We all have busy lives. We take in and process a lot of information on the daily. Most of this information comes from our phones and laptops, which are essential in getting schoolwork done and connecting with others. However, we eventually start to accumulate too much information that clutters our minds… and our phones.
Digital cluttering is a term that refers to an influx of information stored in our phones, resulting in low storage and high levels of stress. We hold all this data in our device and become overwhelmed when we can’t take any more photos due to low storage, have trouble finding a particular app or notice a decrease in our device’s speed.
No need to worry—there are ways to fix this problem of digital clutter to make your phone work at its highest capacity. By decluttering your device, you’ll become less stressed and more focused.
1. Cut down on apps
There are two ways to do this. First, stop downloading apps for every little thing, then delete apps you don’t use often. If you find yourself downloading two fitness apps, for example, decide which one works best for your needs. Just because one has a calorie tracker and the other can record your steps doesn’t mean you need them both. Choose one or the other; if not, find an app that does both.
Also, delete apps that you haven’t opened since last year or that you forgot you had on your phone. I am guilty of this. I keep apps on my phone because I think I’ll need them later. There really is no purpose to it. Let’s face it: if you haven’t used the app in a while, it doesn’t need to be on your phone.
2. Turn off notifications
No, not completely. Be strategic in which apps you limit notifications for. Namely, those apps you use all the time. For example, I turned my Snapchat notifications off so I am not receiving snaps throughout the day and constantly checking them. It has tremendously helped; I only check Snapchat once in the morning and once at night.
I also have a habit of checking Instagram frequently. Because Instagram is flexible in which notifications you can turn on or off, it gives you freedom in what you want to see. The only notifications I have turned on are direct messages and comments on my photos. I do not need to get notified every time someone likes my photo or starts a live stream.
3. Tackle your camera roll
Don’t skip over this one because it scares you. Photos can accumulate so quickly that, suddenly, you have thousands of them. My solution is to take five or ten minutes a day to back up photos to a cloud service (like Dropbox) and then delete them from your camera roll. This will save you tons of storage space that will most likely be filled again with more photos (take it from me!).
There you have it! Three effective ways to declutter your digital life that will result in less stress and increased happiness and relief. I hope these tips help you and make your life a bit easier.