Productivity helps us speed up in a more efficient way our life. It’s like a superpower which can be acquired by any mortal being. In previous articles we talked about tips on how to be productive and suggested some productivity podcasts. However, our generations’ biggest problems are created through our obsession with anything related to technology most of the times. So let’s talk about digital productivity tips.
1
Delete unused apps/software: Something simple but most people neglect it. You don’t need 3 different web browsers or 4 mobile apps which provide the exact same functions with different interface and design. Removing them will free up space on your screen and your device’s storage capacity. That will make both you and your device faster. The device will have less software to work with and you’ll need less time for searching.
2
Create folders: Do you have a few Word files laying around on your laptop’s screen? Or – Do you have Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Pinterest filling up your phone’s screen? You can see where I’m going with this. Create folders and sub-folders with categories like Music, Dating apps, Work-related and Games. Then drag files/programs related to those categories into those folders to clear the space up and organise them.
3
Delete unnecessary photos/videos: Photos and videos are the best forms of memories. Therefore no one wants to erase them. Of course I’m not claiming that you should delete all of them. However, it will be wise to erase the ones which are either pointless for any reason or mean nothing to you anymore.
Another great example are the ones that you have duplicates. Why do you need to have them multiple times anyways?
You will find it easier when you are looking for a specific photo or video to share a moment with a loved one. Also that extra space can be used for capturing even more exciting moments of your life.
4
Unfollow/unlike on social media: Let’s be honest. How many hours have you spent the last 48 hours browsing through your news feed just to check what all your Facebook friends are up to? Isn’t it better to go out and do something for yourself that you will remember tomorrow instead of checking other people’s activities? Unfollow majority of them, except the ones who are close to you and you care about what they are doing.
On that note unfollow/unlike any pages/groups which are not in your interests’ list and you don’t need to know about their events or posts. Now the browsing time will be cut down in half and maybe even more.
5
Unsubscribe from newsletters: We all have our favourite sites that we subscribe to their email lists to be the first to hear about their latest offers or updates. It’s one way to been up-to-date with the latest news about our interests and hobbies. But that does not mean that we must subscribe to everything that looks nice at first glance.
Check one by one the websites you have already subscribed. Unsubscribe from newsletters which aren’t interesting enough for you or they’re too salesy by trying to sell you products. Less emails to go through every day and more saving of our hard-earned money. Win-win case in the end.
6
Write all passwords on paper: Probably you have more than 5-10 passwords, if not more. Remembering all those passwords by heart occupies a lot of brain power. Writing them down on a piece of paper clears your brain up resulting in more efficient and creative thoughts. Furthermore it’s much safer to have the passwords hand-written instead of digital.
7
Fighting procrastination: There are plenty of ways to do that. If you like to operate traditionally then the Pomodoro technique is perfect for you. I won’t go into details about it since we have talked about in another article.
Now for the techies there’re probably thousands of apps and programs which help staying productive. Personally, I’m not a fan of this way so I can’t give you much information about it.
On the other hand, I have heard some notable ones a few times which are being used by others. Those people claim that the programs helped them focus on their tasks. They help via music or by blocking access to other programs, emails or the internet in general. These programs are Brain.fm, Freedom, SelfControl.
The digital world has both advantages and disadvantages. In case you lack the discipline every now and then, use these tips and they will help you whether you are using a desktop pc, tablet or smartphone. That’s how I get to finish variety of projects and then have free time for the fun stuff.
Share this article to inform more people and tell us your thoughts in the comments below: Do you procrastinate by using your devices all day long? Which digital productivity tips are you gonna start using from now on? Do you have any other ones to suggest?