Spring Cleaning Your Technology

Spring Cleaning Technology
It’s that time of year. Throw open the windows. Let some fresh air in. Rid yourself of dust and clutter. Usher in the warm weather with a fresh and clean new space!

Spring cleaning is deeply ingrained in our society and our brains. It has origins in different cultures, belief systems, and even in nature. It’s a time for growth and renewal and so we inherently feel the need to start fresh, too! While we often think of spring cleaning in relation to our homes, it’s also an important concept to apply to our technology.

 

Just as you might dig through a pile of old clothes for donation, it’s also time to delete emails you no longer need. It isn’t just your fridge that needs emptied — your hard drive needs it, too! And while you’re buying new spring patio furniture, it might also be time for a new computer.

 

Spring cleaning your technology allows for maximum efficiency. Investing some time, money, and energy into your technology now means equipment that runs faster and better all year long.

Ways to Declutter Your Tech Like Your House

Our technology serves us well and it deserves an annual spruce just like our homes! Spring is the perfect time to do some decluttering that you might have put off for the rest of the year.

 

The good news is, cleaning up your equipment is a lot less labor intensive than scrubbing the floors or chasing out the dust bunnies.

 
1) Out With the Old, In With the New

 

If you’ve been struggling with old technology, now is the time to replace it. Get rid of old computers, harddrives, or other equipment that’s slowing you down. Bringing in new technology increases speed and efficiency. There’s no reason to let outdated equipment continue to impact productivity!

Spring is the best time to shrug off our resistance to change. Sticking with “what we know” is the number one reason equipment doesn’t get upgraded often enough. Unfortunately, this results in lost time, productivity, and, ultimately, money.

 

2) Empty Your Downloads Folder

 

Every time you download a file, new software, or a new application, it heads straight into your downloads folder. While you might know the downloads folder exists, most people really don’t give it much thought past that. Once you’ve downloaded what you need, that’s the end of its purpose, right?

 

That downloads folder is actually taking up valuable space on your computer! Freeing up harddrive space is one of the best ways to keep your computer running smoothly. The more space available, the speedier your equipment. Once you’re done with your downloads, get rid of them!

You can of course skim the folder to make sure there’s nothing you need, but the rest should go. If your computer is very old, you might have ancient, outdated downloads hidden away in that folder, taking up space.

 
3) Sweep Out Your Shared Drives

 

Again, free space means more speed! On top of that, you might be wasting precious time searching through endless files you no longer need for what you do need. In fact, studies show businesses spend a lot of unnecessary time searching through files. Lost time means lost money.

 

You and your team are creating, editing, and deleting all day long. Invoices, data, spreadsheets, you name it. That can pile up quickly. While these documents are pivotal to your business’ success, they’re also messy.

 

Cleaning up your shared drives doesn’t mean deleting everything. It can also mean reorganizing. Come up with a new naming system. Establish rules. Create neater, more organized folders.

The cleaner your shared drives, the less time you’ll waste searching for what you need. And, if that means getting rid of some files, too, then your overworked drives will definitely thank you for it!

 

4) Comb Through Your Email Inbox

 

This is a chore no one enjoys. If you’ve let your emails accumulate for days, weeks, months, or even years, it might be a daunting task. Maybe you’ve been watching that “promotions” tab climb into the thousands and just thought, “I’ll deal with that later.” Well, it’s later.

Again, you don’t have to highlight everything and click delete. Create some new labels for yourself and start getting organized! Keep what you do need and get rid of the rest. Not only is a clean inbox good for your business, it’s good for your brain.

The Fresh Start You Deserve

Whether it’s your couch or your computer, a thorough cleaning is necessary every once in a while. Don’t neglect your tech when you wouldn’t neglect your home! Efficient technology is one of the key components of any business. You owe it to yourself and your staff to maintain your technology year-round, but spring cleaning is a great place to get started.

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