10 Ways to Declutter your Digital Life in 2023

 

As someone who uses my various devices for both my personal and professional life, you can imagine the files, programs, emails, and notifications that can build up over time, even for a self-proclaimed "zero-out" person like me. 

In the same way that we feel the seasonal itch to declutter our homes, it's important to declutter our digital spaces as well; at least it is for me. When I take the time to clean out unnecessary files, documents, and programs and properly file what I do need, it becomes easier to focus, find what I need easily, and stay on task with that I have to do. 

And it frees up valuable space, improving overall performance (both my devices and my own.)

It can seem like a daunting task to declutter your computer and digital life, but now's the perfect time!  Here are 10 easy ways to get started:

1. Uninstall unnecessary programs and apps. More space = faster, improved performance. 

2. Organize your email with folders and subfolders. File or delete everything. The goal is no-scroll. To delete what's already there, group your emails by sender and bulk delete what you don't need. 

3. Clean out your downloads folder. Free up space by deleting what you don't need. Then, create a system for your downloads to go directly to your desktop.  Delete what you don't need at the end of each day. 

4. Clean up your desktop of unnecessary icons and files. Try out a desktop organization tool to help keep folders and files organized and prioritized according to your to-do list or goals. Canva has lovely options based on your own unique vibe or aesthetic goals. Similarly, remove icons from the task bar or dock that you're not using regularly.

5. Clean up your browser. Delete your cookies, cache and history, as well as any unused plug-ins and extensions. Create a bookmark system for the websites you need to access regularly.

6. Use cloud storage. Free up space on your devices with Google Drive or iCloud. If you're a Microsoft person, OneNote is a great tool for keeping your files in their own digital binder. This makes my Gen-X, Trapper-Keeper loving brain very happy. And, you can access your files from any device. 

7. Unsubscribe from emails and newsletters you no longer read. Scroll to the bottom for the unsubscribe link or use the tools built into your email operating systems to help you. You also can use an app like unroll.me or the leavemealone.app to manage your subscriptions.

8. Clean up your social media accounts and unfollow accounts that you no longer engage with or that no longer serve a purpose in your life. This will help declutter your feed and make it easier to see the accounts from friends, family, and organizations that matter most to you.

9. Delete screenshots you no longer need or move images from your device to an external hard drive. More space = faster, improved performance.  

10. This is not one and done. Set a goal to declutter monthly or quarterly. 

What are your best tips for decluttering your digital life? Share in the comments. 

I was a podcast guest!

Hello friends.

I am popping out of hibernation to share a wonderful experience I had recently. 

I was blessed to be featured on the She Hit Refresh podcast to share my own career refresh and my ideas on the wonderful opportunity that midlife brings. 

According to co-founder, Cepee, "She Hit Refresh is the only online community dedicated to helping women 30 years and older go from daydreaming about breaking free and starting a life of travel… to actually doing it!"

If you're over 30 and looking for your tribe, She Hit Refresh is a wonderful community to call home. 

I hope this holiday season finds you all happy and well. I'm excited to see what this new decade brings. 

What might your life look different in 10 years? What big dreams are simmering in your heart?

Consider giving this podcast a listen and see how you can turn up the burner on those dreams and make them happen. 

Happy holidays, friends! Much love to you in your corner of the world. 

Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Much to the dismay of my mother, I've always been the one in the family to test the limits on what she would consider normal, safe behavior. 

My answer to her why has always been why not?

Change is scary, but so is regret. 

Today, life is good, but many of the blessings in my life have resulted from risk and a willingness to try. And with risk comes fear. 

No one likes to feel vulnerable or get hurt when things don't work out the way we intended, but what's the alternative?

My opinion? Feel the fear, and do it anyway. 

You don't have to conquer the world today. Start small. 

Not ready to run a marathon? Download and follow a couch to 5k app. Imperfect action is better than perfect inaction. 

Not ready to sell everything and explore the world? Venture away for the weekend or explore your own capital city. 

Want to enlarge your social circle? Try a meetup group around something that interests you or start one of your own.  

Not ready to Konmari your house? Clean out your junk drawer. 

Want to feel like you're making a difference? Pay it forward in your coffee line, donate your tidied closet leftovers, volunteer an hour for a cause that means something to you.  

You don't have to do everything, but everyone can do something. 

Every day is a new opportunity. What lights your fire? Do that. 

Navigating Hypersensitivity When We Travel

I had lunch with a good friend over the weekend. She's the kind of friend with whom you can talk about everything and anything. We've been friends for nearly 20 years and have been through the good, the bad, and the ugliest of uglies. She gets me and I get her. 

Our hours of conversation spanned from family catch-ups to the future of education and employment, automation and the global economy to personal idiosyncrasies. 

When you're feeling awry, it's easy to feel like you're the only person in the world that feels that way. You start to wonder if it's normal to think or feel or react in a certain way. 

My friend has two little boys, very different from one another as siblings often are. Interestingly, we discovered that the older of the two, her 6 year old, is indeed, my "spirit animal."  I exhibit many of the same peculiarities in behavior and reaction to stimuli that her little guy does. We both are highly sensitive in areas that others never consider. 

As our conversation continued, we each found clarity as I was able to explain the why of some of her son's reactions and behaviors and I received validation as to why I may have similar reactions to various sensory-based stimuli. While our reactions may not be normal to others, to us, they're normal in how we navigate life. 

Travel can be challenging when you're sensitive. Exposure to poverty or the different cultural norms related to animals, for example, can be difficult for sensitive travelers to process. Sensitive travelers may internalize images, sounds, and smells on a deep enough level to create both a physical and emotional response that can last a lifetime.

For me, I enjoy traveling to places that push me outside my comfort zone, where I can talk to people and listen to their music, eat their food, and use their public transportation. I like living like a local and immersing myself in wherever I go because I appreciate travel as personal development and not only for tourist fun (though there is a time for that as well.)

When I'm feeling anxious, I know how to retreat and recharge; the same is true when I travel. When that happens, I often head outside, taking in the landscape and noticing the architecture that makes a place unique. I may decline certain activities in favor of quiet time one afternoon or explore independently on my own schedule, apart from others. 

If there are cultural differences that are outside my norm related to poverty, the environment, or the treatment of animals, for example, I know that I have the privilege to make choices based on my own circumstances and beliefs. Not everyone has the same level of privilege so I use mine to affect change in ways that make sense to me. 

Sensitive people learn how to navigate life with various strategies, like exposure and grounding. Traveling, even if you're sensitive, is worth it for me, every time. 

Are you a sensitive or highly sensitive person? What strategies do you employ for self care when traveling? 

Not sure if you are a HSP? Here's a quiz for self-assessment. 

Making Friends as an Adult

It can be difficult to maintain connections outside our inner circle as long work days turn into nights spent catching up on chores that never seem to get accomplished. Some of us have families, some of us are caring for aging parents, and some of us are just trying to keep our heads above water. 

While it's important to connect daily to those we cherish most, it's also important to connect to others outside the inner circle who share similar goals and challenges, similar circumstances or choices or similar interests and curiosities. 

I had the wonderful opportunity recently to connect to some like minded folks and it went so well, that we all expressed interest in doing it again next month. Sitting around the table, we are all different people joined by a common thread; and it's that common thread that rejuvenates us and allow us to connect with people who "get it." We shared stories and successes and brainstormed solutions to challenges we face. We all left feeling empowered and connected. 

Think about where you are in your own life, what you like to do, what you want to do. How can you network within those parameters to create connections and expand your social circle? 

Maybe there's a meetup group tailored to your interest? Maybe there's a book club you can join or start your own around topics geared toward your own interests and goals. Maybe you start a monthly coffee connection with people in your season of life or an accountability group to help you stay focused on and achieve your goals. Maybe there is a networking group to help you create professional connections or a group with those who share your faith tradition or your favorite sport or hobby.

It doesn't have to be strangers. Maybe there's someone with whom you've lost contact and with whom you would like to reconnect. Maybe you're the bridge to bring others together and potentially create lifelong friendships. 

It's hard to make friends when you're older, but building your circle of friends is worth the effort. Reach out. Build bridges. That human connection is a win-win.

Do you keep room in your life for new friends? How do you cultivate new friendships?

Decluttering and Moving Forward

Have you started to declutter? Marie Kondo has started a revolution of sorts, first with the book and now the Netflix series about tossing all that does not spark joy.

If you're into thrift shopping, now's the time for you, as Kondo devotees donate their spark-less belongings and clean up their personal clutter.

After Marie Kondo-ing my own clothes and junk drawers, I continued thinking about clutter, both physical and digital. 

I began cleaning up my social media feeds too, unfollowing pages and accounts with whom I really wasn't engaging. What I looked for online and what "sparked joy," I realized, were the people with whom I had made a connection, in real life or online. 

And that brings me here. 

I am so grateful for those I have met through this space. I am grateful for the opportunities that it has afforded me throughout the years. As a result of this space, I have made wonderful friends and shared transformative experiences, and it remains something that, indeed, sparks joy. 

And so it remains.

If you're new here, welcome! Later this week, let's sit for a cup of something and get reacquainted. 

My heart smiles today as I push publish on this post. I hope you'll come back for more. 

Earn 1000 Marriott Points with One Tweet

This weekend, I went to Chicago and attended Frequent Traveler University, a symposium of experts in the miles and points game. Workshops on everything from redemption programs to manufactured spending gave attendees tips and tricks to make everyday spending work for their practical and aspirational travel goals. 

One thing I didn't know was just how easy it is to accumulate points, both airline and hotel points when you're part of a loyalty program. For example, Marriott is running a promotion right now with the NFL called Extra Points Sunday. 

All you have to do is connect your Marriott account to your Twitter account before you play and reply to a question that's posted each week. 

Tweet your response with the hashtag #RewardsPoints and you will earn 1,000 points each week of the promotion. Questions are posted on Sundays and you have until 8:00 p.m. Eastern to answer. 

With points averaging about $.09/point, you're not going earn a free night, but every point counts. Earning $9 for a few minutes work is not bad at all. 

Happy tweeting!

I'm new to the miles and points game...any tips or tricks that worked for you? Please share in the comments. 

Sunday Inspiration #21

Before you can achieve your goal, you have to know your why. 

The clearer the vision, the more you will fight to make it happen. 

Groundhog Day and Days Worth Repeating

In the 1993 film Groundhog Day, Bill Murray's character, Phil Connors, finds himself in an endless time loop, repeating the same day over and over until he re-prioritizes his life and makes things right. 

All of us have days we wish we could do over again, and days we wish had never happened, but then there are days that are worth doing over and over because of the joy they brought and the smiles they bring today. 

In no particular order, here are some of the days I wish I could do over for the feelings they bring to mind. 

• My first day in London, emerging from the tube station in Trafalgar Square with a big sigh in wonder on my first solo travel experience. 

• The day I went kayaking and a manatee swam under my kayak.

• Our wedding day...all of it. 

• The day I finished my first 5K at 295 pounds and the day I finished my first 5 mile race at 165 pounds. 

• Our first day in Paris, looking out the window of our hotel room and seeing the Eiffel Tower...cliche, I know, but so, so fun. 
• The night I danced salsa, merengue, and bachata all night and knew what I was doing. 
• Just because days with my niece. 

• Sunday coffee dates with the Señor. 
• Drive to no where like this. 

Those are some of the days I would love to relive. What are some favorite days?

SaveSave

Merry Everything!

We made it! 

Some of us are neck-deep in gift-wrapping, baking, and planning last minute runs to the supermarket and mall.

Others are done with holiday preparations and are eagerly anticipating and celebrating the arrival of faraway family and friends who have returned for the festivities.

And others are wishing the next few days away.

People arrive here from many different paths; some are marked by joy and Norman Rockwellian images of love and belonging, and others are haunted by the ghosts of holidays past, scarred by pain and trauma.

Regardless of how you spend your holidays, enjoy them on your terms. 

Peace, strength, and love to those who struggle with this time of the year. 

Joy and merriment to us all. 

I am grateful for...

Things I'm grateful for this year

• my husband and our marriage
• family, rooted in love
• our sweet Gracie-girl
• fabulous friends and partners-in-crime
• a healthy body and mind
• big dreams in motion
• a job that I love; one that is aligned with our goals
• road trips and coffee dates
• my passport stamps and a welcoming world that is ready to explore
• peace that comes with time and healing
• access to information and the freedom and make choices
• this space online, the visitors who have stopped by, and the friends I have made because of it
• the kindness of strangers
• people who are willing to fight for human rights
• clean water, healthy food choices, and access to health care
• the women who fought for my right to vote
• our U.S. National Parks

And mostly...

• having what we need and most of what we want and loved ones with whom we can share our lives.

What are you thankful for this year?

Preparing the Littles for Kindergarten: A Teacher's Perspective

Walk through any big box store and, already, you can see the Back to School banners, and like every new school year, some parents of five year olds are anxious and unsure whether they are ready to send their children into the unknown world of academic kindergarten. 

I am not a parent, but I am an auntie, and I am a teacher in an elementary school, working with students in kindergarten through grade four. Kindergarten is not the developmental kindergarten of years passed; academic kindergarten has significant cognitive demands and high expectations of social and emotional behavior. 

Whether you agree or disagree with the trajectory of American education, the reality is that this is the climate of kindergartens in the United States, and in schools and districts marked by poverty, the rigidity of curriculum is inescapable. 

Every year, parents, in genuinely wanting what is best for their children, ask what they can do to prepare their kids for school success. 

In my opinion, the best way to prepare children for the demands of an academic, standards-based kindergarten is through engagement. 

Here are some ideas to help. 

1. Engagement in literacy and numeracy. 

• Read to your child and model reading with your child...let them see you as a reader and the value you give to reading. Children can "read" the pictures, even if they can't read the words...and no, they do not have to come to kindergarten reading...but, they have to leave kindergarten reading. 
• Can your child identify upper and lowercase letters and sounds? Can he or she identify the numbers one through ten? 
• Vocabulary development is critical to literacy. Call objects by their names. Add descriptors related to size and color and degrees of comparison. 
• Play with synonyms and antonyms and shades of meaning. Provide other ways of saying words. For example, explore shades of color and other ways to express various actions and emotions. Play with opposites and precision of language in self expression. 
• Count forwards and backwards and skip count (by 10s, for example) and begin the concepts of adding and subtracting. 
• Notice patterns and comparisons (for example, bigger or smaller, faster or slower) and make predictions based on those patterns.  

2.  Engagement in conversation and social skills. 

• Meal time and drive time is the perfect time for conversation. Ask open-ended questions, like how, why, or why do you think that. Ask them to explain something to you and ask you questions. 
• Talk about reading. Ask them to retell stories and make predictions. 
• Allow them to make choices and encourage them to explain themselves. 
• Allow them to play with others, unplugged and try to stay out of conflict as much as possible, allowing them to find resolution through words and logical consequences.

3. Engagement with their community. 

• Visit the local library and take advantage or story and craft time. 
• Use museum passes to local museums. 
• Expose kids to experiences and build their cultural literacy. 
• Travel as much as you can. Be a tourist in your own local community, city, state capital or region. 

4. Engagement with nature. 

• Allow children to play outside, unplugged from technology and media. 
• Let them get dirty and use their imaginations.  
• Ride bikes, climb mountains, splash in puddles, grow gardens (and cook together), play in snow, and in wind, and at the beach. Learn to swim. 
• Visit local farms or farmers' markets and teach them the connection between farms and food. 
• Teach kids how to respect the natural world and plant seeds of stewardship. Recycle and clean up litter. 
• Learn how to approach animals safely and treat animals with respect and kindness. 

5.  Engage with themselves. 

• Allow kids quiet play, read-to-self time, and time to entertain themselves with imaginative play. 

The reality is that parents are their children's first teachers. The experiences children have with their parents and siblings set the foundation for their future learning. It's not all or nothing. Do what you can and we'll take care of the rest. 

Enjoy the rest of your summer. 

After I Do: Lessons Learned while Wedding Planning

The Señor and I had a six month engagement. We were engaged in Paris, at the cafe above, in November of 2011, and married in May of 2012. Serendipitously, our wedding date was on our five year anniversary. 

I considered myself to be a fairly laid-back bride in the midst of bridezilla culture, and that helped. Like Carrie Bradshaw, I seemed to be missing the bride gene, but it worked to my advantage because everything about it was lovely, even the planning. 

We had a perfect day. 

Here's why. 

Trust the professionals. 
We had some ideas about what we wanted, but in truth, we wanted simple. We wanted a day that reflected our life together and the dreams we had for our future. We didn't want to overspend and a tight budget and a vision for our married life, beyond our wedding day, kept everything in check.

I remember my meeting with the florist, who pulled out multiple books of arrangements and hundreds of possibilities for our bouquets and centerpieces. Overwhelmed with options, I pleaded with her. 

"Just make it pretty," I said, and she did. 

We hire professionals for their expertise. Having handled hundreds, or even thousands of events, these experts, with a little guidance from us, will deliver quality; otherwise we would't have hired them. Trust the professionals to do what they do best and treat them how you would like to be treated. Kindness counts.  

Make it personal. 
One of the most important, and most fun things about our wedding was personalizing it to reflect who we were as individuals and as a couple. Think about what makes you uniquely you and celebrate that. It really is about you, and you're surrounded by people who you love and who love you. Your guests will enjoy learning more about who you are as a couple. Have fun with this. 

Keep your routines. 
In the weeks before the wedding, it's important to keep the routines that bring you peace and peace of mind. Keep your workout schedule, eat well, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep. Make time for date night and enjoy the milestones that accompany this time in your life. 

Seriously...don't sweat the small stuff. 
You plan for months, but it goes by so quickly...just like everyone says. You wear the dress for a few hours, your first dance slips away in what seems like only a few precious moments; the entire day flashes by in an instant. In the weeks leading up to the wedding, people may say or do strange things; shake it off. Last minute changes and meltdowns within your inner circle can be frustrating, but keep sight of the big picture and who you want to see in that big picture long after thank you cards are sent. 

On your wedding day, spend time with each other. 
There are a lot of people to see and photos to take, and the day passes in what seems like a blink of an eye. Before the wedding, agree and commit to what time you will spend together at your event. Consider a sweetheart table and eat the meal that you meticulously planned. Dance with each other, beyond your first dance. Create memories outside of the blur that is a typical wedding day. 

What is the most important lesson you learned in planning a major life event, like a wedding? What advice would you offer someone?

Dream Big: 2016 is Yours!

Like a hamster in a wheel, many of us travel through our days with the same schedule, broken up only by the errands of our weekends and the minute-by-minute activities of our limited vacation time. 

We do the best we can with what we have, but our batteries wear down. 

In the details of our day to day responsibilities, we begin to lose sight of our dreams; we nostalgically remember what once made us smile, and at those crazy times, it all seems like worlds away. 

So what do we do? How do we get it back? How do we recharge our batteries when it seems like all of our chargers are plugged in somewhere else? 

We re-group and we visualize. You can't manifest what you can't see. 

It's time for an arts and crafts project. 

Some rainy Sunday or maybe a quiet Tuesday night, clear off the kitchen table and channel your inner kindergartner, or, if you'd rather, set up a presentation on Canva and get going. 

It's time to make yourself a vision board.

If you're going old school for this project, you need a big piece of paper. Poster board works well. You also need scissors and a glue stick. 

Scour your house for magazines. If you don't have magazines, you can ask your friends for theirs or you can ask the local doctor's or dentist's office. If you have access to a printer, you can also print images. 

Using Canva? You can use a Google image search or scour through your own photos for ideas. 

What makes you smile? 

What do you want more of in your life? 

Where do you want to go? 

What do you want to do? 

• Want to travel to Paris? Find yourself an Eiffel Tower (or some other Parisian icon).
• Want to run a half marathon or get to a certain level of fitness? Find a picture of a runner with a physique that is appealing to you. 
• Want a new car? Find your car of choice and paste it on the board.
• Want to try paddle boarding or crossfit? Add that too.
• Planning an early retirement? Think about what that looks like from a day to day perspective and add those images.  
• Want to learn how to cook some fabulous new dishes from a certain cuisine or diet? 

You get the idea.

Arrange your images in any way you want. You can organize them by theme or in any way the spirit moves you. 

You can also add words and phrases. 

This is your board. 

Your vision. 

Anything goes. 

Now, find a place to put your vision board. It should be someplace where you can see it everyday. It should be in a place where you can ask the universe to deliver all that your heart desires.

And it should be in a place to give you the motivation to seek all that your heart desires. 

Did you make your board on Canva? Make this image be your desktop background. 

Look at it every day. 

Don't leave it all up to the universe; give her a little help.

Try to update your vision board at least once a year. Keep those images of what still makes your heart pitter patter, and remove those images of dreams you may have outgrown.

Will creating a vision board rescue you from all of life's stress?

Probably not.

But can it recharge your batteries and give you what you need to get through another week? Another month? Another year?

Maybe.

Especially if those images start to become a reality.

What do you have to lose?

Happy dreaming!

Do you make vision or dream boards? If you're comfortable sharing, what's the focus of 2016 for you?

Updated from the archives...the original post appeared January 3, 2013. As I scour magazines for my 2016 board, I am reminded of the importance of recharging the vision. Cheers!