Declutter Your Devices

declutter-devices

Why

Clutter is stressful, whether it’s a cluttered physical environment or a digital one. And as we age, research shows, clutter jacks up our stress level even more, while reducing our overall happiness. Because we spend so much time looking at our phones, a jam-packed device can seem overwhelming, adding stress and frustration to your life. By removing unnecessary items from your device and reorganizing what’s left, you can help yourself better focus on the things that are important to you. Here’s how to tidy up your digital life.

Try this today

• Prioritize what’s important. Spring cleaning isn’t just for overstuffed closets: Your device also may be brimming with too many apps you barely use or enjoy — and that are probably using too much of your phone’s storage to boot. Determine which apps you use most frequently, which are rarely used, and which need to be deleted. After you have deleted the ones you don't use/don’t like, streamline the look of your phone by categorizing the rest as described below.
• Categorize your apps. Group your apps into categories describing what you use them for, such as travel, entertainment, fitness and social media. Decide which categories matter most to you, and create folders for your top three to five choices. Sort all of your apps into these folders. If an app doesn’t seem to belong in any of them, ask yourself if it enriches your life in any way and if you really need it. If the answer is no, delete it.
• Rearrange the time-wasters. Make it harder to find and open apps that you use mindlessly. Stick them in a folder on your last home screen to discourage yourself from using them too frequently. Better yet, consider deleting them. 
• Turn off notifications. Those visual and audible alerts are part of the digital clutter that can distract you from whatever you’re doing, whether or not you were looking at your device. You’ll pick up your phone less often without those buzzes, dings and vibrations announcing news and updates, disrupting your ability to concentrate.