Practical Tips to Simplify your Digital Life

These days, there is a wide usage of iPads, iPhones, laptop computers, desktop computers, cellphones and many other digital gadgets. This is because of what this stuff can offer the users. One will surely enjoy working with it for it makes things a lot easier. One can also be entertained with games, music, movies and others. One can also communicate with people from different places using these gadgets. Human’s genius mind were able to create these amazing stuff. For this reason, many people are engaged with using them and are engulfed with so much digital information.

But of course, you would not like your digital life to take over your real life. To avoid that, you have to take it easy. Avoid spending too much time on the internet or playing games on the computer. Graphic designers and web designers would use computers to do their work and would also need the aid of the internet. It is okay to sit in the computer during work but you have step away from it when work is done. We have here 12 tips to help you simplify your digital life.

1. Use only two email accounts.

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Do away with having too many email accounts. You only need two, one for work and one as personal email. Having so many emails will only eat up your time for you have to check all of them every day. To lessen your time checking mails, use only two emails. That would be enough and you will not have a hard time remembering them.

2. Check emails only once a day.

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You might feel the need to check your emails regularly. Doing that for your work email would be right but you could avoid checking personal emails more than once per day. It would be time consuming and you might linger when you find some interesting reads from sites you subscribed. So, to do away with that, check your personal emails once a day. You can check you work emails frequently, depending on the kind of work you have. If you are into freelancing and you receive emails most of the time, then go check it.

3. Limit social media accounts.

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If you are the type that doesn’t want to be left behind and has accounts in almost all social media sites, then it is time for you to simplify. Choose only one or two of them that you find useful. Then spend limited time using it. Do not be hooked so much because you wouldn’t be able to work well.

4. Use shortcuts.

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Obviously, using shortcuts could certainly help you save time and energy. You will be able to work easier by using shortcuts. There are many shortcuts keys. All you have to do is to know it well and be able to use it all the time.

5. Limit digital information.

Do away with information overload and from information that you might find useless. You can filter them in your email. Your notifications from social networking sites may fill in your inbox. Filter that also including spam messages. Make sure that your important messages comes first in your inbox in a designated area to make sure that you would not miss any of them.

6. Archive your old documents.

If you are done using some of your files, archive them by saving them on a CD or DVD. This way, you can check them whenever you need them. You can also delete some of them which you think you would not use anymore. Your old designs goes to an external hard drive for you can still use them in the future. Make sure to choose your files well as to which should be deleted and which should be archived.

7. Clean your email inbox.

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Having a clean inbox would make it much easier for you to access it. Delete anything that seems unnecessary. Create folders for archive, too. If you do this, you can immediately go to that folder and look for the files you need. You don’t have to go through hundreds and thousands of emails. Archive all read emails and be sure that new unread emails are the only contents of your inbox.

8. Allocate one time to do digital chores.

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To avoid spending too much time in the internet, allocate a particular time to do that. When you are online, do everything that you need to do. Check emails, log on to your social media accounts and others. After doing all those things, you can now do other more important tasks.

9. Use cellphone for calls.

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Instead of using your cellphone for checking emails, tweeting, texting, watching videos, playing games and others, use it minimally. There should be a limit in using it because you can actually do other tasks using your computer. Your cellphone is useful in communicating with colleagues and friends. So, instead of doing other activities in it, use your cellphone for calls only. You will find it advantageous for it can consume less of your time.

10. Uninstall unused software.

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You might notice that some of your installed software are no longer in use. Uninstall them to take away CPU and memory resource from your computer. You will also be able to work better if you only have software that you really use for it will not eat up a lot of memory. Keep only software that is important to you.

11. Clean your computer desktop.

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See to it that those in your desktop are items that only need to be there. You don’t really need all your shortcuts in your desktop. Do not store items on your desktop, too. You need to have a folder for them in your drive. Also, use good desktop wallpaper that could inspire you to work. A crowded desktop will only cause you headaches.

12. Free yourself from the digital world sometimes.

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It doesn’t mean that just because your work needs you to be connected all the time that you will only focus in using your cellphone, the internet, your iPad and even the television. Spend some time away from them and just enjoy the better things in life. You can go to the beach or have a walk in a park or just spend time with family and friends. This will help you to unwind and regain more energy and inspiration.

It’s Your Turn Now

Things are surely easier with the aid of digital gadgets. But you don’t really need to engulf yourself in it all the time. You also have to learn to break free from it to enjoy other things. Do you have other tips to add here in order to simplify one’s digital life? We will appreciate it if you add some.