You know that rush of enthusiasm we get when January rolls around, that urge to reset, to restart, to reimagine what is possible? Well, there's actually some fascinating science around why we're wired to see the new year as a fresh slate, and it's called the Fresh Start effect.

And our brains perceive temporal landmarks, which is significant moments in time, as an opportunity to leave the past behind. So such as New Year, New Year gives us a chance to leave those imperfections of the past behind us and step into a new and improved version of ourselves. But here's something I find interesting. When I start the new year, then it might be the same, same for you. I have that sudden urge of motivation, but then it's closely followed by overwhelm as I sit down to work. Because not only do I have all these amazing ideas in my head of all the things I want to achieve this year, but there's a lot of noise coming from the digital world that impacts that. So I like to do a bit of a clear out around this time of year so I can focus on what really matters. So this is going to be your new year reset button of the digital world.

Hello, my friends. Welcome back to the ease and impact podcast, your weekly guide to thriving as a solopreneur. I'm your host, Frankie Jay, and today we're doing a digital clear out. Have you ever looked at your computer when you sat down to work and felt instantly overwhelmed? You know that feeling of looking at screenshots everywhere on your desktop, emails piling up about 15 different apps that you downloaded but never actually used? If you are nodding your head right now, then this episode is for you before we jump in. If this is your first time here with us, and you're a digital solopreneur, or you're a coach who is looking for practical advice on the solo business journey, no matter where you're at, then this is your place, my friend. We're going to explore some practical strategies, overcome challenges, streamline your business so you can maximize that impact out there that you're trying to make in the world. You can pivot through the uncertainties that happen when you're a solopreneur and build lasting success without sacrificing your wellbeing. Now a bit of a disclaimer or kind of a cautionary tale, maybe before we get into the strategies, and this might be you as well. So I love organizing and decluttering, and I was totally into those shows like Marie Kondo, if you've watched that or quarters. So while my Netflix algorithm probably thought that I lived in complete chaos, I actually got to learn some crucial elements from these shows that relate to business, that our digital environment affects our mental state almost as much as our physical environment.

But here's the thing, and I'm gonna be totally honest with you, is sometimes I catch myself using organizing as a way to avoid the real work I should be doing. And maybe you know what I mean, it's that moment that you have a difficult or challenging task that you've got to tackle, and all of a sudden, organizing your Google Drive feels like the most urgent task in the world. Does that sound familiar? So if that is you, it's just something to be aware of that perhaps, instead of doing your declutting, decluttering, your organizing at that time is scheduled in ahead of time into your calendar in advance, and that is the time you're going to choose to focus on that task, not when you have the other real work that you should be doing.

But back to why we need to digitally declutter so your business

operates as an ecosystem with you at the center, and like any good ecosystem when there's too much clutter, everything sort of slows down, and same happens for you and your business. There's more distractions. You feel pulled in different directions, and often we have, you know, gurus and experts out there who might say that you just need one more tool or one more system or one more course to unlock that success. But today we're going to focus on sometimes less is more. So let me show you the five things that I love to do as a way to clean up, to declutter, to clear out my digital space so I can move forward with more ease and focus. First, let's talk about the emails that you saved for later. You know, the ones that are from about three to six months ago, and it has some amazing opportunity or resource that you're definitely going to get to eventually. Well, here's the truth, if you haven't implemented the content in that email in the last three to six months, then you're not going to and that's okay, because when you're ready for that next step, when you're ready to implement that particular resource, you'll be able to seek it out naturally. And the other thing is, we live in a fast paced digital world, and those emails that you've been saving for later, especially if they're tech related, might actually be obsolete now. So let's just get rid of them. Get rid of all those emails that you've saved for later if.

You haven't looked at in the last three to six months. Just delete them. It's okay. Looks like I'm holding your hand with this step. Just delete the emails. So while you're in your inbox, let's get rid of some of those subscriptions and lists that you're on. So you know those companies or those people that you're following that you're getting emails from, and you keep them around, but you usually just delete the emails without even opening opening them because maybe you might read something, because this topic is slightly interesting to you, but maybe it's not on your list to implement this year. Unsubscribe clear the clutter that's coming in daily before it even gets there. Get rid of some of those subscriptions that you're really not implementing right now. Third, it's time to do an app audit. So take out your phone right now. It's okay. I'll wait.

So we're going to look for all those apps you haven't used in the last 90 days. If you're on an iPhone, you can go to settings general into storage, and then you'll see a list of apps. So Settings General into storage. And then you want to sort these apps by date last used. Each one is taking up not just storage space, but mental space as well. So delete them. Anything you haven't used in the last three months. If you need them, you can come back and download them again later. Now here's my favorite way to create instant mental space, and that's to clear your desktop completely, and I mean completely, grab everything on your desktop and put it into a folder called desktop stuff, and feel the immediate relief of that clean slate in front of you. Now you'll need to sort this folder eventually, but the psychological impact of a clear desktop is feels incredible. Now, if you don't get around to getting into that folder and actually using anything in there in the next, say, 90 days, then just delete it all. But if you want to do an immediate sort of clear out of what's in there at the moment, here's a tip for you. If there are screenshots in there that you've said that's interesting. I should implement that one day. Refer to our first step. Clean out anything that you have not used in three to six months. Just delete it, right. Number five, this is a game changer for not just your mental space, but your bank account as well. So let's talk about all the software subscriptions that you're paying for. So you know what I mean, that social media scheduler that you signed up for during a flash sale, or the premium version of that project management tool, or maybe even multiple design or editing apps that basically do the same thing. So here's how to do a proper subscription audit. Pull out your last three months of your credit card or your bank statements. I know sounds a little scary, but stick with me here. Okay, then we want to do is create a spreadsheet with four columns in it. Those columns are going to say tool, name, monthly cost, last date used, and does this directly make or save me money? Now you've got your spreadsheet, you're going to start to see which softwares or applications you haven't used in a while, or ones that aren't actually directly making or saving you money. And as you read through the information, I want you to ask yourself these questions, when was the last time I logged into and used it properly, and that's number one. Number two, could I downgrade to a free version or a cheaper version and still get 80% of the benefit?

Number 3am, I keeping it because I might use it someday, or am I actually using it in my business right now. And number four, could I consolidate multiple tools into one that does everything pretty well? So here's what surprises most people. We often hang on to tools because we invested time in learning them, or because we think we should be using them. But here's the truth, every unused subscription isn't just a money suck. It's mental clutter as well. It's another password to remember another login to Manage Another thing on your I really should use that more list. But all of this isn't about making things nice and tidy. It's about creating space for what really matters in your business. So every time you remove digital clutter, you're making space and room for creativity, for innovation, for growth. You're telling yourself that you're in control of your business, not the other way around. Before we wrap up, I want to make sure I hear from you. So what topic would you like me to most cover in this podcast? Drop a comment with your question or your challenges, or maybe something you loved about today's episode just down below, and help me to create content that creates more ease and impact in your business now. Thank you so much for tuning in to another episode of the ease and impact podcast. Remember your business, it thrives when you thrive and.

Sometimes that starts with simply clearing some space so we can think clearly. So I'll see you next week, 10am New Zealand time.