Woman working at a computer

Clear Your Mind: Clean Your Computer

The second Monday of February is National Clean Out Your Computer Day. Just like your physical living space, your digital workplace becomes untidy over time, and that has real health implications. Most people work on computers every day, so taking the time to clean can make a big difference for your mental health.

Declutter your desktop

It’s hard to work efficiently when your desk is taken over by clutter. Pens, notebooks and pieces of paper lying all around you can make working feel slow and tedious. The same goes for your digital workstation, and decluttering your desktop is a great place to start.

If you have dozens of icons on your desktop and dock, chances are you don’t use each one of them every day. Keep the files that you use daily on your desktop, and tuck the others away into folders. That will help you access the files you need quicker and without the visual mess.

Unload unused files

For files that you rarely if ever use, consider buying an external hard drive. You can get a lot of storage space for relatively little money, which makes them a great place to store files that are important to you but that you don’t use regularly.

Buying cloud storage is another good way to remove files from your computer without deleting them. Putting your photos and videos in the cloud ensures your precious files are safe in case anything should happen to your computer. It’s truly an investment in peace of mind.

Disinfect your keyboard

While most people worry about computer viruses, we should be more concerned about computer germs. According to research, your computer’s keyboard harbors over 20,000 times as many germs as a toilet seat! If you use a mouse, that doesn’t fare much better, with over 1 million bacteria per square inch.

Use disinfectant wipes on any part of your devices that you touch daily – your keyboard, mouse, trackpad, and screen if it’s a touch-capable device. Wipe off any excess moisture with a microfiber cloth. Add this cleaning routine to your Friday afternoon to start each week with a germ-free work station.

 

Your digital space deserves the same attention as any other room you live or work in. Tidy up your files, and take a look at other ways to improve your wellness on our Health Minute Blog.