E94: January Reset - Organizing Digital Files

01/09/23 • 10 min

It’s the second part of our January Reset ... time we have set aside to clear out some of our ministry and business clutter and make way for the amazing opportunities God has in store for us this year. In Episode 94 of Just One Simple Thing, let’s talk about some simple principles for organizing digital files.
In Episode 93, we started our January Reset with our email inbox. Did you make any progress?
In this episode, we'll tackle our digital files.
Keep files that are:

Related to your purpose, niche or content
Helpful to your friends
Useful for your blogor podcast
Contributing to your goals

Delete files that are:

Outdated
Available online
Duplicate

Now that we have some guidelines on what to keep and what to get rid of, here are three things you can do to tame your digital files.
1. Develop an Electronic Storage Plan
Map out a plan of what you will store where. If you are going to store everything in the same place, I recommend that you use some kind of backup system.
Free cloud storage is available on several platforms, but it has limits.
If you are not ready to invest in file storage and want to maximize the use of free space available, save different types of documents in different places. For example, save all your photos to Dropbox, your book manuscript on Google Drive, etc.
2. Clear Out your Downloads folder
Don't let your Downloads folder become like the pile of miscellaneous papers on the corner of your desk. Now that you have an intentional storage plan, spend some time deleting what you don't need from your Downloads folder and filing the rest.
3. Organize Your Most Unorganized Files
Or the ones that are causing you the most pain when you have to look for something. It's probably overwhelming to think about going through all of your folders and organizing everything. But organizing the one thing that is causing you the most pain is do-able. Keeping it that way is easier than getting it that way in the first place, and it will motivate you to organize other areas as well.
ACTION STEP
Head over to my free Facebook group Plan & Pray with Do A New Thing and grab your January Reset tracker. You’ll be able to check off the actions you take all month and look back at what a difference it made. Snap a picture and share it on social media so we can celebrate the progress you are making!
I hope you are starting to feel a little bit of relief from all the clutter and seeing a firm foundation for build on this year. If this series is helpful, I’d love for you to leave an honest review on your favorite podcast platform.
RESOURCES
The Mind Your Time Podcast - How to Organize Your Documents

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Are you tired from trying to share your God-inspired message while working your full time job? Do you wonder if it’s worth it, or even possible, to build a ministry or business on the side?
I have good news for you. It is possible. It is worth it. You can do it.
Download the Honor System Guide, to help you honor all the work God has given you to do.

Send us a text

Related to your purpose, niche or content
Helpful to your friends
Useful for your blogor podcast
Contributing to your goals

Delete files that are:

Outdated
Available online
Duplicate

Previous Episode

E93: January Reset - 3 Tips for Managing Email

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Before we close our 2022 planners and open the crisp new ones, blank with possibilities for 2023, there are some things we can do to make way for all those possibilities. We need to unload some things and straighten up others. Let’s kick off the new year in Episode 93 with my best tips for managing email.
All this month, we'll work on getting organized ... just a little at a time. Think of it as a January Reset, opening yourself up and making room for all the new blessings God has for you in 2023. My one word for 2023 is "FOUNDATIONS," and I'm determined to shore up some of the foundations in my business. Wanna join me?
Each week in January, we'll focus on one area, and I'll give you two or three assignments to choose from. So let's dive right in to one of the biggest time sucks we face ... email.
Here are three tips for managing email and keeping things simple.
1. Review Your Subscriptions
We know how important email lists are. Most of us with an online presence work to build a relationship with our audience using an email list. But honestly, if my email is just going to sit unopened in your inbox, that's not much of a relationship. So unsubscribe from my list or any other list that is not delivering something you love to your inbox.
2. Clear Your Inbox
Once you've got the subscriptions under control, now it's time to clear that inbox. Michael Hyatt has a great method for clearing out the inbox.

Do –Take action on the task right now.
Delegate –Pass the task on to someone else
Defer –Consciously decide you will do it later
Delete –If you don’t need it for later, send it to the trash
File –If you need it for later, file it

A piece of advice from Mr. Hyatt :
Do not create an elaborate set of file folders. This is the single most important piece of advice I can give you. Just file everything in one folder called “Processed Mail” or use Gmail’s Archive function.
3. Remove Your Inactive Subscribers
If you have people who have been on your list for over six months and not opened any emails from you in that time, there are several reasons why you need to remove them:

You are or will be paying for them at some point.
Gmail and other email services screen incoming messages to put them in Spam or Promotions folders. If your email routinely has a low open rate, Google is more likely to put it in Spam or Promotions.
Subscribers who open your emails are (for the most part) the ones who really matter.

If you are ready to do this, identify your inactive subscribers, send them an email asking if they want to stay on your list (I bet very few of them will even open it!) then archive the ones who don't respond.

ACTION STEP
Head over to my free Facebook group Plan & Pray with Do A New Thing and grab your January Reset tracker. You’ll be able to check off the actions you take all month and look back at what a difference it made.
I’m excited about this reset. If you know someone else who needs clean up their foundations to make room for what God wants to build, share this episode with them so they can join us!

RESOURCES
Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Do

Next Episode

E95: January Reset - Social Media Guidelines

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In the January Reset series, we're spending a few weeks looking at ways to declutter our business and ministry to make physical, mental and spiritual space for the new opportunities God wants to bring us in the new year. In Episode 95, let's look at some simple ways to make space, and make peace, with our social media.
Social media may be a necessary part of growing online, but it doesn't have to be a necessary evil. We can bring peace to this part of our ministry or business by following a few simple social media guidelines.
1. Be you, because you are awesome
2. Be comfortable, because it shows
3. Be disciplined, because other things are just as important
Social media is just a piece of your overall strategy for growth. The longer you spend on social media, the more likely you are to get sucked down the rabbit hole of comparison.
To clear out some of your social media clutter, here are your January Reset tasks for this week:
Remove yourself from some Facebook Groups
We have a habit of accumulating Facebook Groups like we collect free downloads and stock photos. This week, take a look at your groups and remove yourself from some.
Update your Social Profiles
Facebook recently made some cool changes to Pages that will help us maximize the impact when people do find us there. My friend Ruthie Gray of the Authentic Online Marketing Podcast keeps me up to date on all the things I need to know about Instagram.
Do a Review of Your Website.
My friend, Susan Mead, is a social media genius. I love the script she recommends for social media profiles:
I believe _____________. That's why I ___________ at __________.
I believe: a statement that relates to what your audience can expect to gain from you That's why I: write/speak/preach/teach etc.
At: Your blog, YouTube channel, podcast ... whatever you consider your "home base".
Susan's variation on Twitter is: I believe God loves us & wants us to know Him well. That’s I speak & write to help others find calm in the chaos at SusanBMead.com
Another version of this is:
I help ________________________________ by doing ____________________________ so they can ___________________________.
Mine says:
I help Christian creative ministry leaders and business owners overcome overwhelm and procrastination so they can turn their vague ideas into finished projects.
ACTION STEP
Head over to my free Facebook group Plan & Pray with Do A New Thing and grab your January Reset tracker. You’ll be able to check off the actions you take all month and look back at what a difference it made.Snap a picture and share it on social media so we can celebrate the progress you are making!
Is this series helping you take some simple steps toward strengthening your foundations? I’d love to hear about it. Follow me on IG or FB @doanewthing and shoot me message!
RESOURCES
Updating to the New Facebook Page Experience: What You Need to Know
Authentic Online Marketing Podcast