In pursuit of being productive
Each and every day, technology becomes more advanced than the day before. It is almost impossible to keep up with every new development, and it is even more difficult to master each technological skill.
With the various forms of technology we utilize everyday; computers, smartphones, tablets, etc., we find ourselves building an array of technology-based habits. When thinking about the tech habits that I use everyday, I circled back to the same idea: organization and simplicity.
We often become overwhelmed with the amount of documents we have on our computers, apps we have on our phones and tasks we have to complete each day. After a while, these items begin to take over and add to our existing stress.
In thinking about the ways in which I use organization to lead to simplicity, I came up with five habits I use to keep myself on track.
1. Keep your smartphone alive all day
Most would say that the technology they get the most use out of each day is their smartphones. Between access to the Internet and instant communication, these little devices are something that many cannot imagine life without.
In order to keep your phone battery alive, an easy step to take is to exit out of all apps. If you hit the home button to get out of an app, it is still running in the background. Make sure you “kill” it when not in use, otherwise a collection of apps growing behind-the-scenes will drain your battery. In addition, use WiFi whenever possible; but, make sure you’re on a secure connection.
2. Take control of your phone’s storage
Like computers, smartphones can begin to run slow when there is too much information saved to the device. Periodically check out your storage settings to see what is taking up the most space on your phone.
In general, it is apps and photos/videos that take up the most space. Delete apps that you rarely use. Another trick? Delete old text messages you don’t need. You may be amazed at how much space frees up when you do so.
3. Cache, cache, cache
Every so often, run a cache clean up on your computer’s browser history. You may run the risk of losing saved passwords on websites, but this clean up is crucial to making your computer’s lifespan be as long as possible.
4. Organize your desktop
We all have a plethora of documents, photos and music on our computers. Take a few minutes out of your day to create designated folders for each type of document (“Work Files”, “Vacation Photos”, “Screenplay Ideas”). Cleaning your desktop is like cleaning your house. It reduces visual stress and makes going back to find a document so much easier.
5. To do list apps
While I am a fan of pen-to-paper to do lists, having a back up to do list on my phone is also effective. The rhyme to this reason is because the app will pop up with one those annoying red dots (if you’re an iPhone user) that signifies how many tasks you have on your plate. For me, it becomes a motivation to rid my phone screen of any red dot blemishes.
The takeaway
Organization in your technological life is just as important as your actual life. Taking a little time out of your day to try out these habits will likely reduce stress and increase productivity.
#Productivity
