By Diana Rose Brandon / 31 Jan 2017 / Topics: Devices Modern workplace
But you don’t want to lose sight of your goals when it comes to your business. So if you decided that you want to increase productivity in the workplace and improve employee performance, we’ve got a few tips to help you keep those promises.
The second Monday in February is National Clean Out Your Computer Day. Cleaning up your computer helps your machine — and you — operate faster and more efficiently. Think of it as physical and digital spring cleaning.
Start with a physical cleaning, which can help prevent fan burnout and keep your computer running longer. With the computer off and unplugged, open the case and use a can of compressed air to blow the dust off of the internal parts. Computer parts are delicate, so it’s better if you don’t actually touch anything. It’s a good idea to bring your tower PC outdoors for this.
Digital cleaning is slightly more involved. First, too many files stored on your desktop prevents your computer from booting up quickly. Move the icons that you don’t use every day into folders on your network, hard drive, external hard drive or cloud storage, as these don’t affect your computer at startup. If you just don’t use some icons anymore, move them to the recycle bin and then empty it.
Next, search for your Startup folder in the Start menu. This will show you what’s automatically booting up with your computer and slowing you down. To stop the unnecessary programs from launching at startup, just right-click on them and select “Delete”.
You can also use the Disk Cleanup utility to check the folders you want to view and possibly delete. You should review the programs living on your computer in the Programs section of your control panel and uninstall anything you just don’t use that’s wasting space. It’s better to research first or leave any programs you aren’t familiar with, however, so you don’t unwittingly remove something your computer requires.
A 2015 Gallup survey found that most Americans who own a smartphone check it at least hourly.
Next, we'd like you to estimate how often you use your smartphone, including times you look at it, check it or use it for any reason...
| % Smartphone owners | |
|---|---|
| Every few minutes | 11 |
| A few times an hour | 41 |
| About once an hour | 20 |
| A few times a day | 24 |
| About once a day | 2 |
| Less than once a day | 2 |
Gallup Panel survey via Web and mail, April 17-May 18, 2015
Devices are now an alarm clock, health tracker, web browser, email client and music player. And they’re distracting, especially at the office. So how can we minimize the interruptions from our phones to increase productivity at work? Here are a few tips:
It’s possible that you’re just now feeling caught up with the email you received over the holidays. Or maybe you’ll never really feel that way — the struggle is real. Having an email organization strategy and a few email management tips can be a lifesaver when you’re getting back to the office after a few well-deserved days off:
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