Angela Crocker

Write. Teach. Organize.

Consolidate Your Data

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Digital Cleanse Day 7:

Consolidate Your Data

Digital efficiency means you’ve got to consolidate your data. Gather like with like so that all your photographs are in one place as are your project files, financial records and personal history.

When it comes to data storage, you’ve got three main options.

  1. Your computer’s hard drive is a classic place to consolidate your data. If its all on your computer, then you can find it. However, I suggest this is the least reliable place to store your data. What if your hard drive fails?
  2. You may have access to a file server to consolidate your data. Correctly configured services include mirrored copies of all files so the odds of a a catastrophic failure are greatly reduced.
  3. My personal favourite is cloud storage – Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud and other services allow you to store and access your files from anywhere.  With an app or a browser interface, you can refer to whatever data you’re looking for.  While the cloud is great, remember that many of these services are based in the United States so your data is subject to potential scrutiny by the authorities.

As you consolidate your data, consider your file structure. I suggest some broad categories to organize your data. Don’t get too specific. For example, a folder for photographs is essential whereas a folder for children’s photos with Santa Clause might be too specific. Keywords, categories and tags can aid your search for the data you need.

And don’t forget to back-up your data. Redundancy is your friend when disaster strikes! Don’t let a hardware failure ruin all your efforts to consolidate your data.

More on the 30 day #digitalcleanse tomorrow. Hope to see you then!

(If you missed yesterday’s instalment, take a couple extra minutes to explore Think Like a Librarian. For links to the complete Digital Cleanse series, click here.)

Think Like a Librarian

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Digital Cleanse Day 6:

Think Like a Librarian

Your digital cleanse is, in large part, about organizing your digital clutter.  It’s time for you to think like a librarian.

“Google can bring you back 10,000 answers, a librarian can bring you back to the right one.” ~ Neil Gaiman

As you sort through your data, consider how you will use that data in future. Will you access it again? Will you need it in several contexts? Do you need to assign tags and categories for effective search at a later date?  Its time to curate your data so you can find what you’re looking for. For now, cultivate the librarian mindset. Think about how you’ll use your data.We’ll talk about more specific strategies for organizing your information in future installments of the digital cleanse.

More on the 30 day #digitalcleanse tomorrow. Hope to see you then!

(If you missed yesterday’s installment, take a couple extra minutes to explore the Idea City Method. For links to the complete Digital Cleanse series, click here.)

 

Idea City Method

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Digital Cleanse Day 5:

Idea City Method

Idea City Method brainstorms for the Toy Rhapsody websiteGood news! You live in Idea City. At any moment, you may be inspired with a bright idea or simply remember a task that needs doing.  To avoid distracting yourself trying to remember the idea, put all your ideas in one place. The goal is to document the idea, inspiration or task so you don’t forget. By writing it down, you improve your focus on your current task.

What I call the Idea City Method, is not a new productivity idea.  I’ve heard variations discussed by many students and writers. By following three simple steps, you increase your productivity.

  1. Capture any idea as it occurs to you. Just jot it down quickly and continue with your current task. Capture personal and professional ALL in one place.Once the idea is documented forget about it until step 2.
  2. Schedule 30 – 60 minutes every day to review your idea notes. Take immediate action on any item that can be completed in the time available.
  3. Schedule time to execute more complex tasks. Make an appointment with yourself to pay your bills, get a haircut or review the proofs of your new book. Simply moving the idea to your calendar means you’re done with that item for the today.

As with other steps in the digital cleanse, how to capture your ideas is a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer a digital solution while others go analog with pen and paper.

There are a wide range of digital solutions. Evernote, Google Drive, Basecamp and many other applications. Use the one that works for you and your workflow.

Analog solutions are varied, too. You can use a scrap of paper, loose-leaf paper or a notebook. I must admit to a deep love of pretty notebooks so I’ve always got a few in my desk drawer. I prefer pencil and I’ve seen my friend Joyelle Brandt use a full rainbow of colored pens.

I must admit I’m a little bit sneaky in my execution of the Idea City Method. I use pencil in a notebook to capture my ideas. However, my notebook is a specially formatted Evernote notebook from Moleskine. My quick scribbles and sketches can always be converted to digital notes, when needed.

More on the 30 day #digitalcleanse tomorrow. Hope to see you then!

(If you missed yesterday’s instalment, take a couple extra minutes to explore Dedicated Devices. For links to the complete Digital Cleanse series, click here.)