Chris Lam Connects

Digital Marketing Consulting & Training

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Old Files Are Like Your Old Underwear: Drags You Down

What’s up, Reader,

How many of you still wear underwear that’s 10 years old or older?

This is the year you trash your old underwear:

… with the stretched out elastic, holey boxers, your old underwear you wear during your period, and the underwear that is uncomfortable but you kept it because they looked cute. I looked at my underwear drawer and oh boy do I have some old ass underwear. Like, over 12 years old. BEFORE MY CHILD WAS BORN.

Old underwear is like the old files in your computer or phone. They just take up space. You only use them when you’re down to the last pair because of your period or you’re bloated or you didn’t do laundry for a few weeks. My old underwear takes up so much space in my small drawer and it clutters the good stuff I want to wear. Like, I spent good money on new underwear in a new size that fits. (On sale, only, of course! Money doesn’t grow on trees!)

This clutter of old underwear drags down the drawer. You have to do a lot of searching to find the good stuff.

This is the year you:

  1. remove old programs and apps you do not use on your phone and computer – are you really using Photoshop or can you dump it because you’re using Canva and Adobe Express? Are you really using 14 font apps or just 1-2? Are you really using ChatGPT or can you make due with Bard?
  2. remove or archive old file folders – Do you really need that project folder from 2014 right in the forefront of your dashboard in Dropbox or Google Drive? Or can you move it under “Archived Projects 2014” or “Projects / Archived / 2014”?
  3. clean up your contacts in Contacts List – if this is too hard, then start moving people you don’t like into a folder. Keep your usual contacts up front. Everyone else gets “archived.” (I’m going to use that word A LOT today.)
  4. clean up your photos in your phone – there are duplicates and old screenshots. Use iPhone’s dedupe and also delete stuff you really don’t need anymore. Think you might need that b-roll video? Move it to a folder.
  5. archive your emails from 2019 and before that. You’re likely never going to need that confirmation email from that restaurant in 2019. You already dined there.

These are all doable tasks. Pick a year to archive folders and files. For me, every time I’m done with a client, they’re moved to Archived Clients.

I looked at an old email inbox I’ve had since 2000. I archived everything. I do not want to see my email argument with a “friend” about Christians and child molestation. We are done. You’ll never change my mind. Archived.

Isn’t this great? Archive that underwear that drags you down (or your computer and phone down). Clear up that space for the files you do need and work with today.

Bits and Pieces

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Sadly, the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Businesses Program in Southern California will no longer have a SoCal in-person presence. I’ll be wrapping up my teaching with them by end of May, which means I need your help! I’d love to continue teaching and workshopping with small business owners and organizations. Will you please keep an eye out for me when you are out and about? More on this another time.

Good luck with dumping your old underwear. I mean, your old files and apps.

Reply back with “DID IT” if you’ve removed at least one app or archived one folder. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear from you!

Chris

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“He [Buddy] is such an asshole, he was so disrespectful to my friends Priscilla and Bella, who I work with… and to my mother. If you are watching this, I can’t stand you and I hope your business burns.” – Renee Rapp, my new favorite Gen Z person.

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