Digital Organization
Aesthetics are important to all of us, although in different ways. Some of us are particular about our living space, some of us need a perfectly organized workspace, some people like fashion, while other are all about artwork. The way we express ourselves are traits that are unique to our personalities, and this carries over into our digital space as well. Many of us keep well organized desktops and some of us need to change the way we save and archive files. Disorganization on your computer can cause headaches, delays, and countless problems.
How it Happens
Digital disorganization does not happen overnight. Almost everyone has some sort of folder system on their computer desktop that helps them stay organized. The issue typically develops when we are in a hurry or just need to put a file somewhere that is easily found. Often, we put said file on our desktop so we can email it or upload it to its end location. Organizational disfunction begins when we get busy and forget to delete the file or put it away properly. Suddenly one random file on your desktop becomes twenty and your computer screen is a hot mess.
A second way that we corrupt our own organizational system is when we start to download files. Many of us download items multiple times without even knowing it. We download a file and can’t find it, so we just do it again. Sooner or later we all end up with dozens of repeat documents that we do not even need. This can lead to us confusing ourselves because we do not know which copy we have worked on and which one way have altered.
Prevention
The most surefire way to ensure your computer stays need and organized is to take the time to organize whenever we create or download a new file. This idea is a great concept but eventually we will make a mistake or get busy and not bother to take the time to do it. When this happens, we must rely on our diligence to go back and correct the problem. If you know you got busy spend some time at the end of the day to make sure you clean up your computer just like you would clean up a kitchen after cleaning. This needs to be part of your daily routine and is important for long term organization. Build it into your planned day. This way you know that your job is not truly done to your digital paperwork is in order as well.
Hoarders
People hoard data and files on their computer and most of the time they do not even realize they are doing it. An old game, emails, and documents from a decade ago, and unnecessary receipts litter most people’s hard drives. These files can take up large amounts of storage space and can sometimes limit the capabilities of your machine. Purging old files is a chore and does take time but it also is not something that has to be done daily. This can be done monthly or even quarterly based on personal preference. For those of us who want to ensure we keep every digital file possible consider external storage. An external drive is a great way to archive unused data without using up memory. You can get a hard drive, transfer data, and store it in a closet, well labeled of course, until you need the information of it. This will ensure your computer is not overwhelmed with too much information.
Corporate Drives
When it comes down to it, it really does not matter how organized your computer desktop is. If you can find what you need odds are you can get by. However, if you find yourself constantly looking for files and getting frustrated it might be time for a change or some digital clean up. Computer home screens are unique for each person, and it is important that we do not judge someone else’s way, but it is equally important that we are courtesy to others. Many of us have companies that work on share drives. These are digital desktops that store information that can accessed from multiple terminals throughout the organization. They are a great tool to get files distributed for many to people to view and work on. If you work with a shared drive, remember not to mislabel files, or store unnecessary information on them. This can cause confusion and filling up the memory capacity of these shared drives is unnecessary. Do not be that person who causes a nationwide delay due to bad file management.
Computers are the future, and they continue to evolve. We must consider how they work and how they can be the best tool for us. If we keep them running efficiently and if we keep them organized, they will not let us down. That being said, as we end the year spend a few extra minutes at the office to ensure your digital workspace is as ready as your physical workspace for the year to come.