When do you do your digital gardening? Any tools for thought?

Spring’s here – we made it! I need to do some digital gardening, clean the windows, and sort my window boxes (more daffies). I’m at 98% storage in Gmail and they keep emailing to remind me I’ll run out of data soon and won’t be able to do anything. Pay to upgrade my storage…

On my laptop, I need to clean up Google Drive – an attic full of files and photos going way back. Delete my downloads, clear the cache and browsing history, and tidy my desktop. I can’t even see my desktop – full of screenshots. I have folders and sub-folders galore – with slight variations on a theme. It’s like those Russian Dolls, but not half as pretty.

On my phone, the iCloud storage is full, too. I need to delete some photos and old WhatsApp chats. Are you ruthless with disappearing messages, or do you archive them? I could archive everything (just read an article about setting up a new Gmail account to transfer your emails to when storage runs out). Madness. But they’re still there, taking up headspace.

I also have a backlog of training and replays to catch up on from my digital communities, so need to get some time in the diary for those.

Ugh. It’s a second job! And not very motivating as it doesn’t pay, so I keep putting it off. My mum: “Just done the worst job of my life. Cleaning out the garden shed. Cobwebs galore! Umpteen spiders the size of mini tarantulas! It would’ve put Julieta in a lunatic asylum!!” Lol, bless her. I feel the same about my mind gardening.

Too much information. Knowledge work is like washing – a never-ending cycle - there’s always more to do. (C’mon, Rob the Butler - bring us self-cleaning clothes). I’ll never get to Inbox Zero and that’s ok. It’s the digital highway, but I need better boundaries in my digital garden.

Here’s the plan:

* Monday - digital gardening / life admin

* Tuesday-Thursday - client days

* Friday - me day (work or whatever I want)

* Saturday - write newsletter

* Sunday - send newsletter, reading + rest

Thanks to #jesspicks for the tip on setting up Google Profiles if you have multiple Gmail accounts – I just did this and discovered I have several iterations of my home address!! I deleted the duplicates, so now I have one address for those auto-forms. Small victories 🙌

When’s your next digital gardening session?

📚 99 problems, but a book ain’t one

👀 Fancy joining my 2025 Reading Challenge?

I’m reading lots of *internet* but not that many books. I listen to them on Audible when I’m out walking, but my mind wanders off, and I need to replay chapters.

Listening to a book isn’t as transformative (for me) as reading one. I don’t retain information as well – it’s literally in one ear, out the other – so I need to write things down. Better to listen to pods when I’m out and curl up with a book.

I enjoyed this chat on whether reading is dying or just in a format transition. The latter, I think. I haven’t finished a biz book in ages - I dip in and out. Maybe we’ll see more mini-books, built on social threads, which did so well on Twitter.

So, inspired by the boys, I’ve set myself a little challenge – reading a book a week - 50 books a year. I’m curious to see if I can get back into a reading habit and I want to read for pleasure, so more fiction. Dust off my library card, reserve some books and buy secondhand. We have a great little café in town, Hanushka, where you can swap books and sit and read.

Only one rule: if it’s boring - swipe left.

Week #1: Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang.

I’ve made a Book Tracker (printed it out, I’m more likely to stick to it if I can see my progress). You can grab a copy here.

I’ll share updates on Notes and in the Writers’ Cafe. Come join me!

I’m trying to spend less time on my phone – it is an addiction, but phone diets don’t work. It’s about addition, not deprivation. Having more interesting stuff to do so I’m not reaching for my phone every five minutes, filling in the cracks of the day.

Carrying a book around might help me break that habit.

Just imagine, when AI’s doing all the grunt work, we can get back to our Coffee Viennese, chatting and plotting. Making media.

Happy reading!

Cheers, Nika 🥂

PS: Next Writers Café: Hastings is on March 28 – if you’re local, come along. Be lovely to see you.

Join our cosy crew of writers and creatives. Free & paid options available. The Shift is 100% reader-supported. Your subscription funds thoughtful, indie media for the creator economy.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nikatalbot.io/subscribe