Naturally, when we think of spring cleaning, thoughts of decluttering forgotten cabinet spaces, organizing storage, and letting go of things that we’ve outgrown immediately come to mind. Releasing things that no longer serve a purpose or take up space can help us cleanse our corners of stale energy when we’re looking to let in what’s new. But when it comes to taking part in the seasonal routine of spring cleaning, it’s not just our living quarters that could use the extra attention.
Much like our places of dwelling, we can’t forget our digital spaces as we refresh, reorganize, and declutter for the season ahead.
For many of us, our phones, laptops, and social media apps are an extension of our daily lives and habits. We use them to connect, unplug, store memories, and document the most important moment of our lives as they unfold. The average person spends up to 147 minutes per day on social media worldwide, which means that there’s a high chance that what we store in the digital world can outweigh that of our material and personal spaces. In other words, it might be time to do a sweep of your digital spaces and tidy some things up.
From emails and unread group chat texts, to forgotten subscriptions and unfollowing social media accounts that no longer serve you, spring is the perfect time to take your deep cleaning digital. By taking the time to spring to clean your digital space, you can create a more organized and efficient home for yourself online; to get you started, we’ve put together some tips to get your cleaning spree off on the right foot.
1.Get Your Inbox Down to Zero
Depending on the day, our inbox can go from zero to 100+ real quick. And while it may be the goal for some to keep our inboxes down to the single digits, random promotions, newsletter updates, and accidental reply-all messages may keep us from maintaining that goal. Catch up on all those missed emails, delete your spam folder, and if you're receiving newsletters or emails that you no longer want, take the time to unsubscribe from them.
2.Subscriptions and Streaming Services, Canceled.
Speaking of canceling, have you checked on those free trials you signed up for lately? If you haven’t already, there’s no better time than now to avoid unwanted charges to your account by canceling your trial periods and letting go of streaming services you’re not utilizing. We’re saving our coins this year, so no need to have them take your money if you’re not even using their services.
3.It’s Okay To Hit the ‘Unfollow’ Button
In recent times, social media has evolved beyond being a mere platform for sharing aesthetically pleasing images. With apps like TikTok and Instagram, we now have access to a constant stream of content that can impact our mental well-being and shape our self-perception. While certain accounts may have been enjoyable in the past, it is perfectly acceptable to move on from topics and conversations that no longer align with our personal growth. Deciding to unfollow accounts does not always indicate a personal grudge, but rather a positive decision to maintain a social circle that is free from negativity.
4.Update Your Link in Bio
If you have a business, portfolio, or creative platform that’s worth sharing, it’s important to have the link in your bio on lock. In most cases, this is the first touch point that potential clients or brands have to find you and connect for future opportunities, so make it easy for them to find everything they need to reach out. Sites like Norby and Squarespace make it super easy (and free) to set up a landing page that’s engaging and has all your important details in one, easy-to-locate spot.
5.Free Up Some Space on Your Phone
There’s always an app or two that we downloaded with the best of intentions to use but just never got around to — and it’s okay to let those go. Dedicate an hour to deleting old apps, storage-eating videos, and screenshots that you can let go of. While you’re at it, take a moment to give your computer that update you’ve been putting off. Go ahead, we’re not judging.
6.Give Your Desktop a Scrub
We spend a lot of time on our laptops, so much so that we might not even recognize just how much we’ve let pile up on our desktops and let loose downloads go untamed. If our digital space is any reflection of our mental space, then our home screens should be well-maintained with important documents in their proper home. Consider creating folders for different types of files, such as documents, photos, and music, and move all relevant files into their appropriate folders. Clear out your old bookmark tabs. Delete old downloads that are taking up valuable space, and for a little extra razzle-dazzle, choose a new wallpaper that fits your spring vibe.
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While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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