While digital clutter may not take up as much physical space as the stack of magazines on your coffee table or the shoes sitting in the bottom of your closet, it can still affect your emotional wellbeing by increasing your stress level and hurting your ability to concentrate.
In addition to decluttering your physical spaces, you should also regularly pare down your digital stuff as well.
Here’s how you can start getting rid of digital clutter.
Sort Through Your Emails
Have thousands of unread emails in your inbox? You’re not alone. Take some time — either daily or weekly — and delete as many emails as you possibly can. Consider creating a system for organizing your incoming messages, such as creating separate folders for emails that need your immediate attention and for ones that can be archived. Make sure to unsubscribe from newsletters you no longer read to prevent additional email clutter from piling up.
Simplify Your Social Media
While social media is great for keeping in touch with your friends and family, it can quickly become overwhelming. The next time you log in, look through your feed and unfollow accounts that make you feel stressed or uninspired.
Organize Your Desktop
If you’re greeted with a mess of files when you turn on your computer, it’s time to clean up your desktop. Sort through files, delete any duplicates and organize the ones you want to keep in folders. Make sure to remove shortcuts for programs you don’t use regularly.
Clear Out Your Hard Drive
While you may have the space to store all your files on your hard drive, it doesn’t mean you should keep everything. Storing old files, like music you no longer listen to or documents you haven’t opened in years, makes it more difficult to find the files you really need. Be honest with yourself when you go through your files, asking if you really need to keep something.
It might be overwhelming to digitally declutter, especially if you haven’t done so on a regular basis. Rather than trying to accomplish it all at once, start by doing a little each day as you have time.
Set a goal, such as digital decluttering for five minutes each weekday. Stick with the plan, and before you know it, your digital spaces will be neat and tidy.
Get more information about specific health terms, topics and conditions to better manage your health on bcbst.com. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee members can access wellness-related discounts on fitness products, gym memberships, healthy eating and more through Blue365®. BCBST members can also find tools and resources to help improve health and well-being by logging into BlueAccess and going to the Managing Your Health tab.
WellTuned provides inspiration and practical advice for healthy living.
WellTuned does not offer medical advice. Any personal health questions should be addressed to your doctor.