Being more productive doesn’t necessarily mean closing fifteen deals instead of five. It also means focusing on what truly matters rather than wasting time on distractions that are easily avoided. It might not seem obvious, but it’s often these small, practically unnoticeable interruptions that pull us away from meaningful work and steal time.

The way out? Start by removing distractions from your digital life.

Declutter Your Digital WorkspaceMust #1. Proper File Naming

Reviewing and renaming your files will take time, but that’s what you definitely need to do to reduce frustration later. If your files are named something like “qoasf21” or “New Document (23),” you’ll likely waste time constantly digging through them to find the one you need. To avoid it, name your files properly.

You can create your own system or use one of the many conventions available online. However, it’s better to adapt them for your needs, as some recommendations there might not be very helpful. For instance, a common method is to start with the creation date in the format YYYY-MM-DD. This is especially useful in professional settings like legal or accounting departments, where documents are frequently shared and accessed by multiple people. However, for personal use, date-based naming isn't always necessary. Your computer can already sort files by their creation or modification date, so there's no need to overcomplicate things.

The best thing is to make each file name descriptive enough to understand its contents at first glance. For instance, a name like “Permission_Slip_September” is specific, easy to search, and immediately tells you it’s a school trip form for your child.

Must #2. Proper File Size

In addition to naming your files properly, managing their size is just as important. Whether you keep your documents on your hard drive or in the cloud, you’ve probably run into storage limits at some point. First, extra cloud storage or external drives cost money. Second, constantly switching between accounts or devices is simply inconvenient and time-consuming.

The solution is to reduce the file size. There are plenty of free online tools that can compress images, PDFs, and other documents without affecting their quality. Just upload your file, compress it, and don’t forget to give the document a clear name.

Another advantage of smaller files is that they make sharing easier. Whether you're uploading them to a website or sending them via email, the smaller the file, the quicker the process.

Sometimes, though, compressing multiple files into a single ZIP archive file is more convenient than reducing individual sizes, especially if the quantity of documents to be sent is enormous. Think of it like packing for a trip: it’s easier to carry one well-packed suitcase than several separate bags.

Both Macs and PCs have built-in tools to zip your files. To do that on Windows, select the desired files, right-click, choose Compress to, and then ZIP file. On macOS, select the files, then right-click on the selected items and choose Compress from the menu.

Tip: If you or someone else sends a compressed archive (like a ZIP file containing PDFs) to a mobile device that can’t open it, use a reliable online tool to unzip PDF files quickly and easily.

Must #3. Proper File Structure

Just as with names, your file structure should be transparent.

Start by creating categories that reflect how you use your files. You might have folders like Work, Personal, Receipts, Photos, and so on. Then, break things down within each main folder. Work might include subfolders like Projects, Contracts, Reports, or Clients. If you're hesitating between putting a file in one folder or another, it probably means your structure isn’t perfect yet.

At the same time, try not to bury files too deeply. A very complex structure can be just as confusing as having no structure at all. Keep it simple and intuitive. 

Tip: Use numbering or symbols to keep your most important folders at the top of the list. For instance, prefixing a folder with “1” or “!” will push it to the top alphabetically.

Limit the Time You Spend on Social Media

Go to your phone settings and check how much time you spend on social media. The result might surprise you.

According to the Exploding Topics report in 2024, the average person spends 4 hours and 37 minutes on their phone each day. That adds up to more than 1 full day every week and around 6 days each month, and this means we spend 72 days every year just staring at our phones.

In the US, this is a significant concern. About one in three Americans feels they spend too much time on their mobile devices each day. And while 40% want to reduce their smartphone use, 27% doubt they will succeed.

To cut down on your social media time, start with these four simple steps:

• Turn off mobile notifications.

• Remove apps from the home screen.

• Limit app usage with built-in screen time features.

• Delete social media apps (as a last resort).

Reduce Noise

Eliminate digital distractions that silently steal your attention and slow down your workflow.

Close tabs you're not using. Keeping dozens of browser tabs open might feel productive, but in fact, it’s more likely to degrade your focus. Limit yourself to the tabs you need for the task. If you’re worried about forgetting something, just bookmark it to return when you have some free time.

Delete redundant photos and files. Chances are, you’ll never need 30 identical photos of the same sunset or tree. Still, as it happens, most of us keep them anyway. Go through your gallery and delete duplicates and low-quality shots. Apply the same principle to downloaded files, screenshots, and old documents. If it's not useful or meaningful, it's noise.

Organize scattered documents. Combine different pages of the same document into a single file using a try PDF merge tool by iScanner project.

Unsubscribe from unwanted emails. How many newsletters do you receive daily that you never open? These take up mental space and bury important messages. Take a few minutes to unsubscribe from anything you don’t regularly read.