Like it or not we live in a digital world. There are a lot of positives that come with being as connected as we are. Sometimes a quick text or email can help our team or family make on-the-spot decisions that can save quite a bit of grief now or in the future. Back in October of last year we had planned a trip to the beach, though we did not plan for a hurricane to make landfall the week before. Though the storm had passed without major damage, it had dumped a tremendous amount of rain and most of the roads we normally use were flooded and impassible. Through the Waze app, we were able to take advantage of the reports of other drivers who were constantly updating the road conditions, alerting us to unknown trouble ahead. What would have been a dangerous trip just a few years ago we were able to make safely due to technology (this technology did not extend any assistance to the swarms of mosquitos we faced that were spawned by the floodwaters, however!).
What we do face now in this digital world is an overwhelming surge of information. In the beginning of the world-wide-web, we went in search of the information. Now, the information comes straight to us-in the form of texts, emails, and notifications. With artificial intelligence and machine learning, the “bots” now know where we like to go, what we like to eat, what we like to do, and what new interesting thingamajig we should buy now and get free one day shipping. Linger too long on a picture of a sofa and next thing you know that same sofa is appearing in the sidebar on all the other websites you browse as well as several followup emails. With our smartphones, our smartwatches, tablets, computers, smart speakers, and connected devices constantly alerting us to the next bit of information it makes the Amish lifestyle look pretty good. The information overload can be immense at times and as Amy and I bemoaned recently, the 2020 Presidential election is just warming up (cue the endless robocalls, texts and emails that are impossible to stop).
I’ve found it helpful to periodically do a digital decluttering. Just like you would clean up your office, your desk, your room, your closet, your garage, (etc.), it’s important to clear up our digital workplaces and tools. Here are two suggestions that have been part of my regular routine:
1. Get control of your email.
Create some healthy separation. I literally get inundated with emails. Some are legitimate, others are not. Email marketing has exploded so my inbox gets littered with all kinds of promotions. I know this might sound dated, but when I transitioned from pastoring full-time to the marketplace, I quickly realized the necessity of maintaining a separate email address. I didn’t need to have legitimate work emails get lost in the shuffle of amazon and apple receipts and notifications, not to mention the 1000 of other benefits of having the same personal @yahoo email address since the 1990’s.
Get to inbox zero as quickly as possible. I never dreamed I could do it, but the feeling is amazing. Carey Niewouf has a very helpful post entitled, 3 Simple Steps to Get to Inbox Zero on his site. It’s not rocket science, but so helpful if you can do get there and stay there.
Turn down the notifications. You can do this on all your devices. For me it means my phone doesn’t continually fetch for email unless I specifically open the email app. Email is a less immediate form of communication (unlike phone calls or texts) and I’ve found that it helps stay focused to checking email when I have time to check email, not whenever email feels like it (I.e., constantly).
2. Clean Up Your Workspace
They say a cluttered desk is sign of a cluttered mind. That can be said of our desktop (on our computers) or the number of apps on our tables and smartphones.
For the laptops or desktops we need to periodically clean the actual desktop screen. You know, all the random files or icons that may have found their way there as a result of needing to download or find something quickly. Clean it up, file away the things that need to be saved, and delete what you don’t need. It might mean uninstalling some old, outdated applications that you no longer need. For our smartphones and tables take a look at your apps in the same way. We may have downloaded hundreds of the latest and greatest game, app, or time waster that is simply cluttering up and taking up space on our device. Clear it out and simplify your life.
Just like tidying up a room can improve your well-being, getting a handle on the digital clutter can help your mind breathe and relax. With the advance of technology continuing to pick up speed it looks like we are going to have to stay vigilant and take back our devices for our own sanity!
How about you, what are some tips for digital decluttering you would add to the list?