Unplugging · Reclaim your evenings, the value of focus, and a quiet pause

The Weekly Reset

The evening pause ritual

This week, try ending your day a little differently: with a short, screen-free pause before bed.

Just 15 minutes. If that sounds like too much, start with 5 — your notifications will still be there in the morning.

Here’s how:

• Set a boundary: About 15 minutes before you wind down, turn off your phone, tablet, or laptop. Place them out of reach — in a drawer or another room.

• Choose a quiet act: Light a candle and sip herbal tea. Jot down three things you’re grateful for. Or sit and simply listen — the distant hum of traffic, your own breath.

• Let it be enough: This isn’t about doing it “right.” It’s about giving your mind a soft landing.

Why try this?
Late-night scrolling or emails keep our brains buzzing, disrupting sleep and scattering focus. A simple pause gives your mind permission to slow down — so you can rest deeper and wake clearer.

Your challenge:
Tonight, try the pause and write down three things you're letting go of before bed — a worry, a task, a thought.

Signal vs. Noise

Additive vs. Extractive Technologies — Cal Newport

This week, I revisited Cal Newport’s essay On Additive and Extractive Technologies, which reshaped how I think about the tools I use every day.

Newport explains that not all technology is the same:

• Additive technologies give more than they take. They serve your values and make your life richer—like a landline phone that helps you connect meaningfully.

• Extractive technologies are built to take more than they give. They exist to capture your time, attention, and data—like social feeds designed to keep you scrolling.

He suggests practising what he calls techno‑selectionism: only letting in tools that genuinely serve your goals. A useful question to ask is: “Whose interests does this serve?”

The apps that hijack your attention don’t serve you—they serve themselves. And filtering them out isn’t about deprivation. It’s about protecting your time, focus, and peace of mind.

This week’s thought: Pick one app or platform and ask yourself if it’s additive or extractive. If it’s extractive, consider removing it, muting it, or moving it out of sight.

A Moment Offline

The Night I Didn’t Scroll

Last Sunday, I decided to end the day differently. At 9:30, I turned off my phone. No X, no updates, no group chats. Just me, a window, and a notebook.

I wrote down three things: one moment from the day that stayed with me, something I might handle differently next time, and a work worry I had been carrying all week.

For the first few minutes, I reached for my phone out of habit. Then my shoulders dropped, my breathing slowed, and I began to notice things I usually skim past.

I slept well that night and woke feeling less hurried. If you try the evening pause this week, don’t expect anything dramatic. Just notice what changes when you give yourself that space.

Habit Question

What’s one evening habit you’d love to replace with something quieter?
Don't fix yourself; make space for rest.

My Recommendations for This Week

A few small things I’d recommend over coffee with a friend:

See you next week,
Miguel

P.S. 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. 💙