“I need your help! My electronic life is a mess and it’s only getting worse. I have files saved everywhere on my desktop and nothing makes sense anymore. What should I do? How can I simplify my electronic life?”
We’re with you on this one. As the years pass by, more and more aspects of our lives are turning electronic and it can be mighty overwhelming.
Keep reading for our tips on cleaning up and simplifying your electronic life.
1. Store files online
First of all: consider utilising cloud storage such as Google Drive, iCloud and Dropbox to store some of your files. You can free up space on your hard drive by moving files into these storage services and in turn reduce the files you need to navigate in everyday computer use.
These services also allow you to access you files from any computer with an internet connection, which is great for travel, students and those with home and work computers.
2. Create a labelling system
Everything is electronic these days, which means our computer files are multiplying and getting harder to manage. We have files for photos; movies; documents and receipts; pay slips; music; the list goes on. To make your files more streamlined devise a labelling system that is easy to follow, and one that you will stick to.
Group together and label similar files in the same format. For example, your pay slips could be labelled with the date and company to ensure you can quickly locate them through the find function on your computer.
The system you use is 100% your choice. However, we recommend you create a sticky note to place near your desk with abbreviations of how to label your files so you don’t get mixed up.
3. Backup everything
This step cannot be emphasised enough. You know how your smart phones and tablets back up their content to your computer? Well, your computer needs the same treatment. Invest in a back up storage device and set it up to automatically mirror your files across both devices, or get into a routine of doing regular back ups. No one wants to risk accidentally losing everything!
4. Downsize electronics in the living room
How many electronics do you have in your living room? Do you actually use them all? So many electronics have duel functions these days that you may be hooking up devices you could go without.
Do you screen DVDs through a DVD player, or have you made the switch to Internet based streaming services such as Netflix? Observe what you use over the next fortnight and then make the executive decision if any electronics can be culled from your life.
