Spring has finally arrived in Northeast Ohio, bringing with it the promise of budding trees, blooming flowers, and yes, the much-anticipated spring cleaning. But while we often focus on decluttering our closets, attics and basement as well as deep clean our kitchens, it’s equally important to tidy up our digital assets. From decluttering your email inbox to organizing your cloud storage, a digital spring cleaning can being about a sense of order and calm in your online world.
Firstly, why is it important? Our digital lives can quickly become cluttered with unneeded files, forgotten photos, and a barrage of emails. This clutter can lead to stress, make it harder to find important information, and even slow down our devices. Plus, with cyber threats becoming increasingly sophisticated, maintaining digital hygiene is also a matter of security.
Start with your email inbox. Begin by unsubscribing from any newsletters, promotional emails, or updates that no longer interest you. Next, create folders to categorize your emails, making them easier to locate in the future. Remember to delete all irrelevant emails and regularly empty your spam and trash folders.
Moving on to your files and documents, consider using a cloud-based storage system if you aren’t already. Services like Google Drive or Dropbox allow you to store files securely and access them from any device. Create clearly labeled folders and subfolders to keep your documents organized and cut down on retrieving information. Don’t forget to delete duplicate files and any documents you no longer need.
Photos and videos can take up a significant amount of storage space. Take time to go through your digital media and delete any unnecessary duplicates, blurry photos, or videos you no longer want. Consider using a cloud-based photo storage service that can automatically back up your photos and help you organize them.
Don’t overlook your social media accounts. On average, 1.4 billion social media accounts are hacked every month. Review your privacy settings as well as your children’s to ensure you’re comfortable with the information being shared. Consider unfollowing or unfriending accounts that no longer serve you.
Lastly, update your passwords. Cybersecurity experts recommend changing your passwords every three months and using a password manager to keep track of them. Also, enable two-step verification wherever possible for added security.
Digital spring cleaning may seem daunting but breaking it down into these steps can make the process manageable and even rewarding. Remember, the goal is to create a digital environment that serves you and contributes positively to your life.
Pat Bennett, Founder, Pat’s Granola, is an entrepreneur with more than four decades of business experience in sales, marketing, finance, communications, and management. Currently, Pat helps small businesses articulate their brand and create marketing strategies and opportunities for collaboration.
