A new year offers new opportunities. After the busy month of December and a short break, you will soon start a new calendar year. The perfect time to clean up. Because as an entrepreneur it is important to create order. Even in digital chaos. Because on a tidy computer you work a lot better and smarter. So clean up your computer. How? We give you 5 tips that you can get started with right away.
Tip 1: Clean up your desktop.
Chances are your desk looked tidy and neat before the holidays. From now on, take your desktop with you when you clean up. Think of your desktop as a physical desk and leave it just as tidy. On your desktop, you often collect all kinds of different screenshots, downloads and random documents without noticing. Archive everything in the right folder. And throw files that you no longer need in the digital trash can. That gives you overview and peace. Great. From now on, you can start every day with a tidy workplace . And while you’re at it: don’t forget the downloads folder.
Tip 2: Create a folder structure and organize your files.
In a tidy house, things have a fixed place. This works the same for your computer. Start with a good foundation by creating a clear folder structure. Create main folders for different subjects, such as ‘Clients’, ‘Projects’ and ‘Administration’. Within each main folder, create subfolders to further organize files. Keep it simple and easy and avoid a chaotic structure. Use the following rule of thumb for this; a maximum of 10 main folders and a maximum of 10 subfolders per main folder.
Tip 3: Give files clear names.
Everyone has their own way of creating file names. That’s not a bad thing, but it can be inconvenient if you work in the same folders with colleagues. Therefore, set up a few rules to ensure that everyone can easily find files. For example, always add the date to file names, such as day/month/year. That will save you a lot of searching. And do you come across a lot of outdated versions (recognizable by .def_v2_M_v3)? Read tip 4 for that.
Tip 4: Clean up your files.
A tidy computer also means saying goodbye to old files. Do you come across duplicate files? Get rid of them. Files that you haven’t used in years? In the trash. This way you keep all your folders organized. And you only keep the files that you really need. Do you find it difficult to say goodbye? Then create a separate archive folder and put everything that you no longer use in it. Agree with yourself that you will delete these files after a certain period of time, for example 1 month. Say goodbye to digital clutter. Also works well for your e-mail .
Tip 5: Hire a digital cleaner.
‘Hey Siri, clean up my computer.’ Unfortunately, Siri or ChatGPT cannot yet be used as a digital household helper. But there are plenty of other useful tools and software available to help you organize your computer. Think of apps to automatically organize files, make backups and find and delete duplicate files. Discover which tools suit you and your company best. You don’t have to do everything manually. This way you can start the new year with a tidy computer and a tidy mind.
