Remove Clutter from Your Day

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When growing a business, you need to streamline everything from your automated systems to the amount of information you receive from outside sources. When our inbox, news feed, notifications, smartphone, tablet, and computer are littered with unnecessary information and out-of-date apps or programs, it is time to purge.

Do you really need the distractions and time suckers?

Delete those apps you no longer use. They are taking up space in your memory and your mind. By seeing them all the time when you no longer use them, they turn into the same thing as Spam - nothing but garbage. Clean it all up, make it easier to navigate and put them in an order that saves time and energy. If you find you need it later, you can always download it again. 

Did you sign up for a free webinar or challenge? Are you actually going to participate?

Be honest with yourself. We all have great intentions of following through, but if your time is already stretched to the max, it will likely just sit in your inbox. Unsubscribe, delete it and move on. Our inboxes are littered with good intentions and money saving ideas. How many of them do you use? Yes, you planned to do it, but something came up - it is OK. Leaving it sit there, staring at you every time you open your email won't motivate you to open it. If anything, it sits there as a quiet reminder of how you failed to follow through. Move on. Time is a hot commodity, save it for the things that matter and thoughts are no different.

Are the notifications really needed?

Do you really need an alert every time your neighbor posts a picture of their meal? Not likely. Turn off notifications for anything that isn't necessary for your own safety or the safety of your loved ones. You check your social media and email plenty on your own. Do you really need the notification to remind you? Not likely. By turning off the notifications, you are sending a message to your subconscious that those things aren't as important. 

Your nose is buried in screen time enough without the alerts. Make those right in front of you or the task you are working on your focus at the time. Setting these clear boundaries helps increase productivity - there are fewer distractions. Decreasing notifications will help increase your attention to detail, making it easier to complete tasks and meet deadlines.

Wanna get all your ducks in a row?

Do you need all those coupons and sale updates?

It is great to download a coupon on your way to the store or in preparation for a back-to-school shopping trip. How often do you plan to shop? I highly doubt a daily coupon is needed for your favorite store. Adjust your account settings to stop receiving the daily sale updates. Get the information when you need it. No need to overload your inbox with a daily coupon. You can spend more time deleting the emails you don't want than on the important ones. Yes, unsubscribing can be a time suck, but do it once and you're done. Stay on the mailing list and you will spend more time deleting the emails in the long run.

Do you really need the emails to pop up on your desktop?

You can manage the way you receive notifications on your computer. Unless you're working on a hot project and waiting for a last minute file by email, it is unlikely you need to have a pop-up with the first few lines of an email throughout your day. Shut it off. How can you focus on the project you're trying to complete with the constant interruptions. In an office, you are more than likely already interrupted enough by phone calls and the pop-ins from co-workers. Manage the interruptions as much as possible where and when you can. Stay in control of your time.

Control the chaos

I know it is easy to think all of these notifications, emails and free training are vital to your success but are they really vital? Could they be a hindrance instead? You have the best of intentions, but truly look at whether something is a benefit or not. Streamlining and improving the way you receive information, and the amount of information, will lead to a more productive day.

Heather Nitch

Virtual Assistant & Founder of Do It The Write Way

Do It The Write Way offers flexibility, reliability, and the Virtual Assistant and Business Management Services your business needs when you need them.

Originally appeared at https://www.heatherdnitch.com

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