Here are our 5 must-do jobs to clean up your tech:

1. Clean your Hardware – Remove crumbs and dust from your PC or laptop – you can use compressed air to help blast the debris out from nooks and crannies (be sure to follow the instructions). Use a damp microfibre cloth to clean the casing, screen, smartphone and tablet.
2. Cut the Clutter – Remove unused apps (if you are unsure which apps you should leave you can check here). Freeing up space by deleting unwanted apps and software will speed up your device and help it last longer.
3. Have a Sort out – Go through your files and photos, delete duplicates, old screenshots and any that are blurry and get them organised into folders – be sure to back them up to an external drive. Print your faves and put them up to enjoy!
4. Clear the Cache – When you visit a website or open an app for the first time your device collects data and stores it in order to make it quicker to load in the future. Over time this cached data can cause your devices to run slower so it makes sense to periodically clear the cache.
5. Update Your Operating System and Antivirus – Make sure your devices are running the latest operating system – any known bugs and security issues will get fixed and your devices will run more efficiently. Antivirus is a non negotiable – make sure it’s up to date and running to protect your devices from phishing, hacks and viruses.

Have fun clearing out some garbage and give your devices a well deserved spruce up.

If you need any help cleaning your laptop, PC, smartphone or tablet then we are always on hand. Contact Ben here: https://www.filegenie.co.uk/get-in-touch.html

Our Top Tips for Productivity
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Set Your Daily Goals
​Spend the first part of your day setting out what you want to achieve for that day – apps such as Hive  and Todoist are a great way to visualise and track your goals, they are great for individuals or teams and have sharing capabilities.

Read the manuals!
Yes, it’s tempting to just plug it in and figure it out as you go along but honestly, reading the user manuals and getting to know your new device/app or software will save you so much time in the long run. It might seem like a boring job you don’t need to add to your workload but there are often tons of features you only find out about by getting to know your product thoroughly- it really is worth investing a bit of time in.

Track your Time
If you have a lot of different tasks to complete it’s easy to get caught up on one and neglect the others. Set a schedule and try to stick to it – dedicate the time you need to complete each task and make an effort to get each job done within the time. There are some great time-keeping apps available to help you get organised –Clockify is a free app that can help you track actual time spent, great for freelancers and business owners who need to track hours across projects.

Put your Phone on Silent
Important job to complete? Putting your phone on silent and out of reach will help you focus on the task at hand and help stop you from getting distracted by social media. As soon as you start working on your tasks, put your phone on silent and set a time in the day to answer any texts/calls you might have received – try not to deviate from that. Most smartphones have a ‘Do not Disturb’ mode which will mute the sound, and block visual distractions and vibrations.

Use a calendar to get organised
Deadline looming? Get the dates in the calendar, block out enough days to get the task completed and set reminders to alert you the deadline is approaching. Get organised and schedule all your work and home commitments so you can see everything at a glance. There are lots of apps to choose from, many of them with free options, Google Outlook are popular choices.

Top Time-Saving GadgetsThere are some great gadgets out there to help make life a little bit easier in a time-crunched world. Here are some of our favourites:

Robot Vacuum
If you get easily distracted by jobs around the house then a robot vacuum could be just what you need to stop the procrastination.

Charging Dock
A clean desk free of wires can help you focus on the task at hand so get rid of the clutter of cables and invest in a docking station to charge your devices. There are lots to choose from, but we like these from Anker.

Productivity Timer
Make every second count by setting a timer to work to increase productivity and get those tasks done! There are plenty of timers to choose from which use the Pomodoro technique where you work in 25-minute sprints followed by 5 minutes of rest. Check out these timers at Ticktime.

Noise Cancelling Headphones, Earbuds or Earplugs
If you work in a noisy environment, then noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones are a must. Have a look at Tech Radar for their pick of the best noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds. If you don’t want to listen to music or podcasts then earplugs are a great alternative- take a look at this Which guide for a selection of earplugs to suit different needs.

Hopefully, we’ve given a few ideas on how to tackle that to-do list and increase your productivity.

What are your favourite gadgets or hacks for productivity at home or work?