Minimalism: Intentionality

intentionality /ɪˈntɛnʃ(ə)nalɪti/ noun: the fact of being deliberate or purposive.

At its root, minimalism is about promoting intentional productivity. Getting rid of unnecessary excess to live in a more fulfilling way with fewer distractions and ultimately, get more done. 

Minimalism looks different for different people - it's a common misconception that to be a minimalist, one should fight to own as few items as physically possible - regardless of the inconvenience. Though minimalism indeed calls for a reduction in 'stuff', the one fundamentally important aspect of minimalism is intentionality. Intentionally removing things that you know you don't use or are no longer of personal value. 'Value' being the subjective importance, worth, or usefulness of something to an individual.

Despite all of our various advancements, there are still only 24 hours in a day. The only difference is that today, our world is so much more saturated with 'things' to do. With so much to potentially fit into our days, our time has truly become a valuable and precious commodity. Amongst the noise of possibility, it's refreshing to be able to have a sense of plausibility around our actions. The ultimate aim of true minimalism is about ensuring that what you're investing your time on is what you want to be investing your time on and ensuring that your environment encourages a focused mindset.

Being minimal means cutting our distraction, being intentional means to purposefully undertake an action. Consequentially, minimalism results in the focus that is needed to live an intentional life.