Digital wellness tips – organise your digital life for a healthier mind

Equinix, the digital infrastructure company, has launched a guide to encourage effective and efficient management of digital files, and raise awareness of how this can support mental wellbeing.

Many of us are hoarding tens – or even hundreds – of thousands of photos, emails, and documents, never to be viewed again. Dr Susan Albers, a clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, recently stated that storing too many digital items on our devices can lead to anxiety and stress. In fact, she says, it can be just as stressful as having a cluttered home, as our brains yearn for simplicity.

In reality, our digital clutter does have a physical presence… in data centres. Equinix has approximately 270 data centres around the world with an extraordinary amount of data flowing through them. Digital infrastructure, serving as the backbone of today’s economy, encompasses connectivity that touches our everyday lives. It connects all of our digital devices and enables everything from online banking to improved health diagnoses, to communicating with friends and family, and getting us to work (think: digital travelcards, wallets, alarms and our entertainment or email-checking on the way into the office).

While data has brought untold benefits to human capabilities and our societies, the amount of information and images we are exposed to everyday can be overwhelming. To address this issue, Equinix has teamed up with Sarah Reynolds, founder of Organised Chaos, a company helping individuals to unclutter their daily lives – both physically and virtually.

Top 10 Tips for digital wellness:

1- Make a checklist.

Make a list of everything you want to clear out. This could be photos and videos, emails, drives, or apps on your phone. Then target one area at a time, once per week. By working on just one area at a time, you will focus the mind. Within two months, with consistency, you will find yourself in much better shape.

2 – Streamline your photos and videos.

Photos and videos are one of the main culprits of device clutter, causing undue stress and frustration when a person can’t find the file they are looking for. This can be made more manageable by creating folders – using dates or categories – on your device, or through a secure third-party storage application. While you’re organising, why not create a “Print” folder – next time you are at a shop, you can print the items in the folder and enjoy your best snaps.

Once you have organised and categorised the images you want to keep, you can delete any unwanted or duplicated files. Result: less stuff holding you back and less cost for storage!

3- Aim for inbox zero.

Newsletters and email alerts are a major factor in clogging up inboxes, but inbox zero is possible!

Many email providers offer notifications for when you are subscribing to email updates you don’t read. There are also apps available that can unsubscribe you in bulk. This will help to streamline existing emails.

Then, make yourself a policy that every time you receive an email you know you don’t want to read, unsubscribe immediately. Additionally, consider a separate email address only to be used for subscriptions.

For emails you want to keep, use your folder system to categorise emails by topic or sender.

4 – Organise your computer – desktop, downloads and files.

Just as a countertop is not for storing items from the kitchen and things with no ‘home’, or a desk surface is not for storing office items (this may come as a surprise to some!) – a desktop is not for storing digital files.

Start your desktop cleanup by sorting everything into folders. Then, take a look at your downloaded files, which can often be a source of digital junk! Make sure you have everything you need saved and categorised, while deleting anything you don’t need.

Finally, ensure that every file on your computer has a folder and that every folder has a label. This is perhaps a once-a-year job, but it is good to go through each folder and make sure the files within are still relevant to the life you lead and the work you do. Think of it as a modern-day filing cabinet; the fuller it gets, the less manageable it becomes.

Consider mirroring the folders on your computer to the ones on your drives so it’s easier to move files from the computer to a backup if needed.

5 – Declutter your drives.

Whatever storage application you use, it is a good idea to go through these regularly to prevent hoarding and duplication. If you are using multiple drives, consider limiting yourself to just one. If this isn’t possible, try to “theme” your drives – for example, use one for photos only and another for your personal files.

6 – Arrange your apps.

Review all the apps you have and sort the ones you actually use, removing any that you do not. Then, consider using folders to organise your apps. This will mean less scrolling through your home screen to find the app you need. Of course, you could go all out on organisation and even colour code your apps!

7 – Manage your notes app.

A handy app on your phone to take text or audio notes on the go. But then we get home, we completely forget about it. With this app, always make sure to give every new note a title. Then, if you are taking a similar note in the future, you can place it in the same note.

As always, go through this app and remove anything that’s no longer relevant. Transfer anything important to your computer files.

8 – Limit notifications.

One of the biggest distractions to our lives are notifications. Whether that’s coming in from social media on our phone, or always having our email on when we are trying to do deep work on projects. Turn off all notifications. Or with email, place it on ‘do not disturb’. Our brain is wired to check out a warning once it comes through. These notifications – even if you don’t look at them immediately – will continue to interrupt your brain and thinking until you do. You won’t believe the relief and amount of work you’ll get through with these gone!

9 – Audit your digital devices.

Regularly review your devices for unused files, tools, and software. Delete what you don’t use or need.

10 – Keep up the decluttering and make it a habit.

Once you feel a bit more on top of your digital files, “spring cleaning” regularly will keep things ticking over. Photos are easier to manage if reviewed daily. A quick look at whatever you took that day should keep photo duplication at bay. Whereas with email, a weekly sort out will probably fit your schedule.

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