Tech Tip #134: Organize Your Tech for Back-to-School
It’s August!
Time for back to school season and as parents, we want our kids ready to do their best before we send them off into the world. Whether grade school or college-aged, technology plays a big part in modern education, extra-curricular activities, and everyday professional life.
Is your child’s bag full of gadgets and a tangle of cables? Does the home – or even office – workstation look like a bowl of cable spaghetti? Do you even use that 5-year-old printer that is just gathering dust in the corner?
It's a stressful time, that's why we've put together a few tips and tools that may give parents and students an academic advantage this semester.
Here are the top 3 things you can do to organize your tech clutter:
- Recycle – A good rule of thumb to keep in mind – If you haven’t used it in 6 months, recycle it or donate it. There are multiple programs to recycle old tech. Of course, ensure that no data exists on the device first. If you're unsure how to do so, give us a call, we're here to help!
- Consolidate, label, and organize that desk! Ready your home, dorm, or home office desk for homework and telecommuting by taming cables. Unplug everything, and use these cable management tips to make things look clean and neat.
- Bundle your cables – if they all go one direction, bind them with a zip tie or Velcro wrap to consolidate to one big cable, then plug it in appropriately.
- Use wireless if possible – wireless charging for mobile devices has come a long way, and Bluetooth mice and keyboards can make your workstation look clean and tidy. (Note, wired configurations still work better for the most part, but wireless looks cleaner!)
- Use a cable organizer in your bag. Phone charger, laptop charger, external hard drives, headphones, batteries, thumb drives, adapters can get lost, tangled, or damaged in bags if they aren’t managed. I’m a huge fan of the Grid-It system which locks the items in the rubberized straps for easy access.
As business owners, we have to apply the same strenuous care to ensuring our systems are secure and running smoothly. At CTTS, we understand this need and make it our duty to keep systems operating properly so that business owners and employees can get their jobs done without stressing over IT.
That’s why the tips shared today apply not just to back-to-school technology but also to businesses as well.
We are prepared to assist you in managing your cybersecurity in a way that best suits your business needs and priorities. For more information, Contact CTTS today at (512) 388-5559, we are the local IT Support and Managed Services Provider for Georgetown, Round Rock, Austin, and the surrounding areas, and we're happy to provide a free cybersecurity assessment for you and your business, and help you determine what your business needs technology-wise. We handle IT so you can focus on what you do best.
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By Josh Wilmoth
CEO, Central Texas Technology Solutions