Now's The Time To Take A Digital Detox

Especially while at home for longer periods of time, we all get the itch to clean out! We clear out closets, fridges, and even our cars. But it’s also a great time to clean up and organize our digital lives. Here are seven ways to start the new season with more memory and less scrolling. Try a digital detox!

Your Digital Detox: Resume and LinkedIn

While you might be comfy at your current job, having an updated resume is always a good idea. Resumes aren’t just for interviews- they are used for awards, scholarships, and to apply for volunteer activities, like being a member of a board.

When was the last time you updated your LinkedIn profile? Research shows that recruiters and businesses looking to hire are constantly searching for new talent using LinkedIn. Make sure you keep your profile up to date- a current photo (looking professional- not at a wedding!), recent certifications, classes you’ve attended and volunteer activities are all good tidbits to have on your profile. Extra bonus items that will get you more attention like professional writing samples and blog posts, a PDF of your resume, and professional connections need to be updated as well. Feel like a co-worker really rocked out a big project? Write them a review- it helps both of you.

Phone Apps

How many apps do you have on your phone? How many do you actually use? Scroll through and see what is taking up valuable real estate on your screen and delete ‘em. This digital detox will leave you feeling squeaky clean, fresh, and free.

Photos

Your phone has told you three times this week that you’re almost out of memory. You have 900 adorable photos of your niece on your phone. And your cat. And the sunrise this morning. Don’t forget the dinner you cooked last week. As well as that vacation to Key West in November. Get the picture? Unclog your phone by backing up your photos and deleting them from your phone. A photo service like smugmug lets you upload images directly from your phone or computer into easy to use folders. You can even password protect the folders, and order prints or other gift items directly from their site. With so many good apps out there for saving your photos, you have no excuse- get ‘em off your phone!

Delete the board you made for your sister’s bachelorette party three years ago. Get rid of those Pinterest fail recipes (it’s ok, we’ve all experienced it). Check your “I Want This!” board and delete anything you’re no longer interested in acquiring. Glance over your style boards and purge the pins that no longer speak to you. When you have less pins to scroll through, it will be easier to find what you’re looking for.

Social Media. Enough said, right? Ask yourself this question- how do you want to use your Facebook? How far are you willing to extend your “friend” circle? Family, extended family, old coworkers, business contacts, blog readers, acquaintances? Do yourself a solid favor and create guidelines regarding who gets to be apart of your your Facebook circle.

The next part can be tricky. Want to stay friends with someone you went to middle school with, but don’t want to see their daily dog updates? Simply go to their page and “unfollow” them. Have a crazy ex-coworker that you just “can’t even” with anymore? Unfriend, unfriend, and unfriend. Then move to your “liked” pages. What pages did you like for a contest or friend that you have zero interest in? Get rid of it. Your Facebook feed will thank you. With a clearer and more focused feed, you’ll spend less time grumbling and more time with your eyes on things you enjoy seeing.

While Facebook can be the most overwhelming social media to edit down, it’s also a good idea to go through your Instagram, Twitter and other social media feeds to make sure you’re only following those who interest you.

MK Battles

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Mary Kate (MK) Battles is a full-time photographer in the Washington, DC area. She enjoys photographing a wide array of people, cultures, and events for her clients. She lives in Frederick, Maryland with her husband, son and rescue dogs.