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In this guide, you can find information on how digital cleaning can help you be more productive.

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Right now is the best time to carry out digital cleaning tasks that will help you be more productive and prevent stressful situations.

Just as physical clutter is a drag on productivity, the same can be said for digital clutter.

  • How would you feel if you had to work at a cluttered desk? Would you be able to fully concentrate on work? Probably not. Maybe most of the time would be spent finding the right papers.
  • It's clear that a clutter in the physical environment is not good for productivity, but what about digital clutter? Basically the same. Research shows that both physical and digital clutter can cause stress and anxiety.
  • The thing about digital clutter is that it's not that easy to spot because it's basically invisible, you can't touch or feel it, but it's there, on the fringes of your gadgets. For most people, this is a minor problem, but it can become a big problem if nothing is done for a long time.
  • Imagine a situation where, for example, your boss urgently asks for an important file that is somewhere on your computer. But since everything on the computer is a neat mess, you won't be able to find it right away. It also doesn't help that the computer moves slowly and maybe even crashes. The tension is growing, the stress level is hitting new records, and it's definitely not a pleasant working day.
  • Digital clutter affects work capacity, performance and productivity. So there's no better time than now, to start a digital clean-up.

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As time passes, some things about us change, including our preferences. Maybe you liked a store or restaurant years ago and became a subscriber to their newsletters, but it's worth asking yourself, is it still relevant today?

Taking the time to review newsletters that are no longer relevant and ditching them can do wonders for your email inbox. So a good first step to start digital cleaning is to unsubscribe from all newsletters that no longer interest you.

The next step is to organize the mailbox. Delete all spam, outdated newsletters and messages. A clean inbox makes it easier to find important emails.

Fewer e-mails also mean lower energy consumption. French telecommunications company Orange found that if every person living in France deleted 50 e-mails from their inbox, the energy saved would be enough to light the Eiffel Tower for 42 years.

Imagine that you go to the library and all the books of interest are already waiting on the table. Yes, it would be easier to find books that way, but it would be very difficult to focus on one book when there are so many other interesting ones within reach.

The same goes for the desktop and mobile and tablet home screens. To avoid clutter, keep your home screens clean of all kinds of files and software. Use the search to find what you need.

Programs and apps that are not used uselessly take up space and make devices slow, which obviously affects work efficiency and also tests patience. Delete any apps you don't use. If you ever need them again, you can reinstall them.

In addition to efficiency, the number of apps also affects security. The well-known antivirus company Kaspersky found that 83 out of a hundred Android apps can access sensitive user information such as passwords, contacts, messages, calls, files, etc. So it's worth thinking twice about which apps to install and keep on your devices.

Some apps run in the background even when not in use. Because of them, the battery of the smart device is discharged much faster. According to Kaspersky, 80% of the 66 most popular apps on Android are vampire apps.

It helps to identify these apps and close them manually. Or delete them if you don't need them.

In addition to useless apps, files that are no longer needed should also be deleted. IT is also good to check that the files and folders have names that match the content, which helps you to find them quickly.

You should also keep an eye on the Downloads folder. Try to immediately move each downloaded file to the appropriate folder.

Updates usually fix bugs or errors, thanks to which programs run more smoothly. Security holes are also patched to keep hackers and malware at bay.

If various notifications come through in the middle of work, it distracts and makes it impossible to concentrate. Notifications from social media platforms are particularly harmful, making it harder to refocus after viewing them.

Cal Newport, a computer scientist and author of self-improvement books, conducted a study in 2016 to find out why some people achieve more in school and at work. He found that those who are more successful are also those who do not allow themselves to be easily diverted from their chosen goal.

If you want to give your best, avoid watching YouTube videos and checking social media accounts during working hours. Focus on the task at hand and save rewarding yourself for later, when the goal is accomplished.

The rapid development of technology is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it has helped people to do everything easier, faster and more efficiently. On the other hand, it sometimes seems that technology uses people, and not people use technology.

As you can see, there are people who are glued to their phones wherever they are. You don't have to be one of them. Use the Internet only when you need it. Spending time with the people you care about most helps improve the quality of life.

The whole point of digital cleaning is to allow devices to run smoothly and get rid of distractions that prevent you from focusing. By focusing only on one activity at a time, it is possible to get to one side of it faster and more efficiently.

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