Unsubscriber
This shit changed my July. Imagine a world where you don’t have 4,000 junk emails that never get opened sitting in your digital space, soaking up your unnecessary attention and brain power. Isn’t that the world you want to live in?
Instead of going through each email individually unsubscribing, this simple program allows you to choose whatever email platform you’re using and unsubscribe from all those annoying emails with a few clicks of your mouse.
OneNote
Why be a King when you can be a God? Coming into the FINAL steps of my university career I have finally gone digital with my note-taking.
Maybe you are still a handwritten kinda gal/guy, but honestly give this a go. I always hand wrote my notes down on paper because I simply like the art of writing but I find that my lecturer often talks so fast about important theories and concepts I can include in my assignments that I just can’t write fast enough.
The world is moving on and you gotta keep up son. Adapt or die.
Libby
Guys I read seven fucking books this month because of Libby! I’ve been an avid reader my entire life but when you’re an adult addicted to social media and Netflix you just don’t read anymore. It’s not that you don’t have time, you just don’t prioritise it.
Be honest.
Libby is an app for your phone, iPad or digital device that allows you to access the entire libraries worth of eBooks, audiobooks and place holds for all of them. I LOVE IT! As the kids say, this is lit(erature).
All you need is your library card (if you haven’t got one go get one you lazy fuck) put the serial number of the card on the device and bam you’re done! Access to thousands of eBooks and audiobooks for all your reading and learning pleasures. Never stop learning, you’ll get so bored you’ll start to question your self-worth.
Digital declutter
We physically declutter, we mentally declutter but seldom do we digitally declutter. Admittedly I’ve been digitally decluttering since the beginning of the year but this July I went down into the depths of Mordor and got rid of shit.
My phone is almost brand new with barely any apps or photos whatsoever clogging up it’s precious space. I had thousands and thousands of old meaningless photos that I will never look for, thousands of movie downloads that I’ll never watch just clogging up precious space and CPU.
Seriously, declutter, and make it a habit to do it regularly. You’ll find plenty of fantastic lists on Pinterest to form a good habit.
Leaving my phone turned off downstairs after 6pm
Terror. Horror.
You’re around my age right? Yeah, remember growing up without a phone dictating your every move and actually LOGGING OFF THE INTERNET.
Do you know that adults aged between 18-35 spend 11 hours A DAY IN FRONT OF A SCREEN (ONLINE) according to new research found at the Sydney University.
You might think 11 hours wow that’s a lot or you might think yeah 11 hours would be right. Well, it is right. That’s the average calculated time.
Whipping your phone out at stop lights, when you’re driving, when you’re bored driving, during your lecture, in your lunch break (in any break), in a meeting, in front of your partner, in front of your kids.
I made a decision long ago to turn off ALL my notifications on my phone except for email, text messages and phone calls. This was life changing in itself but shutting down my phone at night like the little mini computer it truly is has left me with a plethora of time and no distractions. Plus no one can call me and I can unleash my true introvert.
I don’t turn my phone back on again until 9am that morning. This allows me time to have a peaceful breakfast, plan the day, go for a nice walk without once being interrupted by the digital world.
I truly value this and it has been the most life-changing thing out of all the things I have changed this July.
And if your excuse is “I use my phone for my alarm”
Go buy an alarm clock, they’re $10 from Kmart.
Haley Lauren Smith 