Your Diwali Cleaning Guide 2021

Today, technology has simplified our lives in ways we could never imagine. From ordering food home to binging on tv shows online, from posting images on social media to sharing family moments over video calls, everything happens at the touch of a screen. Technology has integrated with our lives seamlessly and we are definitely reaping the benefits of it.

However, this has also brought us tons of unread messages, overflowing email inboxes, a lot of sheets to manage, device storage filled with memes, unorganized files, and overall, a lot of digital mess.

As you start cleaning your homes this festive season, make digital cleaning a part of your plan too. Use our Diwali Cleaning Guide to get sorted with all your digital mess.

Here are the 4 things that you must do:

1. Clean your Inbox

 

Even though email clients today segregate emails into different categories, we are sure your inbox is still cluttered with spam and hundreds of newsletters – some you never even signed up for. You will also have some unread emails that you have been putting off replying too for a long time.

Take some time out from your busy schedule, sit down, and focus on clearing up your inbox. This way, you will have a clean slate once you are back to work after Diwali.

You could use an app like Cleanfox, which lets you clean up everything in an easy way. You can choose what to keep (swipe up), what to delete (swipe left) and what to delete and unsubscribe from (swipe right). It’s just like sweeping, just more intuitive.

2. Clean your device storage

 

Nowadays, manufacturers are making devices with an increasing amount of internal storage. This means that there is more space available that can get filled up with junk. Unless you clean it, your devices are going to run out of space soon. It is time you start clearing stuff that resides on your gadgets.

Back-up all messages, images, videos and documents to the cloud to keep them safe and delete them from your device to clear storage space.

You can also use software like Clean Master or Ccleaner to clear the cached files, temporary files, and unused apps. This will improve your device’s performance by optimizing device memory, cleaning the non-essentials and making space for things you need.

3. Delete the memes

 

This might seem as a scandalous suggestion, but “what must be done must be done, whatever the price, the cost, the pain.”

The number of memes and good morning messages that we download on our devices every day far outnumber the number of calculations that rocket scientists do.

Though it might seem like a difficult thing to do, think of it this way: deleting old memes will make space for great new memes. If you use Google Files, it has been optimised to spot memes and give you the option to delete them.

Also, a better place to save your memes is using the save option on your Instagram and Facebook. If you can use that, you will not have to delete your memes next year.

4. Clear your mind

 

Apart from decluttering your devices, there is one more thing that is very important.
When you work in high-pressure environments that today’s jobs and colleges come with, you need a well-deserved break. Use this Diwali break to take a break from all your work. Forget all your work matters for a few days. Clear up your mind. Relax, rejuvenate and refresh yourself for the year ahead.

Use apps like Sanvello, Calm or Headspace to relieve your stress and anxiety. It bundles the right tools to relieve you to help you feel better.

You could also take a digital detox by completely disconnecting from your gadgets. Since you are working on them throughout the year, you can decide to refrain from using electronic devices to reduce stress and focus on getting some quality “me-time” for yourself.

Once all your cleaning is done, you can start the next year with some great new habits:

1. Start Learning

 

It is important to keep learning new things. When you stop learning, you stop growing. Devote some time to doing courses that help you upskill yourself. It can be anything you are passionate about. Just make sure that you invest in upgrading your knowledge because investment in learning is the best investment.

2. Take care of your digital well-being

 

As our relationship with our devices has grown, the research evidence has mounted: Excessive media use is not good for us physically, mentally, or emotionally. The good news is that taking a screen break is a powerful way to improve our well-being.
If your profession requires you to sit in front of the laptop for 8 to 9 hours at a stretch, ensure that you keep taking breaks from screen time.

3. Organise your time better

 

Start organizing your time in such a way that you are more productive in less amount of time. Be clear about what you need to do and by when it has to be done. Use a term planner to help gauge your productivity over time. Use a weekly planner to set a clear agenda for the week ahead. Use a ‘to do’ list as a prompt to remind you of the tasks you have dedicated to that day. The more organized you are, the less time you waste.

Now that you know what you need to this Diwali, help your parents clean up their digital devices too. There is a dual benefit of doing this- one, their gadgets get cleaned, and two, you can say that you contributed to the Diwali cleaning.

So what are you waiting for? Get started today!

As the festivities enter full swing, and as you get busy in enjoying the days with your loved ones, we want to wish you a very Happy Diwali. May you be blessed with happiness and good luck. Keep learning, keep celebrating.