With a new year underway and while we’re still in full swing of “new years resolutions” I figure should make a pitch for you to digitize your life this year. Being digital is something that is relatively simple but does require some setup. There are a few simple steps that you can take to get yourself a bit more digital.
1) Start with e-mail – We all have e-mail, we all communicate with each other. This is an easy way to get your self digitized. Do you still get your bills snail mailed to you? Request that they come by e-mail. The same thing goes for bank statements. Getting e-mails instead of hard copy bills will help you get rid of 75% of the mail that comes through your door. The other part of figuring out your e-mail is to set up a filing structure within your e-mail so that it doesn’t pile up in your inbox.
2) Organize your hard copy files – To get all your existing hard copy files scanned and digitally filed; you need to know where everything is. I would highly advise getting all your papers in one spot, that way you will know where everything is. As you are going through the process of digitization, there will be more papers that come in so knowing where you have your hard copy so that you can make it digital is key.
3) Get the equipment to digitize – You can’t scan without the stuff you need. This includes a scanner and a computer, and the software to get all your scanning done. Luckily most scanners come with the software required to do the scanning itself, so that’s a bonus — the other piece that you need to a place to store all your files. For this, I would highly advise subscribing to a cloud service like OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive, or DropBox.
4) Set yourself a schedule – Digitizing your files, certainly in the beginning, can be a difficult task. Making sure you carve out a bit of time to get it done is something that I continue to work on. It’s worth the effort because when you get your filing system set up and working it makes things so much easier. When more paper comes in and needs to be scanned, you will have a well-established system in place.
5) Get cracking – There is only one person who can get your filing system up and running. That would be you. It’s crucial for you to manage your system actively and while it may look at the outset like going digital is a one-off project it’s important to remember that this is a continuing process. It may not be the most awesome thing you do in your day to day life, but it is something that will be apart of it.
Organizing your Digital Life is something that everyone should be doing. 2019 can be the year that you get yourself digital. These are some relatively easy steps to help you along the way. If you are looking for something a bit more in depth, then you may want to check out my 7 Steps to O
Are you going to Digitize this year?
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