Out of clutter, find simplicity.
Albert Einstein
42 Days Of Yes!
Day 19: Declutter My (Tech) Space
How much time would you guess you spend each week sifting through emails, social media, e-newsletters, blog feeds, and the like? I bet if we were to actually log the time, most of us would be surprised. After my Day 12 YES, I realized I wanted to streamline my tech time significantly.
I wouldn’t necessarily call today’s YES fun – but it was oddly refreshing! I invested a fair amount of time in decluttering my tech space, knowing that – in the long run – this task will save me oodles of time (not to mention frustration) in the future. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the clutter in your digital space, here’s where I started:
- Unsubscribe to e-newsletters I never read. If you haven’t already, start by setting up a separate email account for newsletters, online orders, etc. so your business email isn’t clogged up with these announcements. I did this years ago and only check that email once a week or so but even still, it takes a fair amount of time to delete the messages that I never even bother to click open, let alone read. This email account is now almost eerily – but beautifully – quiet, occupied with only things that truly interest me.
- Get my email in-box to zero. Yessss! It doesn’t last long, but it’s a sight to behold when it occurs! 🙂
- Eliminate unused icons on my laptop. They take up space, use memory, and had become such a part of the backdrop that I didn’t even realize they existed. This could apply to unused apps on your phone, too.
- Clean up Facebook messages. Did you know you have a couple of in-boxes with your Facebook account? I cleaned mine out so that hopefully I will now recognize when a new message appears!
- Pare down my Twitter feed. When I first hopped on Twitter, I followed lots of people if they were even remotely related to coaching, leadership, or other topics of interest. Today I “unfollowed” some that don’t add value or that have gone in a different direction.
I appreciate technology for many reasons: ease of communication with my family members who live in other states, reconnecting with friends from high school and other phases of life via social media, and of course the numerous business purposes. But as several of my YESes have had me focusing more deeply on what matters most in my work and life, I realize more and more that I want technology to support my goals and dreams – not drive them. For example, I want to spend minutes in a group text setting up a meeting time with a few old friends – and then spend hours actually talking with them face to face. For me, that’s a much more meaningful investment of my time.
Decluttering my technology reaped many of the same benefits as decluttering physical space. A stress-reducing, time-saving YES!
To what did you say YES today? Share your thoughts below, on Facebook, or via Twitter. And click here to join the community of Spark – while Earlybird Rates still apply!
Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach and the President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches executives and leaders who need to get unstuck – whether in your leadership ability, income level, or from spinning your wheels in the day-to-day. Christi helps you flourish towards your purposeful vision with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.
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