Unplugging · Digital clutter, the joy of missing out, and a quiet time away

The Weekly Reset

Declutter your digital space

We all know what a messy desk feels like — distracting, heavy, and hard to work at. But we rarely think about how the same clutter builds up in our digital lives.

This week, try this simple exercise: spend just 10–15 minutes decluttering one small corner of your digital world. You don’t have to do it all at once — start small and notice how much calmer it feels.

Here are a few easy wins to pick from:

• 📬 Inbox spring-clean: Unsubscribe from 5–10 newsletters you never open. Delete a few hundred old emails. Archive or file what you need.

• 📱 App audit: Go through your phone and delete apps you haven’t used in months. If you hesitate, you probably don’t need it.

• 🖥️ Desktop refresh: Remove unnecessary files or icons from your desktop. Tidy your downloads folder, too.

Why bother?
Every notification, every unnecessary app, every cluttered screen takes a little slice of your attention. Digital clutter creates mental noise you may not even realise you’re carrying. Clearing just one area can make it easier to focus, feel lighter, and even inspire you to keep going.

When you’re done, take a moment to enjoy the empty space — on your screen and in your head.

Signal vs. Noise

This week, I read a thoughtful article about something we rarely celebrate — the joy of missing out (JOMO).

👉 The Joy of Missing Out (JOMO): Finding Balance in a Busy World – PositivePsychology.com

We live in a culture that glorifies being busy, connected, and constantly “in the loop.” Social media feeds and group chats can make it feel like we’re always falling behind, missing opportunities, or simply not doing enough.

But JOMO invites us to see things differently. It reframes what we usually see as a flaw — opting out — into an intentional, mindful, and even healthy choice.

It reminded me that missing out isn’t really missing anything at all — it’s choosing what really matters to you over what’s loudest or most visible. Saying no isn’t just a boundary — it’s a way of making space: space to breathe, to rest, to be truly present.

Here are some quiet benefits of practising JOMO:

🌱 Less stress. You stop chasing every trend, update, or invitation and feel more at peace with where you are.
🌱 More focus. With fewer distractions, you can give your full attention to what really matters to you.
🌱 Deeper connections. By saying no to superficial noise, you create time for meaningful moments with people who matter.
🌱 Stronger self-respect. Choosing yourself over constant comparison builds confidence and clarity about your own needs.
🌱 Better rest. Mentally and emotionally, you feel lighter and less pressured.

So here’s a question to reflect on this week:

🌙 What’s one thing you’ve said “no” to lately — and felt good about?

And if nothing comes to mind yet, maybe this week is your chance to practise saying no — and noticing how it feels.

A Moment Offline

Last month, I spent a week by the sea. No agenda, no phone, no notifications. Just me, a book, and the rhythm of the waves.

At first, it felt strange. I kept reaching for my phone — muscle memory — only to realise there was nothing to check. No emails from work. No little red dots screaming for attention. No endless scroll of updates from people I barely know.

And then, slowly, something shifted.

By the second day, I noticed I was reading deeper and longer without my mind wandering. By the third, I was remembering little things — dreams from the night before, conversations from years ago. By the end of the week, I realised I was seeing people differently too — more patient, more present, more open to them, and to myself.

My health even felt different. I slept through the night. My shoulders relaxed. I breathed deeper. My mind felt… quieter.

I don’t think the sea itself changed me, although it did help. What changed was giving myself the space to notice how much noise I’d been carrying, and how good it felt to put it down for a while.

Coming back, I’ve been trying to keep a little of that with me — even just five minutes at a time. To choose presence over pings. To remember how much of myself I found when I stopped chasing everything else.

Maybe this week, you can try your own little moment offline — a walk, a coffee, a page of a book — and see what you notice.

See you next week,
Miguel

P.S. That week on the beach reminded me why I started Unplugging in the first place — to help us all carve out little moments of peace, presence, and perspective in a noisy world. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some new resources I’ve been working on to make that even easier for you — practical tools, checklists, and guides you can use whenever you feel like you’re losing yourself to the noise.

If you’ve been enjoying these notes and want to help me keep writing and sharing them, you can always buy me a coffee here — it means a lot. Thank you for being part of this quiet little corner. 💙