Axios Finish Line

March 14, 2023
Welcome back!
- Smart Brevity™ count: 279 words ... 1 min.
1 big thing: Real effects of virtual messes

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Here's something that surprised us: Clutter on our desktops and in our inboxes affects our mental health the same way a messy room does.
- It can stress us out, increase anxiety and erode productivity, The New York Times reports. And it requires cleanup, just like our physical environment does.
What's happening: Phone and computer storage capacity keep increasing — leaving little incentive to get rid of the screenshots or emails that are piling up on our devices.
- But the hoarding could be bogging us down — or, at the very least, slowing our devices down.
What to do: A purge of our online worlds can be just as daunting as finally addressing a sink full of dishes or an overflowing closet.
The Times offers some tips to get started:
- Do it in bursts. Don't try to reorganize your entire digital life in one afternoon. Take small chunks — like just clearing up your desktop.
- Do it in bulk. Unlike our homes, our devices allow us to select messages or pics in large quantities and delete them at once.
- Plan ahead. Look for settings on your phone or computer that automatically delete emails after a certain amount of time. Chances are you won't be referring back to that email several weeks later — even if you think you should hang onto it ... just in case.
🏀 Superstar for the road

If you've been following college basketball, you've likely heard of Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark, who'll be leading the No. 2-seeded Hawkeyes as they go for a national title.
- Stat that'll make your jaw drop: Clark alone has more unassisted 3s than 357 entire teams in NCAA women's basketball.