Four Easy Ways to Streamline Technology
Technology continues to introduce convenience after convenience. Lost in an unfamiliar part of town? Map your way home with your GPS. Not around to watch your favorite shows during primetime? TiVo them!
You get the picture.
But technology can also be a huge time-waster. There’s so much information out there, it can be overwhelming to keep up with. (And a little addicting.) Here are some ways you can streamline your technology input, avoid distractions and focus on more productive things:
1. De-clutter your computer, smartphone and email. Delete old emails and apps you don’t use any more and move old files to an external hard drive. Move apps and files you don’t use much from your desktop/home screen to a folder. It’s a lot easier to navigate technology when it’s just the bare-bone basics you use on a daily basis.
2. Turn off notifications. When you’re working or trying to focus on something else, sometimes it’s impossible to ignore the shiny cute kitten video that pops up on the screen. Disabling notifications helps you stay focused on the present. And being intentional about one thing (okay, fewer things) at a time will help you get into a flow and ramp up your productivity.
3. Streamline the content you read. If you’ve accumulated a pile of bookmarks for news sources, blogs, and websites you read each day–or you’re consistently clicking on the links in your social media feeds–make your life easier by starting a free account with an RSS reader. (Feedly is one example.) Having all of your information in one place will help save time and encourage you to read at designated intervals of the day instead of scattered throughout.
4. Unsubscribe from any unnecessary “junk” email. Since progressive social media tactics dictate attracting people to sign up for an email list, you probably press Delete a lot when you wake up in the morning. Don’t be afraid to unsubscribe from automated daily deals/coupon emails, excessive newsletters, redundant notifications and other things you usually delete without reading. Most of the major email platforms are shifting to divided inboxes, where all promotional emails go in one place. But ensuring only the necessary email makes it to you will save so much time and effort.
Hopefully streamlining your electronic footprint will give you more time for what’s important and help you breathe a little more easily.
