12 Rules for Living with Less Data
Note: I wrote this post using a custom AI writing assistant I created to gather, organize, summarize, and draft my personal ideas, stories, insights, and perspectives.
Left unchecked, data, like physical clutter, piles up creating unnecessary complexity, slowing down operations, increasing costs, and complicating decisions. In my personal minimalism journey, I regularly listen to The Minimalists podcast. Inspired by their 16 Rules for Living with Less, I adapted their principles to data management to help you streamline your data environment for simplicity and effectiveness.
This post inspired by…
1 | 30-Day Data Detox
Remove unnecessary data incrementally over 30 days. Each day, pause one redundant data pipeline, archive one outdated dashboard, or eliminate one unnecessary table or chart.
Inspired by:
30-Day Minimalism Game: Declutter by discarding items progressively each day for 30 days.
2 | Data Archive Party
Host a dedicated working session to review and archive old data. Archive valuable but infrequently used historical data. Eliminate obsolete or redundant sources cluttering your data environment. Perhaps focus on data not accessed within a certain time period (like a year) and / or data no longer aligned to current business needs.
Inspired by:
Photo Scanning Party: Digitally archive photos to reduce physical clutter.
3 | No Junk Data
Only retain data that actively supports decision-making, operations, or strategic goals. If data hasn’t been accessed in a certain time period and lacks a defined future use, archive or delete it. Periodically audit to remove outdated, redundant, or purposeless datasets, keeping your data environment lean and relevant.
Inspired by:
No Junk Rule: Only retain items that add value and eliminate the rest.
Seasonality Rule: If an item hasn’t been used in the last 90 days and won’t be used in the next 90, it should be discarded.
4 | 3-for-1 Data Trade
For every new dataset, dashboard, or tool introduced, deprecate three older ones. This controls data sprawl and ensures you balance new additions with removing outdated, redundant, or low-value assets.
Inspired by:
1 In, 10 Out Rule: For every new item brought in, ten must go.
5 | Purposeful Data
Avoid hoarding data for ambiguous future needs. Adopt a just-in-time strategy, collecting and keeping data only if it has immediate use or a clear plan to produce future business value. Regularly review and remove unnecessary or ambiguous data to maintain a lean, efficient data environment.
Inspired by:
Just In Case Rule: Avoid keeping items just in case they might be needed.
Emergency Items Rule: Keep essential items for emergencies only.
Just For When Rule: Retain items that are definitely going to be used.
6 | Data Stability
Be deliberate when adopting new data tools or systems. Impose a waiting period before major investments (30 days) or minor ones (7 days) to ensure alignment with strategic needs. Upgrade only when measurable benefits outweigh costs and potential disruptions to workflows, training, and data integrity.
Inspired by:
Wait For It Rule: Impose a waiting period on new purchases to confirm necessity.
Don’t Upgrade Rule: Avoid upgrading to new versions of products unless absolutely necessary.
7 | Most Valuable Data
Annually identify the ten most resource-intensive data assets in terms of cost, maintenance, and complexity. Compare them to the ten data assets providing the most business value, such as ROI, usage, decision-making impact, operational efficiency, and innovation contribution. Use this analysis to realign data investments with actual business impact.
Inspired by:
10 Most Expensive Possessions Rule: Compare your ten most expensive possessions from the last decade to the ten possessions that add the most value to your life.
8 | Data Expiration
Set deadlines to decide the fate of underused or underperforming data assets. If you cannot confirm a data asset's value by a given date, archive or delete it.
Inspired by:
Selling Deadline Rule: Set a deadline to sell unwanted items. If the items do not sell by this deadline, donate or discard them.
9 | Data Crash
If a dataset, report, or dashboard were irrevocably deleted today, would it be missed? Would you rebuild it from scratch again? If not, it’s likely unnecessary and you should archive or delete it.
Inspired by:
Spontaneous Combustion Rule: If you wouldn’t miss an item if it spontaneously combusted, then it’s not worth keeping.
10 | Data Independence
Be prepared to discontinue any data asset that no longer serves a strategic purpose. Be ready to drop data assets that fail to provide significant ongoing value or don't align with evolving business needs.
Inspired by:
Willing To Walk Rule: Be prepared to abandon anything in your life that isn’t essential.
11 | Minimalist Data Sharing
Share data only when it provides clear insight and a path to action. Avoid unnecessary reports or dashboards that contribute to information overload without improving decision-making.
Inspired by:
Minimalist Gift Giving Rule: Focus on giving gifts that add significant value, preferring experiences or meaningful contributions over material items.
12 | Minimalist Data Receiving
Be selective about the data you collect, keep, and maintain in your systems. Accept only high-quality, relevant data, aligned with current initiatives or strategic goals, to maintain a clean, productive data environment.
Inspired by:
Minimalist Gift Getting Rule: Be selective about the gifts you accept to ensure they add value to your life.
Just as minimalism helps declutter physical and mental spaces, apply these rules to streamline your data environment and realign regularly to business needs. Cut the data clutter, focus on what generates business value, and let your data drive decisions...not distractions.
