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Spring is in the air, and while you might be thinking about dusting off your shelves and organizing your closet, the Office of Information Technology encourages all Ohio University faculty and staff to take a few minutes to clean up their digital and physical tech.
Just like physical clutter, digital clutter can slow you down and make it harder to find what you need. Those old laptops and devices gathering dust in the corner? They could use some attention too. Here are some quick and easy tips to help you spring clean your tech in just 5 minutes a day.
Please refer to Cleaning Up Digital Clutter and Unneeded Data Knowledge Base article for additional details and general best practices.
Day 1: Inbox zero
Start with your email. Spend five minutes deleting old emails, unsubscribing from newsletters you never read, and organizing important messages into folders. You'll be amazed at how much lighter you feel with a tidy inbox.
Day 2: Desktop detox
Take a look at your computer desktop. Is it covered in random files and shortcuts? Spend five minutes deleting or moving files to their proper locations. A clean desktop can help you find what you need more quickly.
Day 3: App audit
Check your phone or tablet for apps you no longer use. Spend five minutes deleting them. Not only will this free up storage space, but it will also make your device run more smoothly.
Day 4: Device donation and pickup
Got an old laptop, unused Cisco phone, or other technology lying around? Contact the Office of Information Technology by submitting a ticket to discuss removal of your old technology.
Day 5: Cloud cleanup
Finally, take a look at your cloud storage. Spend five minutes deleting old files and organizing the ones you need to keep. This will help you stay within your storage limits and make it easier to find important documents.
By dedicating just five minutes a day to these tasks, you'll have a cleaner, more efficient digital life in no time. The Office of Information Technology wishes you Happy Spring Cleaning.