12 Tips for Digital Minimalism: Mac & iPhone
Why is minimalism beneficial? Most of us have heard the hype around decluttering our workspace, but yet to get there. If this rings true for you, here are our reasons we think digital minimalism is worth the time.
A clean desktop/phone screen will:
- Focus your attention on the right things.
- Simplify navigation through the digital space.
- Reduce stress and save time.
- Motivate efficient work.
Placing things in order on your iPhone, iPad or MacBook is essential. We spend every day in digital space and if it’s cluttered and messy, our mind will feel the same. Information overload never helps, so it’s time to cut the chaos!
So, where to start? Try this to-do list to achieve efficiency anytime, anywhere!
#1 — Clean your desktop/main screen
You launch your phone or laptop, and your serene background image is buried in a mass of icons. The abundance of shortcuts looks overloaded. It’s much more pleasant to start your day from scratch.
Limit shortcuts to the apps used on a daily basis, plus one or two relevant to your current tasks. Once not needed, move them to a folder, such as ‘Documents’.
#2 — Organise files in folders
Organising documents is a topic in itself and worth a refresh every so often. Here are some minimal approaches to sorting:
- Structure your folders alphabetically
- Distinguish by date
- Create folders by topics/projects.
Saving time to find a document is crucial. Try journeying through a project folder, to a topic folder and date folder to arrive at the file you need. Here is an example of how we do this at Collabio when adding a new guide for our upcoming feature:
Collabio Spaces app >> App content >> Quick start guides 2021 >> Collaboration guide.
#3 — Backup regularly
Modern technology is reliable, yet we need to ensure our documents’ safety, as anything may happen. Glitches, program errors, hardware disasters… there are plenty of risks to plan for!
- An external drive is a great way to keep copies of documents and multimedia files. Size varies from a small USB drive to a 1Tb SSD drive. This option is safe but requires you to carry additional devices.
- With a good Internet connection, cloud storage keeps everything online. It is great for quick access anytime but is not a solution for storing confidential information.
#4 — Keep photos and other multimedia elsewhere
Unfortunately, the memory of our iPhone and MacBook is limited. The more multimedia we collect, the slower the device works. You will eventually receive notifications about the lack of free disk space. To avoid this problem, keep your images, videos and music together with your files on an external drive.
We don’t recommend using cloud storage, as you will be asked to supply vast amounts of information first. When you want to access a photo, you will end up having to download all the data once again. It’s not a good idea for those who use mobile networks rather than WiFi.
#5 — Kill duplicate files
Yes, you really are seeing double! Duplicates on the iPhone or Macbook drive us all crazy, especially when you know you’ve already deleted the original! Adding to that, duplicates consume disk space, thus slowing down your device.
You can find them manually or search for specific software to kill excess copies in a couple of taps/clicks.
#6 — Archive unnecessary files
In any project, old, redundant documents accumulate. Don’t delete; you never know when you might need them again.
Better archive them in separate folders and keep everything on the external drive or in the cloud (if there’s no confidential data). For example, the author of this article commonly keeps old files in the ‘Archive’ folder, located within the entire project folder.
#7 — Reduce the number of apps
Not so long ago, we discussed the importance of reducing the number of apps we use daily. Overload at work is caused not only by the amount and difficulty of tasks but also by switching between 10+ applications!
Choose a maximum of five apps, using all-in-one software as your main tool. Turn social and entertainment app notifications off to enjoy focused work, without distraction!
An office multi-tool is more efficient, requires less application and saves you money: You pay for one, not five!
#8 — Systematise apps
Treat apps as files. Have too many of them and expect to spend more time searching for what you need. Select several main apps you use every day and keep them in Launchpad on your Mac or the home screen of your iPhone/iPad.
All the other apps can be placed into a folder called ‘Extra’ or ‘Others’. The author of this article commonly keeps such things in the folder called ‘Misc’, standing for ‘miscellaneous’.
#9 — Remove unused apps from the dock
This tip is similar to the previous one. A clean dock narrows focus on what you really need.
If you don’t use the Notes app but use a text editor for keeping your memos, why not remove it? All in all, you will still have access to it via Launchpad! This was just an example, we’re not against Notes app! :) On the contrary, we love note-taking both digitally and on paper.
#10 — Turn off unnecessary notifications
Notifications come in streams and flood your digital space. These messages might be fun, but they litter your thinking. Do you need the latest headlines or gossip while you are working? No, no, no!
Turn everything off and only accept notifications from your calendar and email — they remind you of the essentials. All the rest you better check yourself in the evening. We can’t give you any advice on messengers, however, we would choose to deactivate their notifications as well. No distraction means a boost in productivity!
#11 — Check for software updates
Don’t forget to update iOS, macOS and every app you use regularly. This will help your device work at speed and protect against any potential bugs.
We at Collabio Spaces, know about the possibility of encountering bugs, as we are constantly updating our app, considering the needs of Apple users. By the way, we’ll release the next update in May, so stay tuned! We’re preparing something more exciting than bug fixes! ;)
#12 — Enjoy the efficiency of your ‘minimalised’ devices!
Follow all 11 tips, organise neatly and accurately and you’ll have no choice but to enjoy the efficiency of your iPhone, iPad or MacBook!
Just don’t forget to return things to order from time to time, as even the cleanest desktop can clutter up quickly.
We hope that Collabio Spaces’ tips help improve your workflow. Still not sure whether to keep, archive or delete a document or app? Ask yourself the following questions:
- Is this an important piece?
- Have I used it for the last couple of months?
- Will I need this one in the next month or two?
If you see that a file or app may help you or you truly like it, feel free to keep it. If you may need it someday later, archive it! If not, delete it with no regrets! Keep it simple! ;)
