Productivity Enhanced: The Benefits of Digital Decluttering
Do you remember life before the Internet, monitors, and displays relentlessly attacked your senses? For those of us who do, one of the biggest differences between then and now can be seen in our relationships. When fewer things were fighting for our attention, it was easier to maintain our focus on our relationships. I want you to think about productivity with digital decluttering.
That doesn’t happen as much these days. Coincidentally, some studies tell us that maintaining healthy virtual relationships is much more difficult than when you can interact with a person in the real world. Aside from improved relationships, here are some other significant benefits of clearing the clutter from your digital experience.
More Free Time
Imagine your phone or computer is so full of digital clutter that it slows down. You might not have to imagine this. It may be a part of your current reality. This means doing anything on your phone or laptop takes you longer. The same is true with all of your digital devices.
Clearing the clutter that slows your digital experience leads to more free time. It is not an exaggeration to say that time is your most precious commodity. More free time can lead to a better quality of life because you can focus on the important things.
Less Time Connected
Chronic Internet usage is linked to stress and anxiety. People who spend a significant amount of time connected to the World Wide Web have more relationship problems than those who do not. Staying plugged in and turned on is usually a very sedentary experience. That means the less time you stay connected to the Internet, the better chance you have at physical and emotional health and wellness.
A Faster, More Efficient, and Productive You
Physical and digital clutter kills productivity. It poses mental and physical health hazards. You can’t be as efficient when waiting for slow devices to take you where you want to go. The first noticeable benefits of digital decluttering are more productivity and quicker digital devices.
Less Health-Robbing Stress
Stress is directly related to the six leading causes of death around the world. Let that sink in. You may believe the stress you experience when you have is simply mental. You will get over it. Unfortunately, stress doesn’t exist as an island in either a physical or mental form.
Stress affects every aspect of your health. Mental stress can lead to physical health problems because of a disturbance in hormonal and chemical balances. Digital clutter is a very effective stress booster. Clear up the clutter, and your physical and mental states will benefit.
A Fatter Bank Account
Digital clutter means slower, less efficient devices. Over time, that clutter can damage a consumer electronics device to the point where it needs to be replaced. Keep your devices clear of clutter, and you won’t have to replace them as frequently. You also won’t have to spend money paying technicians to repair damage done by digital clutter.
These are just a few benefits of organizing and cleaning your digital devices. Your overall reward is a better experience. Take some time to declutter your digital life. You will enjoy more valuable free time, better overall physical and mental health, and more money in your pocketbook.
Purging Digital Distractions for Increased Productivity
Productivity means different things for different people. It is usually related to activities and experiences that are important to a person. Productivity isn’t an issue when you are doing your laundry. If you don’t enjoy this task, you couldn’t care less how efficient the experience is.
You want to be productive when you are engaged in an enjoyable process. That makes sense. The problem is that when you are unproductive at anything, whether it is an activity you like or not, it can negatively impact other areas of your life. Here are some tips for removing digital distractions so you benefit from better productivity.
Use the 30-Day Rule
If you last used a game, app, file, or digital content more than 30 days ago, will you use it again? If this is something you may have to refer to again, such as content you created for a client, file it away in cloud storage where you don’t have to deal with it regularly.
If you no longer need them, delete them. Get them off your home page or desktop. They won’t be there to distract your focus and ruin your productivity.
Delete Data for Good
Make some hard choices. Instead of keeping files, apps, and other digitally based distractions around “just in case,” delete those you don’t need.
Turn off the Devices You Aren’t Actively Using
Many people immediately click on their television when they get up each day, instead of easily moving into their morning routine. Their phone is quickly in their hand, and they might also switch on their laptop or tablet. You cannot use all those devices simultaneously, so immediately limit your digital distractions by only powering up the ones you need.
Use the Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind Rule
Digital distractions appeal to your senses. If you can’t see or hear them, they won’t be a problem. Store digital content in the cloud, thumb drive, or external hard drive if you don’t need instant access. Minimize the number of digital files, data, apps, and games that beg for your attention.
The definition of productivity is being efficient with your time. You get a lot done in the shortest amount of time possible. Looking at that definition gives us the biggest benefit of improved productivity – more time for the things that truly matter to you. Practice these simple tips and develop the action habits needed for cleaning up your digital experience. More free time is just one of the many benefits you will enjoy.
I’m bestselling USA Today and Wall Street Journal author Connie Ragen Green, helping newer online entrepreneurs, authors, and marketers to navigate the path to increased visibility, credibility, and passive income streams. Come along with me, if you will and let’s explore the process and concept of productivity with digital decluttering.
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