Let's face it - no matter what type of work you do, you probably spend a good deal of time on a computer. Whether you are browsing job boards, checking email or networking on Facebook, your computer has probably become a very important part of your daily life. With the new year in full swing, and all of the resolutions that comes with it, why not make some tech resolutions that could help you be more productive this year?
For me, keeping things organized is always a challenge. That's why I've decided that it's time to make some resolutions that I have a good chance of sticking with.
If you are in a similar situation and having trouble digging out your inbox, here are 6 technology resolutions that can help:
Backup your data - I know, I know. We all should be better at backing up our data so that when we change computers or our hard drive fails, we can move forward without losing everything. The thing is, I haven't always been very good about actually doing it. I keep saying that I will, and honestly, I have the best of intentions. Still, I don't. Until now, the problem was that I just didn't know where to back up my data to. Now, there are many cloud based services, like Amazon Web Services that will allow you to store your backups online, so that they are there whenever you need them. Decide what schedule suits you best and stick to it. I think once a month is sufficient for most of us.
Get rid of cord clutter - This is a big one. With all the electronic equipment I have, the cord clutter gets out of control.This year, make a resolution to keep cords neat and store unused cords in one place, wrapped neatly. It can also help to put a sticker on each cord that says what device the cord goes to. This way finding the charging cord to your camera or other device will be easy.
Clean up the apps you don't need - My iPhone is filled with lots of apps that I don't really need and rarely ever use. Why not just get rid of them and download them again when I need them. Of course, this works best when they are free apps, but with the iCloud, you can download apps you previously purchased with ease. Also, my Firefox and Chrome browsers have tons of add-ons and extensions that slow things down. Most of them I don't even use. This year, I plan to stop cluttering thing up with stuff I don't need.
Return your Netflix movies, or just cancel the service - I always have trouble remembering to mail in my Netflix movies. By the time I get around to it, I have to spend hours looking for the movie and the sleeve it goes in. This year, I plan to cancel the DVD by mail service in order to avoid the problem. If I don't watch and return them right away, then I must not need the service that badly.
Adjust your Facebook privacy settings - Facebook has recently changed their privacy settings again, making it even harder to keep track of them. This year, I plan to spend some time going over my privacy settings on all of my social networking accounts just to make sure that they are all set the way I want them. If you haven't looked at Facebook's privacy settings, you'll be surprised to see that a lot has changed. You can make your experience better, protect your privacy and be more productive just by taking the time to play with the settings.
Clean out the inbox - I don't know about you, but my email inbox is a nightmare. I have so many messages from companies I shop with that it has become overwhelming. I wanted to receive updates and special offers from these companies, but I didn't think that they meant three or four times a day. It has gotten to the point where I frequently miss emails because they are lost in the shuffle. This year, I plan to just archive everything in my gmail account and start fresh. If you haven't used Gmail before, take a look at it. One of the great things they offer is a priority inbox that helps keep personal email messages on top and weeds out the commercial ones, without sending them to a separate spam folder.
What other tech resolutions do you think would help you be more productive? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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