DIGITAL HOUSEKEEPING
My ideal Sunday evening looks like being curled up on the couch, computer and planner nearby, plotting out the week ahead. I often have some binge-worthy show on in the background and will be simultaneously scrolling Instagram. It’s not thrilling, but it sets me up for success for the coming week.
A few weeks ago, I came across something rather profound. A freelancer shared a reel of her Sunday routine, which includes clearing her downloads and desktop folder for a fresh start every week. MIND. BLOWN.
I thought it was just me that found this to be such a hidden gem of productivity, but when Rebecca and I had our RB Collaborative weekly team meeting last week, we both agreed that we lean way too hard on our downloads folder as a form of storage. And it’s not like it makes anything easier to find. In fact, it begins to seem like a daunting task - renaming files, moving them to the appropriate folders, or deleting them altogether.
But oh, how freeing is a fresh start?!
This got me thinking about digital housekeeping and productivity. Below are a few tips to keep your digital life in order and free of clutter.
Let’s start with my new favorite! Clear your downloads and desktop folders. And no, creating a folder labeled “Desktop” and dropping everything in there does not count. Rename files and organize appropriately, and delete what you no longer need. Sure, you may not do this every week, but making it part of your routine will make a positive impact.
Clean up your inbox. Delete old emails you don’t need [like that 20-message thread that is mostly “Sounds great!”] File away messages that are important in folders. I like to organize by client, task, project, etc. While you’re at it, unsubscribe from those emails you keep ignoring or deleting as they come in.
Pro tip: sort your emails by sender to easily bulk delete junk mail.Take a deep dive into your phone’s camera roll, starting with folders. The iPhone for example has folders for duplicates so you can merge them, bursts, and screenshots. The latter is particularly interesting when you look back at what seemed so important to remember then, but you haven’t looked at since!
Organize your notes app. This is where Rebecca and I differ. I have hundreds of notes, including one or two-item grocery lists that I forget to delete. Rebecca has a habit of using a single note for many unrelated things and can’t find what she’s looking for again. So, we both need to either delete, separate, or file away!
Digital housekeeping is not just about clearing the internal clutter. It’s also about making sure your public digital appearance is in order.
Regularly review your website on desktop and mobile. Click all of your links to make sure they’re going where you want, update photos and copy as needed, and look for inconsistencies in design and style.
Do you have business hours? Make sure those are regularly updated on your website, Google Business profile, social media pages, etc. to avoid aggravating customers and potentially losing sales.
Update your online profiles. Make sure your bio and photos are current. Check profile links and remove any that are outdated.
While this last one is not public-facing, consider updating your online passwords, especially when you get a notice suggesting you do so. Yes, it is a total pain, but it increases the security of your accounts in this unfortunate world of people trying to steal your information.
We’re living in a digital world! Keeping the programs you use every day organized boosts efficiency, productivity, and performance, while managing your online presence strengthens the connection and confidence your customers have with you. Happy updating!
— RB
