With only hours left in 2010, it is high time to consider your New Year’s resolutions if you haven’t already. While you’re at it, you might want to add “not procrastinating on making resolutions” to the list. When considered, all resolutions essentially share the same theme.
Whether it’s getting into shape, doing better in school, or going for that big promotion at work, self improvement is the most common underlying trend. As such, we thought that it would be fitting to compile a list of Mac-themed resolutions. The following tips–when adhered to–will lead to an improved and enlightened Mac user experience in 2011.
*Clean Up That Desktop:*
Having a messy desktop can actually consume valuable system resources if left unchecked. Though it’s a subtle sluggishness, if you have hundreds of unkempt icons constructing your desktop “wallpaper,” your Mac’s performance is likely taking a hit. While moving your extraneous files into a single “stuff” folder will temporarily remedy the situation, a great resolution is to organize your files once and for all.
See if you can get your desktop down to just the Macintosh HD icon! Remember you have Stacks, Spotlight, and of course, your Home Folder to help keep you organized.
__Editor’s note: Remember that, depending on your back-up method, your desktop may not be included, so keeping your works-in-progress there is generally a bad idea. One thing I do is create shortcuts to current projects (in folders–and I try to keep the number to no more than two aside from the HD icon) on my desktop that really live somewhere else. -KH__
*Back it Up!*
Thanks to Apple’s automated Time Machine backup software, this resolution requires the least amount of effort. If you aren’t already backing up on a frequent basis with the included utility, then you are subjecting yourself and your data to a completely avoidable risk. Don’t wait until you’re personally struck by data loss!
The dollar-to-gigabyte ratio is better than it’s ever been, and there are drives to fit every lifestyle and budget. If you do nothing more for your Mac in 2011, pick up an external hard drive and start backing up.
__Editor’s note: My rule of thumb is to use a backup drive that has at least as much space on it as your internal drive, and then add 20%. (So if your internal drive is 250GB, get a 300GB backup drive.) That way, in case of emergency, you can use that drive to back up the entire contents of your internal drive even if it’s full. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen people in a bind where they need to back up what’s on their computer, but there’s not enough room–no one ever believes they’ll use all of those GBs, but somehow they always manage to do so! -KH__
*Keep Software Up to Date*
Though the Mac App Store promises to make tediously sifting through your Applications folder checking for updates a thing of the past, it doesn’t mean this isn’t an important routine to follow for existing applications. Keeping software up to date–especially when it’s from Apple directly, keeps your machine running smoothly.
While Software Update automates the process when it comes to Apple’s own software, it’s a good habit to check third party apps for updates every so often. On the 6th of next year, this too will be partially automated thanks to the Mac App Store (though not every third party app will be immediately available on Apple’s debuting platform). Even if it’s just keeping an eye out for updates in iTunes and the Mac App Store, don’t run outdated software in 2011!
__Editor’s note: Software updates can be an easy way to troubleshoot when things aren’t acting the way they should. (We always ask, “Did you recently update?” or “Did you update the driver to make sure it’s the most recent version?” when helping to troubleshoot software and peripheral issues.) Word to the wise, though. If you run important third party applications, make sure you read their compatibility notes. You will always want to make sure that your operating system and additional apps stay in sync–for example, if an update to 10.6 comes out and you run Software Update, you *may* have a delay in complete compatibility with a third party plug-in. -KH__
*Take Out the Trash*
If you’re the digital equivalent to TLC’s ‘Hoarders,’ 2011 marks a great opportunity to start letting old files go. It always surprises me to find friends storing gigabytes of files in their Trash. Chances are those files are in the Trash for a reason… to be deleted.
If you’ve fallen into the habit of using the Trash as a organizational tool for files that you “probably don’t need,” it may be a good idea to reconsider your organizational process. Emptying your Trash regularly will enable you to reclaim precious disk space. If you keep regular backups of your data, parting with old files should be easy.
__Editor’s note: Too often, people wonder why they don’t have as much free space as they thought on their Macs; the assumption tends to be that if it’s in the Trash, it’s gone. Since that’s not the case (for safety purposes, giving you two chances to save something if it got there by accident), just get in the habit of doing it manually! -KH__
*Thin Your Inbox*
We’re all guilty of it. With flurries of work related and personal emails coming in on a daily basis, it’s easy for messages to clutter your inbox. Though Apple has implemented some great search features into Mail, they’re no replacement for a solid system of folders and smart folders (known as Mailboxes and Smart Mailboxes in Apple Mail).
Especially in the instance of Smart Mailboxes, you can task Mail with doing the hard organizational work for you. By customizing the Mailbox’s preferences around a set of criteria, messages can be sorted in a nearly limitless number of ways. It’s like having your own personal post office!
__Editor’s note: Keep in mind that Smart Folders do not actually move the messages out of your inbox, they merely just act as a sorting mechanism. While most email accounts handle large numbers of messages in the inbox very well (Gmail is a good example), there are others that will be bogged down considerably by thousands and thousands of messages. On average, I receive anywhere from 50-75 messages a day in my Small Dog inbox, so I’ve started archiving by a) time period and b) subject. Anything prior to 2010 is archived, and all of my listserv emails are divided into separate folders. Play around with what works best for you–Mail is a powerful tool! -KH__
