feeling is gone. You no longer care about your ringtone or wallpaper, and if you do, you are probably focusing your energy on the least important thing in your life.

In his book, The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less, Barry Schwartz talks about how abundance of choice actually is bad for us. It makes us paralyzed and unable to make a decision. When you have millions of settings in your phone, you tend to avoid touching them because it’s too hard to find the right balance. So you are left with a non optimized device. While I don’t think that Apple got it right for 100% of their customers, I do believe that they got it right for the majority. And those who are left out — have a choice to get a more suitable device from other manufacturers.

On the same note, when I broke my old phone, I had to buy a new one. There were so many options. Different camera, different screen size, different manufacturers (each with their own customization). Being who I am — means I have to invest time to do my best research. I like to maximize the value I get for my money. However, once my iPhone will die, I know what will be my next phone — iPhone. I just have to choose the one the fits in my budget. I don’t need to spend time by watching reviews or scouting forums for suggestions. By purposely limiting myself, I’ve eliminated and unneeded future decision. Minimalism at its beauty — eliminate unneeded distractions. Phones are tools. At least for me. And a tool should work and serve me, my time and my needs. When I buy a car — I don’t put stickers on it and waste time painting the wheels in different colors. Nor I do it with my fridge or my TV. Why do I do that with my phone then? Yes, you can argue that it’s a form of self-expression, but I’ve never heard of someone being judged by the wallpapers on his or her phone. There are others ways to express your self. It can be through creation — like writing this blog is for me.

Something for everyone

Everybody is different, obviously. People have different needs. I’m a believer in free market — demand equals supply. If a product is available on the market — there are customers who buy it.

However, I’ve realized that by giving people too many options — it either confuses them like Barry Schwartz wrote in his book; or makes them curious - so they start to spend time finding the best wallpaper that works with their ringtone and matches their icon set. I’ve been there. But it’s time to move on and focus on things that fulfill me, rather than on customizing my gadgets. And while Apple is not perfect — there are annoyances, in the end they are targeting a 7 billion market of potential, unique, customers — its obvious their products won’t fit everyone 100%. For those — there are other products and solutions.

But I believe more companies should adopt this mindset. Mindset of removing distractions. Mindset of simplifying decisions. I’m currently working on a product and I try to incorporate those mindsets in it. And it’s sad to see that many companies actually take step backwards and introduce as much customization as possible, so much that it becomes scary or frustrating to use their products. I’ve seen people, in product management mainly, struggle to create the best Jira board because its so customizable it’s paralyzing. And jumping between two different Jira boards on the same organization — is like learning a whole new profession because no two Jira boards are alike.

People tend to think they want customization. The more — the better. But in reality, too much customization can paralyze. Adopt minimalist lifestyle in your digital world as well. You don’t have to move to Apple if you don’t want to or can’t. I’m not saying it is the holy grail for everyone. But at least try to remember that those are tools there were created to help you become better in life — more organized, more calm, more fulfilled, more productive. Stop wasting time by serving your gadgets and instead let them serve you.

Things I wish I knew when I started with Minimalism

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

I don’t remember when or why I started with minimalism. Knowing myself I’ve probably read about it somewhere, then watched a video, read some more, and more, and more — and eventually my mind was changed, and I was like “Ok, let’s try it”.

As with any new habit, I’ve got hyped, excited and started to declutter my life from items that no longer “spark joy” (c). I’ve created declutter rituals and even introduced a new habit I’ve called “Monthly Declutter” which happens on last Saturday of every month. During this declutter session I need to get rid of at least one item I no longer use / need / sparks joy. Its also worth mentioning that I try not to throw items away, but instead have a sustainable declutter checklist which you can read about here.

But now, few years later, I wish someone told me the following things before I started my declutter journey towards minimalist life.

It can be a form of escapism and it’s not healthy

When we are vulnerable, hurt, depressed or just sad — we tend to engage in (semi) self-destructing behaviors. We overeat sweets, over watch TV, overplay computer games. I’m not a doctor, but my guessing is that when we are sad, we want to escape this mood. And engaging in one of the aforementioned activities helps us escape reality. Sugar provides chemicals (like cocaine) such as endorphins and dopamine which are linked with feeling happy, and TV and computer games are literally an escape to a different world with an easy “achievement scale”; When watching TV we are progressing together with the main character; And when playing games we are leveling up pretty fast compared to progress in real life. Sometimes however, when people are sad or angry they do sport. They lift aggressively or punch a punching bag.

I, on the other hand, chose to escape by decluttering. When you label your self as minimalist and strive to get rid of items you no longer need, it sparks a sense of achievement in you when you get rid of something. Sense of achievement releases the same chemicals as sugar consumption, so you start to feel better about yourself. But instead of dealing with the problem of why I am sad, or just letting myself be sad, I decluttered for the sake of decluttering. In my opinion, it’s a form of the same harmful escapism as overeating or over watching TV.

It always needs to be in context

In combination with the above point, I’ve had this itch in the back of my head to declutter my winter cloth. I try to follow a rule of “if I haven’t worn this item for 1 year, and it’s not a specialty item (like a ski coat) — get rid of it”. And I haven’t used most of my winter items for the past year. So every time I grab my cloth with the intention to declutter, I suddenly realize that 2020 and 2021 are no ordinary years. I’ve spent the majority of the winter in lock down hence I haven’t had the chance to wear most of my winter cloth.

Everything, including minimalism, should be evaluated in context. Because only when we put things in context, we can understand the true purpose of our actions.

Minimalism is not about decluttering

When you get into minimalism, the most common type of questions you hear in different communities are: “Should I keep [this item]?”, “Can I be a minimalist if I have [that item]?”, “I don’t use [these items], should I get rid of them?”.

Obviously, by reading different articles or watching different videos, I got the same message — minimalism is about getting rid of what you don’t need. Tidy up your home. Get rid of the TV because there are movie theaters. Be able to pack your entire apartment in 30 minutes, should you need to move. Have only double-digit number of items. Live from a backpack.

And today, few years after I’ve discovered minimalism, I can say that there are items I regret getting rid of. Not because I have emotional attachment to them, but because I want to use them again.

I’ve sold 2 bicycles because I thought I’ll never ride them again, and wanted to tidy up my apartment. Eventually I had to re-buy one of them. I’ve re-bought a tripod that I’ve previously sold. I almost sold my hiking equipment which I now use again.

And I think this is the most important lesson I’ve learned that I wish I knew when I started to practice minimalism:

Minimalism is not about getting rid of items. It’s mainly about being intentional with what you buy, evaluating what you have, and only as last resort getting rid of what you no longer need.

It’s easy to get rid of items. As I’ve mentioned previously it can even be a source of fast endorphin and dopamine release. But this is not what minimalism is about. Minimalist is just a tool (or philosophy if you want to call it that), that helps us navigate in the consumerist world we live in. Minimalism is a philosophy that urges you to not tying up your life, self-worth and respect to material possessions.

You are not your job, you’re not how much money you have in the bank. You are not the car you drive. You’re not the contents of your wallet. You are not your fucking khakis. You are all singing, all dancing crap of the world. - Tyler Durden, Fight Club

By getting rid of items you no longer need and re-buying them later, you continue to spin the consumerist hamster wheel. Moreover, if you get joy from decluttering, you might even subconsciously buy more just to have an excuse to get rid of older items.

I wish that when I’ve started practicing minimalism, someone would tell me that. I wish that instead of worrying how I reduce my possessions to fit in a backpack, I’d focus more on how to buy intentionally, how to find my passions and hobbies. I wish that I’d remember that I evolve as a person, and my evolution means I can change hobbies, which means I’d have to reacquire equipment for my new hobbies, equipment that I might have had and sold. But instead, /r/minimalism is filled with decluttering content, and only rarely someone talks about being intentional with what you buy.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that you need to keep your bicycle. If you’ve tried mountain bicycling, and you didn’t like it, then it’s safe to sell your bicycle. But before selling it, ask your self the following set of questions:

By selling my bicycle, am I escaping a deeper issue? Am I sad now? Maybe there is a fucking pandemic outside, and I’m trying to escape reality by selling my mountain bicycle (which I can’t use because I can’t leave my home)? Or am I trying to reach some mystical goal of having a certain number of possessions?

Worst case, if you want to try again some time in the future, just buy it again. However, it’s also worth asking your self the following set of questions prior to your re-purchase:

Why do I want to try mountain cycling again? I’ve tried it once and didn’t like, what changed now? Am I under the influence of advertisement or social media that mountain cycling is cool or have I changed as a person and wish to try this kind of sport again?

Mistakes were made. I’m not in deep grief. Those are items in the end. Yes, I’ve lost money. But this is money I’ve paid for a lesson. A very valuable lesson. You can’t live life without making mistakes. So that’s fine. But I have this feeling that a lot of people they focus too much on the numbers.

Numbers are easy to compare. I make X$ per hour, you make Y$, so one of us is better. You have X items, I have Y — so one of us is practicing minimalism better. It’s way harder to compare ourselves on an arbitrary “intentional buyer” scale. It’s very easy, on the other hand, to compare ourselves on “possessions count” scale. But there is no need to put numbers on everything or try to measure everything. There is no better minimalism. There is minimalism — which is just an idea to be intentional with the items you buy and use.

Minimalism and Sustainability

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 09:00:00 GMT

When you get interested in Minimalism, one of the first question you ask your self is: “What do I do with the stuff that I don’t need?”. Well, the obvious answer might be — throw it away. But sometimes, the things that I don’t need are things that still work or function properly. And throwing away a working item, makes me… sad. So I came up with the following 5-step system to help me decide what to do with an item that no longer “sparks joy” (c).

1. Is it useable AND sellable without too much effort?

The first step in my 5-step evaluation system gives the maximum benefit to me. I can get rid of an item I no longer need and get some of its monetary value back. For every item I no longer need or which I’ve replaced with better version of it, I ask this question: Is it useable / in a working condition, and can I sell it without too much effort?

If the item is broken, I move to the next step in this list.

If selling it requires too much effort: for example a rare item that no one needs; a piece of cloth that is practically impossible to sell (however I’ve managed to sell an unworn cardigan once); the ratio between the money I can make versus the time I’ll invest in answering messages / phone calls, meeting with people and price negotiation is too low? — I move to the next step in this list.

TIP

Use your local selling groups on Facebook. You can also try Facebook Marketplace and dedicated websites for second hand items (I know that in the U.S. they have Craigslist and eBay).

2. Can it be gifted / donated / given away without too much effort?

If I’m not able to sell the item, I look for giving it away either to friends or family, or strangers who were looking for such item. Some friend may need wine glasses that I no longer need. An organization that works with children who have disabilities might need an old PC I no longer use. Of course not all items are in a condition to be given away. Sometimes there are no friends in need of my items or there is no charity that willing to accept old items or finding such charity takes too much time (for example driving to a different city) — then I go to the next bullet.

A side note for this — some items are better given away in bulk. The other day I was decluttering, and I collected a bunch of PC cables, USB thumb drives and some other peripherals. Selling them according to bullet 1 is too cumbersome — I’m not sure if they work, nobody is going to buy a second hand PC cable and the amount of time I’d invest in selling them compared to the income I can get, is not worth it. I could just recycle them or throw them away, but instead I found a local Makers community, posted on their Facebook that I have a bunch of stuff that I don’t need, I don’t know in want condition it is, and I’m willing to give it to the first person who will come and take all of it. Within 2–3 hours, I gave everything away.

3. Is it working / useable / not broken AND can be left on the street?

NOTE

I’m not sure what are the laws in each country. The country I live in, it’s pretty common to leave old stuff on the street, so somebody will take it. Check your local laws.

Sometimes, some items are perfectly useable, but it’s hard to give them away. Shoes for example. In such cases I try to leave such items on the street, where they can be seen. Strangers can bypass and take them. Usually it happens on the same day. If not, I’ll pick this item up the next day and proceed to step 4 in this list.

4. Can it be recycled without too much hassle?

Once again, this depends on your local laws, but in my country there are recycling facilities for textile, electronics, glass, etc. I always opt out for recycling before throwing away. However, if it takes too much time, I’d most likely just throw it away.

The other day I wanted to recycle an old PC mouse. I went to my local recycling center but due to COVID they were closed. I tried another one, but due to bureaucracy they won’t let me inside the building and the guard refused to take the mouse for me. This is too much hassle. I’ve already invested time in going to those recycling facilities, and with a great feeling of sadness I had to just throw it away.

5. Throw it away

Nothing to add. If you can’t sell it, give it away or recycle it — then throw it away.

Transitioning into a more minimalist lifestyle, or even just replacing items I no longer like / need / use with better versions — always raise the question, for me, as what to do with the old item. I try to leave a positive print on the environment and defaulting to throwing away old items felt wrong for me. Getting some money back or making someone happier by giving them items I no longer use, felt like a good middle ground for me. I hope this 5-step evaluation system will help you as well.