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Was the term \u201cself-care\u201d invented by the beauty-industrial complex to sell more bath bombs? Probably, but that doesn\u2019t mean that setting aside time to take care of yourself every once in a while is a bad idea. That goes for the technology in your life, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Are you pretending not to see a rat\u2019s nest of cables behind your desk? Does the triple-digit unread email notification make you cringe every time you look at your homescreen? Or has that once-clear phone case turned a dingy shade of yellow? Look, I\u2019m not here to shame you. But maybe it\u2019s time to take a look around at the tech you use every day to see where a little effort in tidying up can go a long way. If you\u2019re looking for somewhere to start, you\u2019ve come to the right place. (Unless you\u2019re looking for bath bomb recommendations \u2014 can\u2019t help you there.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
I speak from experience when I say that these dumb little stick-on cable clips<\/a> from Amazon can make a world of difference on your desk. If you, too, are constantly untangling cords or fishing them off the floor when you need to plug something in, please get to know my lord and savior: cable management. This set comes with an array of sizes, all with non-damaging adhesive on the back. Stick one on the side of your desk and you\u2019ll have a place to tuck cables out of the way when you\u2019re not using them.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Before you get caught off guard by dead batteries in your gadgets, check them ahead of time. This voltage checker is $5.99<\/a> and comes with the benefit of not needing a battery itself. Give your future self the gift of not scrambling to replace the batteries in your wireless mouse before an important meeting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n If you take nothing else from this guide, just do yourself a favor and buy a gosh dang can of compressed air<\/a>. You won\u2019t believe the crumbs that it can unearth from your keyboard or the corners of your phone case. If you\u2019re cleaning your laptop, make sure to turn it off first \u2014 we have more guidance here<\/a>. In fact, now\u2019s the time to get the old-fashioned dusting cloth out, too, and get to work. It\u2019s a good idea to make sure the area where your electronics are plugged in is dust-free.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n While you\u2019re at it, pick up a microfiber cleaning cloth and some cleaning spray, too. Take a minute to clean the screens in your life \u2014 phone, car, TV, anything you look at a thousand times a week. Just be sure you\u2019re using the right tools for the surface; leave the Windex in your cupboard and get this $12.95 cleaner and microfiber kit from Calyptus<\/a>. It\u2019s Verge<\/em> photo-editor-approved, so you know it\u2019s legit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Now that your phone screen is smudge-free, take a good, hard look at your homescreen. Maybe you\u2019re like me and you start with good intentions of putting apps into folders and then, at some point, abandon the whole charade, just letting them pile up in page after page of pure chaos. This could be an entire guide in itself, but here are a few quick tips to de-clutter your homescreen:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Oh, and one last bit of self-care? Just delete those 30,482 unread emails. If someone gets mad about it, remind them that texting is the new email<\/a> and they should just message you next time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n