Digital World
Issue #8 Mar/Apr 2018
www.masterofsimplicity.com
I've lived without a cell phone for almost two years, just like Ed Sheeran, you know? Increasingly, it is implied to live with the digital world. We live filters, illusions and characters, at the same time that we can take our dreams further and more people. In this edition, we essentially seek to share with you how technology can work in your favor, but also how it can harm your quality of life when not used with due awareness. We talk above all about balance, sharing the influence of the digital age on oneself and those around her, as well as suggestions and tips for a better use of modern media. In this edition we bring even a little bit of music through the Portuguese duo Anjos who completes 20 years of his career and who considers the digital component a fascinating work tool. With affection, I want this digital magazine to bring you a breath of enthusiasm and inspiration to live a more conscious and happy life, through a beautiful relationship with the digital world. Good readings!
Fรกtima Teixeira
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Table of Contents 10 The filters of life by Fátima Teixeira 14 The antidote for a digital detox by Joana Clara 20 How I live without a cell phone by Fátima Teixeira 26 Minimalism and technology by Fátima Teixeira 28 Obsolescence by Fátima Teixeira 30 Interview with Anjos 36 A click away by Susana Machado 40 The language of today by Patrícia Romão 42 Working online, how to monetize our time remotely by Krystel Leal 44 In what ways does minimalism positively influence a personal website? by Daniel Sousa 46 Survey: How practival is your website? by Daniel Sousa 47 7 Steps to organize your workplace by Rafaela Garcez 50 Minimalism in studies: online learning by Juliana Prata 54 Courtesy Coaching Sessions by Vânia Costa 55 Children & Technology, finding a balance by Raquel Ferreira Santos 58 Bébéu by Raquel Pacheco Neves 61 A life with less waste - Mind the Trash by Catarina Matos 64 Details for ceremony by Diana Martins 68 Wolistic by Natália Geraldo 71 Wolistic Agenda 74 QI - Ideas for Moms 76 Yoga Retreat for Women by Marta Fernandes 78 Tips: Easy and nutritious snacks! by Jacqueline Miranda
IC M A N DY E: N I Z A AG M l a t i g
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d text e t h g i l he high t n o k irected Clic d e r e b o icons t e h t n ages! or o p e v i t c espe to the r Join our community of Minimalism and Simple Living in Portuguese on Facebook! click on the icon to be redirected
You can also watch videos! Let's sing our song about minimalism? :-)
Director and Editor: Fรกtima Teixeira Supervisor: Giovani Goulart Marketing: GGO Master of Simplicity English Translation: Roisin Abbott Editor's Note: The articles are originally written in Brazilian, Portuguese and English, giving each author the freedom to express themselves accordingly. Contact: For questions or suggestions please contact: masterofsimplicity@gmail.com
Fรกtima Teixeira Founder of MOS Magazine, pianist, conductor and music teacher. Adept of minimalism, always in search of simplicity with practical results applicable to daily life.
Giovani Goulart Songwriter, instrumentalist, producer and musical arranger. A sympathizer of minimalism and of organized and conscious lifestyles. Provides his music services online.
Collaborators in this edition Catarina Matos Architect, Blogger, Student of Organic Cosmetics, Co-founder of Mind The Trash along with boyfriend Christian. Trying to lead a simpler life with less junk.
Daniel Sousa Consultant and Trainer in Digital Marketing and Project Manager at digiUP. Entrepreneur and creative in search of new projects and challenges.
Diana Martins Creative designer, creates details for weddings, combining botanical and minimal aesthetics, using craftsmanship and design techniques to create elegant and delicate pieces for the online service.
Jacqueline Miranda Mother, student of nutrition and minimalist. Creator of the blog Cozinha Minimalista (Minimalist Kitchen), discusses practices that facilitate day to day cooking and conscious eating.
Joana Clara She contemplates the world for the first time, every day. She firmly believes that it is a multitasking person and that was bitten, without antidote, by the bug of the arts and by all its forms of expression.
Juliana Prata Professor at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), writing coach and author of the blog Sua Vida AcadĂŞmica. Love the knowledge. And speaking of love, she is the mother of David.
Krystel Leal Freelancer in digital marketing and founder of Nomadismo Digital Portugal, passionate about words and writing and with a vein too active for entrepreneurship.
Marta Fernandes Therapist and Yoga & Meditation Teacher. With special dedication to the feminine. Founder of "Be The Change Be Yoga"! Less is more! Do it! Believe It!
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Natália Geraldo Founder of Wolistic. She is a dedicated Lightworker who wants to be part of the process of raising awareness and believes that her mission is communication.
Patrícia Romão Teacher, trainer, NLP master coach. Creator and facilitator of the emotional intelligence program - Dono do Meu Cão (Owner of My Dog). I believe that our mind accomplishes what it focuses on.
Rafaela Garcez Personal Organizer, founder of the project Rafaela Garcez Professional Organization, designer and passionate about minimalism, explores and applies the simplification of life.
Raquel Ferreira Santos Clinical psychologist, personal development consultant, speaker and blog author Oh! Foi sem querer (Oh! Was inadvertently)
Raquel Pacheco Neves Pharmaceutical entrepreneurship and very dynamic. Created Bébéu based on her passion for parenting and health. Workshops, mentoring and positivism wherever you go!
Susana Machado Geographer, teacher, sustainability specialist, writes for children and adults with the purpose of educating for sustainability and solidarity.
Vânia Costa Coach and Entrepreneur, inspired by love and creativity; moved by the power of personal transformation to meaningful human achievements. Transform, Release and Realize!
Dear Readers The Master of Simplicity Magazine Team, on several occasions, receives requests from readers who want to see free articles from colleagues or acquaintances that are published in our editions. On the one hand, we find excellent the interest and support they want to give your colleagues, but on the other, we hurt the lack of recognition for the professionals who work hard for each edition. This magazine has a fixed cost and a team that strives to provide the reader with great information, tips, courses, workshops, projects, and much other information that benefit significantly the life of the reader. For this reason, we respectfully request that, if your interest, instead of asking for free articles or editions, do as many others who pay, demonstrating their respect for our work. Thank you all.
The Filters of Life The days are much longer when we live without a cell phone. I would add even happier and more grateful. There is no room for FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), the term that is already part of the Oxford Dictionary and which translates to "anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may be happening elsewhere, often awakened by posts seen on social media. " There is also no room for frustration. After all, seeing a friend in Disney Land or vacationing in Miami can make us feel bad. And, as Shauna Niequist put it, "my
life looks better on the internet than in real life. Everyone's life looks better on the internet than in real life. " Really, there is no room to leave a pending moment while we are running open an app to post the food that is cooling down or the concert we should be watching. I love how the internet and social networks help us inspire people but ... what am I actually doing? Posting because I'm too lonely and looking for attention? Posting because I try to show off things to make up for the sadness I feel?
"My life looks better on the Internet than it does in real life. Everyone’s life looks better on the Internet than it does in real life " Shauna Niequist
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Do you have any idea how much time you spend on the phone? No,bec aus eInever t houghtabouti t
Yes ,bec aus e i ti sas hor tt i me No,bec aus e i t ' sal ongt i me
Yes ,des pi t e bei ngaf ew hour s
How much time do you spend on the cell phone per day? Af ew mi nut es
About2hour s Atl eas t5hour s
3or4hour s 12
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The line between a meaningful or
you do not miss any notifications ...
superficial use of the internet is very
believe that, as Loryn Thompson, "the
tenuous. In a survey I made in the group
problem is not circular behavior itself." She
of Facebook Minimalism and Simple Life
adds, "The problem is how it makes me feel.
in Portuguese asked who had notion of
On some evenings, carrying cute animal
the time spent on the cell phone. More
gifs is just what I want to do. But on other
than 50% of respondents voted "not
days, it seems more of a trap. The more I
because it's too long" or "yes, despite being
navigate, the worse I feel. The worse I feel,
at least a few hours". In another question
the more I navigate. "
I tried to know the number of hours and
As a result, you lose enthusiasm,
the most indicated answer with 50% of
productivity and focus. You simply miss
the votes was "at least five hours at a
yourself. For, as Annie Dillard wrote, "the
minimum". Through the comments we
way we spend our days is obviously how
realize that justification through the
we pass the new lives".
professional aspect imposes a constant
Choose to live, connect, love and play,
connection to social networks to attract
live and color without filters. Choose to
customers, sales, fans, etc. However, the
breathe and be present. Choose to be
notion is often lost if we are on Facebook
yourself, authentic, where you are or on
working or cranking the posts of friends.
the internet.
"The more I navigate, the worse I feel. The worse I feel, the more I navigate." Loryn Thompson
Please analyze. If today you pick up
And bringing Shauna´s words again,
your phone and start making the five-
“let's choose the community. Let's stop
minute round on Facebook, five more on
comparing. Let's start connecting...”
Instagram, then "just" check out Pinterest and go back to Facebook to make sure
Let´s do it!
The antidote
for a digital detox 14
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Do y ou fe el an overw xious helm or ed b infor yt matio n ling he excess nook ering of s and i n c “Com rann all th ies o e pelle f you d” to onlin r bra be p e on in? e r a mane ll you netw ntly r soc orks i – a l on yo cellp hone ur , tabl comp et or uter? Don’ This t des articl pair! e p to he r o m ises lp yo u slo and r w do estor wn e bal to yo ance ur em o How tions ? We . prop digita ose a l retr eat in Our prop 5 sta o ges. s al is grou not ndbr eak but s imple ing, : livin the n g in ow, t he p resen t.
1. Hourglasses, what are they good for? “You can’t escape time”, is what Lewis Caroll said in “Alice through the Looking Glass”. However, we can still organize it and manage it more efficiently with every new week. Why not make a note of the time we spend on mundane tasks and evaluate our attitudes towards them? Are we wasting energy or really being productive? Do we procrastinate or make things happen? The answer to all these questions? I don’t know if you find them in philosophy or fantasy books – and ah, how I love to lose myself in those. However, we can always opt not to fester on trivial distractions and instead occupy our brain with our immediate needs. Disconnecting from your work email during the weekend could be a place to start. Saturday and Sunday are your time, for family, for your four-legged friends and your other friends, too. “You look at yourself in the mirror as if waiting for someone, but time doesn’t wait for you.” Pay attention to the lyrics of the song “Se As Ondas Voam Com o Vento” (If the Waves Fly with the Wind), from the band Quadrilha; afterwards I’m telling you you’re going to want to wave “Do not Disturb” signs and say “NO” much more. Let this be your battle cry!
2. Savor meals in quietude “Shut up and eat”? Here, this popular Portuguese expression has anything but a pejorative meaning – quite the opposite! A serene and lazy gastronomic experience allows us to relax and enjoy in its complete entirety the mouthwatering dish in front of us. When we focus on the taste, texture and intensity of ingredients of our daily menu, we enhance the pleasure that we gain from this moment of pause; because, in reality our temporary hiatus is merely just us and food. Lisa Dickman, responsible for the café Foodprintz: food, yoga & education, in Rato (in Lisbon), explains that we can meditate at the table, by the simple act of closing our eyes for a few seconds and concentrating all our attention on tasting: the palate.
3. Good night and see you tomorrow, Vitinho. “When the moon wakes up, you go to sleep”. This rule is for taking literally, ok? Lower the light of your cellphone screen after 9pm, stop messaging, emailing, posting photos, hashtags, likes and emojis and, please, turn off your cellphone before going to bed. Don’t use it as an alarm, because you’ll wake up anxious, feeling around frantically on your pillow, the duvet and the nightstand until you find the mute button or stop the catastrophic vibrations. Do you prefer opening your eyes to be met with a gadget’s LED screen, or to fall in love with the natural light of the sun, creeping gently in through the window? Learn to live offline – even if it’s just until tomorrow’s breakfast.
4. Travel back in time and become a kid again Doodle and draw in abundance on recycled paper, color mandalas, create unique pieces with macramé. Observe your arm movements, hand movements, and movements of your brain muscles while art is flowing through your body and spreading out into the world. Is there a better digital detox?
5. Clear your energy without limits Being in deep connection with nature calms us. We create roots in Mother Nature and we grow, ancient tress with robust trunks and majestic treetops, up to the sky. Try to swap the weight of a computer for a backpack, on your back. Breathe the coolness of the air. Do you feel it in your nostrils? Allow yourself to be enveloped by the flora and fauna, listen to the sounds and find an escape from the deafening bustle of the city. This mental calm is prolonged by activities in the fresh air or simply by experiencing joy with the essence of life.
"We should allow ourselves to get out of our daily routines and our mental cycle. This gives us space to think beyond and, perhaps, be a little braver. Everything revolves around these short periods of time where you can breathe a little, heal, recharge and relax. These moments don’t need to be filled with anything special. You just need to allow yourself to simply be, and not do. At the end of the day, we are all human beings and not human doings". (Fearne Cotton in "Happy: Finding joy in every day and letting go of perfect").
Pictures kindly provided by the authoress
Hi Fรกtima, how are you? Here at home minimalism is here to stay. Every time I am more selective, even as to the food. Minimalism helped me to understand myself, to discover myself and to know me better. I've never been a hostess, I like to go out, I do not like a lot of people at home. I love it when I'm home alone, I discovered this is not a defect, I'm just like this. I was even minimalistic about how to select friends, there are a lot of people that do not add anything in our lives, right ?! I do not have a cell phone. My husband and I have chosen to have only one that meets the need of both, even because the cell phone takes a lot of time from us. I also find it difficult for Whatsapp groups, because most only bring unnecessary things. I only have a facebook. I do not have an Instagram, nor Twitter. I have Pinterest because I like decorations. Remember I told you I had a bunch of kitchen utensils? Wow, today I dread a lot of junk, things I do not use! Today I have a bucket just for clothes, one to clean the house and the other to put only products from my pool. That's what works for me. Blanket and bedspread I donated half of what I had. I learned a lot from you, with your page. I'm very grateful for that.
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How I live
without a cell phone
A little over a week ago I had my phone number canceled. I thought I would still use the features of the smart phone, but that did not happen. I share with you how the process was so natural to me. I've always been very upset. I like technology and everything that makes life more practical. The iphone was a blessed gift to me! This phone made me very happy, I used it for almost everything! But my lifestyle has changed. Before I was able to have all the contacts of school colleagues, work, institutions and everything, but now I have very well defined what I want for myself. My review of the past months Since last year I hardly use the mobile phone. I realized that it did not come out of the drawer. When I remembered it, because someone reported coming into contact, it had been more than a week and his battery had already discharged. In the month of February I must have put it to charge a couple of times ... at most, contacts have always been made by facebook, skype, email or telephone of the husband, depending on the situation. I used to use many excellent iPhone applications often, but it bothered me that I was losing so much while I had my head on that screen. For countless times, I experienced situations in others that bothered me and made me wish I was not this main character: that person who during a conversation or meal is insistently controlling the notifications of the mobile phone, whether or not there is some notification; the owner of that telephone that plays in the middle of a concert, an important meeting or a sacred place, even though it sometimes happens through sheer distraction or oblivion ... the truth is that this kind of thing happens every day and the time it takes the cell phone sucks is much bigger than it looks!
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No cell phone officially Between not using the phone and having the number canceled will be a considerable step. Just as we do not consider throwing something away because "we might need it in the future," keeping the number seemed a necessary security in this generation. After all, every time we use a service, we are asked for the phone number as something more important than the tax ID number (corresponding to the CPF for Brazilians). I already happened to need the mobile phone number to validate an online registration! As well as laugh at me when I say I do not use cell phone ... My reflection was clear, and for the sake of not, I decided to try not to have the number, even for a few months. It was a thought-out decision, personal and without financial forum. There was no routine change, since I had not used the phone for several months, and any more important contact knew that it would be easier to "catch up" with my husband's number. Post-moment analysis Honestly, I did not think about it after I canceled the number. The phone has always been off since it ran out of battery power, which I did not realize! And the hypothesis, even without number, to use it to take pictures or to use applications through wireless internet at home, is dead. Sei como muita gente afirma que “não vive sem o telemóvel”. Eu considerei isso um dia também, mas a minha vida mudou. All these years directed to a simpler life have changed my needs and the awareness of what I can not live without! Everything has an alternative, in my case. Or rather, the alternative came to be the phone itself, which I remember only when someone refers! I still talk to everyone I spoke to earlier. I still update the news by facebook (at the right time by the computer). I live more every moment I leave home. The simple exit to the supermarket or to a garden gains much more meaning, since we are more aware of the present in that place. Their tasks are no longer interrupted by unimportant phone calls. And you remain contactable by other means, even when you are physically distant from loved ones.
A brief illustration that I see many times: today when visiting a friend you keep sending the message to another. The next day you're with the other friend sending a message to the first one. Where did you really enjoy it? While you spend two hours exchanging messages with someone, you could be actually laughing and taking deep advantage of your time with those around you...
If you want to give more meaning to your life, get off the phone. It does not have to cancel like I did, but you can simply start by spending less time on it ... or be more aware about its use. How many times have you stopped paying attention to someone or a moment due to something without meaning on the phone? Live each moment mindfully!
(originally written in February 2016)
Obsolescence * Have you ever bought a new cellphone before just because it’s a newer version, even if your own one isn’t broken? Recently our studio computer broke down. We took it to various different Apple stores and all of them told us that they couldn’t fix it because they no longer made the parts we needed. I couldn’t make do with this. This was a very powerful computer and it had always worked really well! I called Apple again and I stressed, “we have a computer from the year 2000 that has stopped working and no store can manage to fix it… as loyal customers of yours, do you not have a solution for us?" Needless to say, the agent laughed when I mentioned the computer’s age and tried to console me, reminding me that it was time to buy a new, more modern and recent computer.
*
Obsolescence is the process or state of something that has become obsolete, outdated or lost its use. Source here
I know that almost 20 years is quite a long life for a computer, but it had had new parts here and there over the years. It would have continued flawlessly if it wasn’t for the substitution with the part that burned up! At the end of the day, if I asses my product and buy something that’s good quality, that should count as grounds to enjoy it for a long time. The current market loves endless games with the consumer. They have strong need for us to consume more. Marketing has begun to attack forcefully, trying to convince us to have more and better and that shopping will make us happier. But, it’s important to ask ourselves: "Do I need it? Do I have something similar which does the same
thing? Is this essential for me?" Don’t get anything on impulse. Always question yourself, opt for quality products and use them completely. Consider possible alternatives that can fix your problem. Just for clarification, instead of getting a new computer, we had the possibility of using the same hard drive of the old computer in a dock station, which can be linked to any other computer. This allows us to use all of the information we had on the old computer. If you decide to buy something new, think about what’s going to happen to your old product. The Apple agent informed me that they have a recycling system for electronics. This is a solution when there is no option of repair!
In the name of the heading, I will share with you some types of obsolescence: Scheduled or planned obsolescence When there is a deliberate action by the manufacturer to force the customer to get a new model or product. We see that many products are manufactured with the intention that they have a limited life span, and quickly become obsolete. For example, the agent who I spoke with on the phone confirmed that Apple products have a useful life-span of 7 years. This type of obsolescence is not just harmful to the environment due to the increase of consumption or natural resources but also in its contribution towards the growth of waste.
Perceptive or psychological obsolescence When the consumer is driven to buy a new version of a product which is apparently more attractive, even when their old version still works.
Functional or technical obsolescence When the new version of a product is more practical and substitutes the old one which has lost its use or is no longer being made. It also applies when it’s cheaper to get a new product than repair the old one. For example, if Apple products that are over 7 years old become discontinued, there aren’t any substitute parts, forcing us, if we want to stay with this brand, to buy another product.
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TIPS
Easy and nutritious snacks! We know that eating in front of a computer is not the recommended option by health professionals, however, in some cases, its unavoidable. That’s why thinking about the quality of the food that we are going to snack on can improve our well being. When choosing my snacks, I avoid super processed foods, which are dietary products that contain large quantities of ingredients such as colorings, flavorings, acids and even larger quantities of salt and sugar in their make up. These can cause different illnesses such as allergies, diabetes, obesity and hypertension, as well as contributing towards the production of trash and forfeiting a large part of our family income. My choice is always “real food” which is food in its most natural state, with real ingredients, that can be found in nature. Real food is simple, as everything should be…much like the minimalist lifestyle. Bearing this is mind, I chose the top 4 recipes that I most like to make, that are easy, nutritious and tasty.
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