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When it comes to minimalism in doing, distractions are the biggest obstacle.

We must first identify what’s most important to us, what we’re passionate about, what we want to spend our time on. And then we must focus on those things first.

But the distractions. They get in the way of this focusing, no?

And so we must kill the distractions with the zeal of a maniacal dictator. Without all the actual bloodiness, you know.

Without distractions, you’ll be able to focus. You’ll find peace. You’ll find time for doing what you love.

Here’s how:

• Cut back your social networking to network (or two at the most) – including Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, forums, etc. These are hugely distracting.
• Cut back on your social networking “friends”. Stick to your actual friends and colleagues. Networking with thousands of people you don’t know is superficial and distracting.
• Limit time on social networking, email to specified periods. Set the times you allow yourself to do these activities – from 1-2 p.m., for example.
• Do less email. Start by sending less. Check email less often. Use the phone or face-to-face conversations when possible.
• Shut down the internet to work. Disconnect, and work without distractions.
• Separate consuming from creating. Reading and networking and emailing are different from actually creating. Do them at separate times.
• Set a limited reading time. If you read a lot on the web, or RSS feeds, set limits and do it at specified times.
• Shut off notifications. Email, Blackberry, IM, whatever. Shut em down.
• Clear away icons on your desktop. File them all in one folder, and use an app launcher such as LaunchBar or Launchy.
• Clear your actual desk.
• Use music to block out your surroundings.
• Get away from the computer, spend time with actual people.
• Shut off the smartphone. Seriously.
• Single-task and focus.
• Focus on the most important tasks first, before you get distracted.
• Set limits on your work hours. If your time is limited, you’ll find ways to make the most of that limited time.

The Dutch architecture agency Zecc loves minimal churches and so do we. We have mentioned their chapel some time ago and again they did a great job with this converted church in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Since a few years this church is used as a showroom for antique furnishing, a conference room and a space for small concerts. Because of these functions a floor was inserted in the church.

In the design of Zecc this inserted level is adjusted to emphasize the spatial qualities and sight lines of the church. Underneath this floor the bed room, study room en bath room are realized.

To keep the façade of the church undamaged, no window frames are added to the façade, but the inside of the enormous church is seen as an exterior space. In this way internal patios in the inserted floors are realized to provide the underlying function with day light.

Continuing on our minimalist movie poster tip ^{[1] [2]}, it would be amiss of us not to mention Olly Moss and his Eight Films in Black and Red series.

There’s not much more to say that hasn’t already said, expect that The Great Dictator, Die Hard, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and The Deer Hunter are my favourites. The artwork speaks more than a 1000 words if not minutes. Consequentially, like all film preview trailers, they probably give away too much of what happens.

An Entirely Other Day: The Days of Miracles and Wonder
:

To quote any single line of this would spoil it. So, so, good. (thx DF)

AirMail from ManilaMac (via MiBook84)

“There are 50 different color shades of white,” says John Pawson. And you could probably only see them in an empty room. For John Pawson, architecture is about reduction.

British architect John Pawson is a master of minimalism. He is recognized for Calvin Klein’s flagship store in Manhattan and a Cistercian monastery in Bohemia. His house in London, a Zen like living space, has been reduced to its essence, as close to perfect as possible. It has false walls to hide things he doesn’t want to display. The natural light and the empty space seem to communicate more than the space that is filled up with something.

The minimalism thing. I can live a life influenced by clean design. I can resist buying things but do I always have to put stuff away? The idea is to not disturb my imagination. It’s about trying to calm things down a little, isn’t it?