If you ever talk to me in person or on the phone or read any of my content, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of being organized. Organization leads to less stress and more freedom to spend your time as you please.
Any digital nomad navigating the online business landscape understands the importance of streamlining your digital workspace for efficiency.
Ignoring it may provide temporary relief, but the consequences of clutter and disorganization can become overwhelming over time. Stress accumulates, valuable time is wasted, and a resource that should enhance your business becomes a burden.
I talk all about being organized in my article about having a separate business bank account. Maybe it’s not 100% relevant to your digital workspace. But it is relevant to staying clear and efficient from the start.
Back to this guide and tips for streamlining your digital workspace.
If you haven’t been organizing all along, it could take a while for you to get under control. But don’t worry! All you need to do is complete bite-size tasks each week, and before you know it, you’ll be organized like a pro.
With that organization should come some stress relief, less time searching for things, and clarity. Read that to mean you’ll have more time to do the things you love, spend time with family and friends, and easily find documents when you need them.
Let’s take a look at some Google Drive tips that will help you as you start the process of organizing your business.
Tip 1: Streamline Your Digital Workspace
Download Google Drive (or DropBox) for your desktop!
Do you know what this does?
It means you’ll be able to organize your files right from your computer. No clunky web browser. This can make a big difference in your digital storage system.
No more saving files to a desktop and it becoming so cluttered you can’t see that beautiful background shot anymore. Next time save it right to the correct folder in Google Drive and bam, that’s it. You’re organized, you can easily find it later, and your desktop stays clutter-free!
Using the desktop app allows you to easily find files using relevant keywords. It’s okay if you forget exactly where you placed it. That’s what searching is for!
It’s so easy to do! What are you waiting for? Go ahead and download Google Drive to get started.
Tip 2: Simplify Your Folder Structure
You don’t need a complicated folder structure to feel organized and in control of your digital workspace. Honestly, it’s best if you keep it simple!
My digital workspace has 5 main folders:
- Business Paperwork- items I need for my business including bank statements, receipts, etc.
- Backup – backups for software and some client documents
- My education – educational resources and tools for me
- Taxpayer Education – courses, blog ideas, articles, etc. for my clients
- Photos – for website, headshots, logos, etc.
I break down each main folder into subfolders.
For example, Business Paperwork holds my contractor agreements, W9 information, EIN letter, licensing renewals, business registration and renewals, bank statements, etc. Each of those categories has its own folder to keep things organized.
Don’t have a MISC folder. Everything needs to be categorized and organized.
If you create a MISC folder, you’ll default to that, and trust me, you won’t be able to find things. Everything needs a place. If you can’t find a place for it, then maybe it’s not that important?!?!
Tip 3: Personalize Your Digital Workspace
Make your Google Drive visually appealing and enjoyable to use:
-You can change the color of your Google Drive folders if you want
-You can add Emojis to folder names for a fun touch
-Don’t use names that are too long. Keep it short, simple, and easy to search.
Customize your space to fit your personality and brand and make it more fun to use!
Changing the color of your Google Drive folders can also give you a visual cue. You can use Red for all things business and green for all things client-facing.
Tip 4: Explore Different Views
The way you view your Google Drive can significantly impact your user experience. Experiment with both list view and grid view to determine which one aligns better with your preferences.
Additionally, explore the option to customize the density of your view, choosing between comfortable, cozy, or compact settings. Tailoring the view to your liking ensures a more personalized and comfortable experience, contributing to an efficient workflow within Google Drive.
Tip 5: Preview Documents Without Opening
Saving time is crucial for digital nomads, and previewing documents without opening them can be a game-changer. By simply clicking once to highlight a file and then selecting the eye icon, you can access a pop-up preview of the file.
This feature allows you to quickly assess the content without the need to open the document fully. Whether it’s deciding to open, close, or print the file, this functionality streamlines your file management process and contributes to a more time-efficient workflow.
Tip 6: Bookmark Favorites with Stars
Did you know you can have favorites? If you open certain documents regularly, then favorite them.
Starring folders and files within Google Drive is akin to bookmarking essential items. This feature allows you to quickly access your most frequently used items by adding a star.
How to do this?
Right-click on any item and choose “Add to Starred” for easy retrieval. This ensures that your important files and folders are easily available, reducing time spent searching for frequently accessed content.
Effectively utilizing the star feature streamlines your workflow and enhances overall productivity within Google Drive.
Tip 7: Master Keyboard Shortcuts
Did you even know there are keyboard shortcuts for Google Drive? It took me a while to learn them but here are a few to get you started.
Mastering keyboard shortcuts provides a quick and seamless way to navigate through various functions.
To open a document, hit Enter
Rename an item using “n”
Create a new folder with Shift +F
Preview selected items, hit “p”
Undo your last action, Cmd +Z
Create a new document, Shift + t
Create a spreadsheet, Shift +s
Search in Drive, type /
Go up one folder, type g p
By memorizing and incorporating these shortcuts into your workflow, they become second nature, contributing to a more efficient and fluid user experience within Google Drive.
Tip 8: Enhance Searching Skills
No more taking a while to find the item you need or want. It’s time to learn efficient searching so you can quickly locate what you need. Consider these additional tips:
- Basic Search Tips: Use quotation marks for exact phrases and use operators like OR, AND, +, or – for refined searches.
- Advanced Search Options: Access advanced search options by clicking on the search options icon. Filter searches by type, owner, location, date, item name, or shared status.
Tip 9: Regularly Clean Up Your Drive
Regularly decluttering your digital workspace ensures optimal efficiency and is the best use of space. Even digital space can cost $$$ so it’s important to do some cleanup every so often. Follow these guidelines for optimal space use:
- Time-Based Cleanup: Remove anything more than 2 years old unless essential for financial, legal, or client purposes.
- Duplicate Removal: Delete or archive duplicate files to avoid confusion.
- Relevance Check: Remove files that are no longer relevant, actionable, or useful.
- Storage Management: Check your storage usage regularly and remove large, unnecessary files.
By implementing these tips, you’ll not only organize your Google Drive effectively but also maintain sustained control over your digital workspace. Schedule regular cleanup tasks to prevent digital clutter from accumulating, ensuring a streamlined and efficient work environment.