Hour#13-14 : Mail Mail Mail

"As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler..."
Henry David Thoreau

Can't really do much about the email I receive (apart from keeping my emails off sites so those evil spambots don't get hold of it) but I can control the stuff I save.

My sent items was overflowing with very old correspondence and was brimming at about the four and half thousand mark.

On trains, planes and during some down time that number has been whittled down by over three quarters (it's an ongoing process still).

I've also started using a much better 'filing' system through the use of dated folders and more importantly a kick-ass CRM tool called Highrise (which basically orders and assigns all my email to the individuals and contacts involved in the communication, hosting it all in the cloud and off my machine).

How do you ensure there is clutter in your inbox/email system?

Decluttering : Exploring A Minimalist Lifestyle

“This was a very typical time. I was single. All you needed was a cup of tea, a light, and your stereo, you know, and that’s what I had.”
Steve Jobs

After spending over ten hours decluttering my life thought it was a perfect opportunity to take stock, reflect a little and share some thoughts on the journey so far.

My personal reasons have not shifted and if anything, a number 8. could be added : it's starting to feel good.

Looking around there's so much more to file / donate / sell / bin / recycle etc but already the load is feeling lighter, the rooms are looking cleaner, the cupboards are looking barer, I am feeling freer.

Even though it seems the 100 hours set aside to complete the task is a tad generous, I still believe even if all the clutter from my life is banished the remaining time will be focussed on sharing / maintaining / honing the skills learnt.

The biggest challenge is ahead, that of decluttering my workload and digital life (even though I've made a start).

A big thanks must go to those voices out there who are providing guidance and insights through their offerings (check out the Inspiration page for a growing list).

I'm still waiting for that 'pang of loss'—the realisation something discarded is important—although it's yet to come and don't think it will arrive at all. Onwards.

Hour #9 : Shedding Your Online Friends And Follow Lists

As someone whose business is social media shedding online friends could be seen as dangerous.

Could I be losing valuable contacts and / or shedding potential fruitful business relationships?

Then again, I'm all too aware of the issue surrounding 'signal vs noise' online and ensuring filtering methods are in place to ensure you get the good stuff only.

Therefore, this decluttering project needs to extend into all aspects of my life and online friends / follow lists are no exceptions.

The main focus for this exercise are Facebook and Twitter.

The approach for unfollowing / unfriending people has been simple :

• those I haven't spoken to (in person / on the phone / skype / email) in over 6 months
• people who offer no discernible value (ie education / inform)
• anyone who is not a client
• inactive accounts

The total on Facebook has gone from 552 friends down to 424—achieved by simply going through my whole friends list.

Twitter total has shrunk from 750+ to 496—achieved over the past couple of months by using the Chump Dump iPhone App and being critical of my decision to follow anyone.

Maybe Dunbars Number is about 450 for me?

How have you decluttered your online spaces / friends list?

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