8 Tips to Increase Productivity and Overcome Digital Clutter

The key to increasing productivity in your business is paying attention to all details, whether they are equipment-related or not. Decluttering your computer desktop is equally important in allowing you to take in more information and perform tasks efficiently.

A mess-free office is paramount to improving your productivity. Too much stationery and papers on your desk can bog you down in time-consuming searches. As a result, you are less likely to meet deadlines.

Clutter can have a dramatic, adverse effect on your lifestyle. It can diminish your cognitive abilities, making it more difficult to make good decisions and have good relationships with your team members. Clutter can affect your anxiety, focus, sleep, and eating choices, which can severely inhibit your performance at work.

You might think that the clutter on your desk or office is the worst of your worries, but your computer desktop can also be cluttered. Disorganized folders and lack of organization are a deterrent to your productivity as much as physical clutter. If you are constantly searching for files and information on your computer, you may need to declutter your computer as well.

Below are eight tips on decluttering your computer desktop.

THE 8 TIPS

TIP #1 – DEVELOP A FOLDER AND SUB FOLDER SYSTEM

The most effective way to avoid cluttering your computer is to set up an organizational folder system. People who work with diverse types of files, such as research or work, should create folders for their files. For example, someone who researches may want to categorize their folders based on the type of material the research is about. Those who are more work-based may find it more helpful to categorize their folders by what type of work they are doing.

Ideally, you should have a few main folders and subsequently break them into sub-folders for ease of file storage and retrieval. No matter what approach you take, it’s important to make it easy to navigate through your documents. Make sure that your system is time-tested, so consider your plans when designing it.

You can build a file system in your favorite file-sharing tools such as Google Drive or Dropbox. You can bypass your desktop by downloading new documents to designated folders. You can rapidly locate the files using the search command to retrieve the file in seconds.

TIP #2 – DEVELOP FILE NAMING CONVENTION

A file naming convention is a structural framework for naming your files to describe their content and how it relates to other files. A good file naming convention helps you stay organized and makes it easier to identify and locate your files.

If it makes sense, you can use topic, date of creation, versions in your file names. Alternatively, keep to the basics of naming it with the title.

TIP #3 – MAKE YOUR DESKTOP ATTRACTIVE

Make your computer desktop fully functional by adding your favorite widgets to your taskbar. Additionally, enhance the appeal of your desktop by selecting a beautiful or meaningful background image. It needs to be enjoyable to look at, encouraging you to keep your computer tidy.

You can also use motivational background images with powerful messages to encourage you to stay focused.

TIP #4 – CONSOLIDATE YOUR MOST USED APPS/SOFTWARE

You can save a lot of time with fast access to your most-used apps and software. Firstly, determine which software you use daily. Then move to the software that you use periodically. Group them together for ease of access. Create shortcuts on the desktop for ease of retrieval. Organize them in alphabetical order to make searching faster.

Use the taskbar for the most used programs. It is an effective alternative to having program icons on your desktop and will cut down on the clutter on your desktop. Now your frequently used programs are accessible with just a few clicks.

TIP #5 – DELETE OR RELOCATE UNUSED FILES

After categorising your most-used apps, you also need to address unused apps. Uninstall programs that you no longer use or have no use for anymore. This saves you space and time to sift through all apps.

If you have apps that you would like to save for future use, create a folder for rarely used apps and files. Tuck them away until you figure out what you would like to do it. Name them “Miscellaneous” or “To Be Archived.” so that you will not accidentally uninstall or remove them.

Review these folders regularly. Determine which files and apps are no longer needed and remove or delete them to avoid clutter.

It can be hard to stay on top of regular review schedules. It is a great habit to set a reminder in your calendar, so you do not fall behind. That way, you can schedule a specific time to do your reviews. It can be monthly or weekly, depending on your preference.

TIP #6 – CATEGORIZE NEW CONTENT, APPS & PROGRAMS

It is easy to dump new files and programs onto your desktop when you are working on a task. This can lead to digital clutter that distracts you from your work. Eventually, you will suffer more productivity loss than if you were to keep the files and program in their intended location.

Spend time to organise and sort new apps and files to prevent them from accumulating. Prevent clutter by scheduling a weekly task to organise and place each file into folders.

TIP #7 – USE FENCES

Digital fences group files, shortcut icons, and running tasks in specific regions of your desktop to make them more visually accessible. This is a better method than burying all your files in one or two folders. It is also more user-friendly than gridded backgrounds.

For Mac users with Mojave, use the Stacks features to automatically categorise content by type or any other specific feature. It is a free feature within the operating system.

Likewise, you can also install a small program called Fences by Stardock. This program enables you to designate and move fences around the desktop for improved manoeuvrability. The program is available for a small fee.

TIP #8 – STAY CONSISTENT

It is easy to start a new file naming convention and organization standard but not go through it consistently. Consciously choose how you organize and keep your files. Make it into a habit and it will get easier over time.

DON’T LET CLUTTER GET OUT OF HAND

Decluttering a computer desktop is one of the best ways to improve productivity.

Once you have organised your desktop, it will speed up the task of finding programs and files. You will feel rejuvenated, your mood will improve dramatically, and you will be able to complete your task swiftly, allowing you to overcome any potential mental obstacles during the day.

Efficiently organizing your desktop with shortcuts and a carefully designed folder system can be time-consuming, but in the end, it will be well worth it. This task can be assigned to your IT provider. To achieve the best possible outcome, have a detailed conversation with your IT provider so that they can understand your needs and goals.

If you need assistance, give MicroChannel a call. We can schedule a 10 to 15-minute no-obligation chat to understand your situation and provide you with a workable solution to increase your office productivity.