Hajja Salesjana

Clean Up Your Digital Devices If there’s something I radically disdain, it is digital clutter. But as a writer, I tend to accumulate a lot of this: hundreds of emails to sift through, a melange of social media accounts, memes, and updates to keep up with, and generally a lot of junk files saved to my laptop or cloud. This is the area that has become the most oppressive and distracting aspect of my life to date, and I have a gut feeling that many others are struggling similarly. The tough aspect of this suggestion is really this: ditch at least three-fourths (keeping to that 75% rule) of your digital excess. Think about what is really meaningful to you and whether or not social media sites, like Facebook or Instagram, honestly help you achieve it. These can be the bane of daily living, or they can be the boon of moderation. Either way, take some time to carefully discern proper, healthy use of your digital devices. In my home, we have two laptops, one television, one tablet, and two smartphones. Ben and I each have a computer and phone for our respective work, but we all share the rest among our family members. And we only have the television on when we engage in our weekly family movie night, complete with popcorn and hot chocolate, or when Ben and I are supervising what the girls watch. This year, take one aspect of your digital life and analyze it. Start with the junk files Photo by Aditya-Saxena- Unsplash.com your life this year. Each focuses on one aspect of your identity: spiritual, emotional, and physical clutter. Consider each as you browse through closets, plan for spring cleaning the curtains and freshening up your home, or make good on your gym membership. When the soul is properly aligned with order rather than chaos, then all the visible excess will eventually vanish. Simplify Your Life Start small. Begin by assessing your home and areas where too much “stuff” has invaded your living space. Pick one spot to start organizing. For me, this tends to be my bookshelves and seasonal decor. Take one drawer, closet, or shelf at a time, and begin sifting through your items. Ask yourself if this is something you really love, need, or have justifiable reason to keep. What you hold may have sentimental value to you, because your grandfather gave it to you. But do you have other items in your home that mean more to you from your grandfather? Sentimentality is not justification for retaining your junk. Is this a useful item? Something you use often? A particularly thoughtful or important gift from someone? The point is to take time with each items and consider why you have kept it. The general rule for decluttering is to get rid of 75% of what you own in each category. It may seem impossible or at the very least unreasonable, but it’s a good goal for which to strive. You may find that once your living space becomes less crowded, overstuffed, and messy, that peace for which you long will settle upon your soul and give you greater motivation to continue. The key to simplification is to maintain what you have rather than keep rotating through the latest and greatest, whatever that may be this year. 33 Lulju-Settembru 2023 hajja