Just the tips
Manage Your Email Accounts
Staying up to date (Inbox Zero)
I recommend spending at least 15-20 minutes a day going thru your emails and sorting them into folders if needed. Having too many emails in your inbox can cause you to miss an important one. (Once this becomes a routine, you might not need to spend as much time.)
Subscriptions
You might have signed up to receive emails, maybe for discount coupons or sales. Some companies send you emails periodically and others send you way too much, sometimes once a day. I feel like that's a bit much to get emails from a company daily. I say this because if you go without checking your email for a couples day, they start to pile up especially if you are signed up with multiple companies.
You should evaluate what you are signed up for and think about unsubscribing if you haven't used their service in a while. Sometimes there are other options, like receiving fewer emails. Some companies have options to cut back on the amount of emails they send you, maybe cut back to just receive once a week or once a month.
2-Step Verification
When you want to sign into your account, you usually just sign in with a username and a password, which is the basics and isn't as secure even with a strong password. With 2-Step Verification, it offers you an extra layer of protection, besides passwords. It’s hard for cyber criminals to get the second authentication factor.
A couple ways of using 2-Step Verification:
Text Message: You receive a code that you would then type in to sign in to your account.
Authenticator Apps: Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator.
Authenticator Apps are the best route to use for 2-step. It's a Time-Based One-Time Password algorithm. Which means, that the app generates a unique, time-sensitive six digit code to sign into your account. The code refreshes every 30 seconds with a new code.
So if you haven't already done so, go and make sure your accounts are set up with 2-Step Verification. Here's a link that shows what websites and apps use this security feature. twofactorauth.org
Keeping Your Devices Updated And Protected
Software and Apps
Regularly check at least once a week for any software/app updates on your computer/tablet/phone. It's always good to be up to date sometimes it's bug fixes, system security, or new features. Now when it comes to a big update as in a new version of a operating system like MacOS or iPhone iOS, sometimes you want to wait about a week for any bug fixes that usually comes with new versions. (I usually update on the first or 2nd day, I guess I'm a risk taker.)
Backing up your files
You should always keep a backup of your files by using an external hard drive. I would recommend to keep it connected to your computer and set it up to do a daily backup of you files.
Apple macOS
Apple has an option thats called Time Machine, which backs up all of your files to an external drive which gives you the option to restore them later or see how a file looked in the past. It's a great feature that's quick to setup and you don't have to worry about making sure it's backed up. More details on how to setup Time Machine.
Windows
Windows 10 also has a built in feature that lets you backup and make copies of your files which is also easy to set up. More details on how to backup your files.
iPhone & iPad
You have a couple options on backing up your iPhone/iPad.
iTunes to backup your device, but you have to remember to back it up on a regular basis. If you forget to backup for a while and happen to lose or break your phone, you take that risk of losing some of your images, videos, etc.
iCloud is one of the easier options of saving your files, which backs up everything. Backs up contacts, calendars, notes, photos/videos, iMessages, call history, home screen layout, etc. This is also one that might cost you a monthly fee since you will probably need more cloud storage than Apple free 5GB option. Plans start at $0.99 for 50GB, $2.99 for 200GB, $9.99 for 2TB. You can also share the storage with Apples "Family Sharing".
Prepare Yourself For The Next Day
Clothes
The night before a work day, set out the clothes that you plan to wear the next day. Doing this saves you time and it's one less thing to worry about in the morning. Also if you need to iron any clothes, make sure you do that the night before; that can save you about 10 minutes in the morning.
Wallet, Keys, Etc.
Have a spot where you keep your keys, wallet/purse, and anything else that you usually take with you everyday. Sometimes there are days where you might forget where you left your keys and you end up running around looking for it. So having that designated spot also gives you one less thing to worry about in the morning.
To-Do List
It's always great to make a list of things to do or remember for the next day. creating a list helps you start the day already knowing what you need to get done. Also setting a timed reminder helps too, but more on that under the "To-Do's & Reminders" section.
To-Do's & Reminders
There are days where you feel like you have a 1000 things to do and have no clue how you're going to get it all done. You feel overwhelmed by how much you need to do day to day, and you might even forget some of what you needed to do. And that's why you need to start creating To-Do lists.
Organization
One of the most important reasons for having a to-do list is being organization. Organizing your task with a lists can make you see the clear outline of what's completed and uncompleted, and that helps you feel organized and stay mentally focused.
Clear Headed
Nobody is capable of remembering everything all the time. Having to-do lists can help free up your mind so you don't have to remember since you have it written down. Once you create your list, the only thing you have to remember is that you have a to-do list.
Productivity
If you write down all of your tasks in a to-do list, you can easily review the list and prioritize the most important tasks. Sometimes you will be working on one thing and thinking about what you need to do next, or worry about if you forgot something. But with a list, you don't have to worry because it's right in front of you.