5-Step Guide To a Digital Declutter

Capitalism and Consumerism have tricked us into believing that we need things that are actually not in the least bit essential. A single purchase can lead to a cluttered inbox full of spam emails and messages. Even the algorithm is designed in a certain way that collects information and produces suggestions that'll lead to a flood of emails everyday. But the crucial question we need to ask is that Do we even need it? If so then why?

Cluttered desk or even your digital clutter leads to a short attention span. The estimated number of children ever diagnosed with ADHD, according to a national 2016 parent survey is 6.1 million (9.4%). In conclusion, it is essential that you opt for minimalism when it comes to your digital declutter. It is crucial to declutter for the health of your device as well as your mental well-being. A digital declutter is an analysis of your entire digital life, followed by discarding or reorganizing everything into a simpler, secured, and backed up system. 

According to recent research from dscout, people tap, swipe, and click an average of 2,617 times per day. For the top 10 percent of users, this number doubled to 5,427 touches per day. That's about 1 million touches per year and 2.42 hours of phone screen time per day. We all are aware about the negative impact of cellphone towers on birds. There has been a steady decline in the number of birds due to this reason. In addition, the harmful radiation from cell phone signals is causing fatal terminal diseases in humans.

Don't we owe this to the planet and ourselves to digital declutter once every week? We understand that it seems like an herculean task but here are 5 simple steps on how to digital declutter.

1. Clear up you mail

Unsubscribe

Unsubscribe to all promotional mails and the newsletters that don't add value. They just make your inbox messy and sometimes important emails might get lost in it.

Star mark the important mails.

If you try to clear your inbox once every month, it will help to stay organized. Whenever you receive any important mail, mark it as important and delete the rest. This way you will save time and stay on track.

2. Declutter Your Desktop

Do you want to see junk in your office space, when you enter every morning? No. Right? Same thing goes with your desktop. There are many unnecessary, old, invalid documents, folders, images, etc. just sitting there on your desktop that require your immediate attention. To avoid your desktop from looking messy, follow two easy steps.

Don’t keep the desktop as the default download location.

Get rid of shortcuts if you don’t use them regularly.

Your minimal desktop will increase your productivity.

3. Storage

This part may take a while but it’s worth the effort. Wouldn't you want some space in your device? Having a full storage makes your device function slower. Hence, when you are in a hurry or under a stressful work environment, a slow working device is the last thing you need to test your patience. Therefore, every once in a while

Delete age old photos and videos. (go through all of them and sort them in folders according to date or delete whatever you feel unnecessary)

Go through all the documents and then the same as the previous point.

Upload the selected documents and photos into the cloud space (again, come out of your 'just in case' syndrome. save only necessary files)

Read also, 98 Practical tips to start living more mindfully

4. Social media

Not all social media is for you.

Being on too many social media platforms can cause anxiety and a short attention span. The algorithms are designed in a certain way to make you spend more time on the specific app. Hence, choose wisely and every once in a while, just uninstall or deactivate. 

Leave groups

Don't we all hate certain groups where the conversations are mundane or inane or downright toxic? It's time to leave the group. 

Switch off your notification 

The apps that you don't frequently use but get notifications on a daily basis can be distracting. To boost your productivity, switch off your notifications or put your phone face down in DND mode.

Delete all unwanted apps. 

Delete all the unused apps. Just in case if you need the app, you can download it anytime, no need to hoard. Isn't it?

Manage your cloud space

Quite contrary to the name, your cloud space is not in the clouds. It is a physical storage space. It takes massive space and energy to store data. Before you buy more space, try to fit in. Having a smaller storage space helps (at least for me). It helps you to just discard what is unnecessary.

Unfollow/unfriend people

To manage what you really want to see on your feed, unfollow/ unfriend people. This will organize your feed and you'll be able to view what you want to see.

5. Now let’s practice digital detox for a simplified daily life

Do not multitask, it distracts. 

Limit your screen time and spend more time with your loved ones or simply do nothing.

Don’t sleep with your phone. Leave your gadgets away from your bed. I would say stop using your phone at least one hour prior to bed. I started reading books, before bed and helped me many ways.

Turn off your notifications.

If possible clean up your digital space every week.

Distance yourself physically from your devices. Go for a walk alone, or just simply sit (try it, it's THE MOST difficult thing to practice.)

Track your trigger, see what distracts you. For instance, a notification from a shopping app can cause you to spend a lot of time window shopping, distracting you from your actual work at hand. Ignore it consciously and divert your mind into something else.

Conclusion:

Digital Decluttering is like cleaning your home. It can get overwhelming if the house is not cleaned for a prolonged period of time. It is definitely advisable that you try to break it up so that you don't feel overwhelmed by the amount of clutter.

Take your time because decluttering can take a while if not taken care of every week. Listen to some music, have some snacks and once you are done you will feel more organized. The point is not to achieve perfection but rather to reclaim your mental space, feel organized and be productive.

if you found this article helpful we suggest you read

10 Indoor Plants That Will Improve the Air Quality of Your Home