For starters, take advantage of a service like Dropbox, a file storage service that lets you save files in the cloud and have access across various devices, versus on your desktop. Cloud applications like Dropbox or Google Docs also allow you to take advantage of version control, which means that only the most up-to-date version of the document is saved, and you can go back and see earlier versions if you need to access or restore them.
And for all those photos, Stickies, and randomly saved text files cluttering up your screen? Use a note-taking program like Evernote (for Mac) or ResophNotes (for Windows), which allows you to take, save, and organize your notes in one place, then access them on any one of your devices. (View Highlight)
Tidy Up Your Browser
When left to my own devices, I will open a dozen windows and hundreds of tabs on Firefox, browsing away until I’ve crashed the program.
My new saving grace is a plugin that limits the number of tabs I can have open on my browser at any given time. Now, there’s a lot less my brain has to process at one time—and closing out 10 tabs instead of 40 makes for a much less frustrating end of my day.
It’s also much easier to use fewer tabs if you install a cloud bookmarking system. You can save anything you want by clicking a button on your browser, then read it later on another computer or your phone or tablet. My favorite service is Pocket, but there are plenty of others, like Instapaper and Readability.
The key to living without digital clutter is figuring out how to effectively process the digital information you’re confronted with on a daily basis, and these are all great first steps. But there’s something even more important: knowing when to turn it all off.
The light waves emitted by your screens can block melatonin secretion from your brain, resulting in less (or less deep) sleep. “Poor sleep contributes largely to ongoing high levels of stress and anxiety,” says Dr. Biali. “So my top tip would be to unplug completely from anything digital in the evening.” (View Highlight)