Declutter your digital life to feel calmer

How many files and apps are on the home screen of your computer? 5? 10? 20? 50? More than 50?

My number was 43. I had forty-three files and apps staring at me every time I opened my laptop. Forty-three items to constantly remind me of things I still haven't gotten to or that I've fallen behind on; forty-three daily reminders that made me feel bad.

Can you relate?

Even if your number is less than mine (congratulations!), I encourage you to limit the number of items displayed on your computer's home screen. A cluttered home screen leads to a distracted mind.

How nice would it be to open your computer to a tranquil photo with just a handful of files displayed on the side? How much calmer would you feel?

I invite you to spend 20 minutes today decluttering your home screen. I did it, and it made a huge difference in how I approach my work.

Start by looking at each file. If it isn't something you need all the time, move it from the home screen into a folder on your hard drive. Then set up folders on your home screen and move relevant files into those folders. By the end, you will be left with just a couple of folders and a couple of individual files on your home page. Voila!

While you're at it, why don't you have a look at your email inbox?

Do you have pages and pages (and more pages) of emails, most of them months, if not years, old? Do you have pages and pages of emails taunting you that you haven't done whatever was asked of you in those emails? Do these emails secretly nag at you?

Then I have a solution for you. It might seem radical, but when I did it, it was the best feeling ever!

First, I scrolled through all my emails and selected the few I wanted to save. I moved them into a permanent folder where they belong. And then .... wait for this ... I pressed "Select All," followed by "Delete." Yes, I deleted all the emails from my inbox, leaving me with a blank, white page. Wow, what a fantastic feeling! I do this once a month, and it's a game changer.

Finally, do you receive tons of digital newsletters that you once liked but no longer care about? To keep your inbox uncluttered, you need to control what comes into your inbox in the first place.

So, if you once signed up for Amy's gluten-free recipes when you decided never to eat gluten again, but now you love eating gluten again, maybe it's time to unsubscribe.

Let me know which of the three action items you plan to follow through on: decluttering your home screen, cleaning out your email inbox, or unsubscribing from some newsletters.

And then take some time to celebrate your small win! 🎉

Best,

Christine

P.S. Download your FREE Starter Guide to Yoga for 45+: