MEMO FROM NARA

 

When we had limited access to information, we wanted to collect and save information. But nowadays at a click of the mouse, we get information on anything and everything. When I got a table-top computer from my colleagues on the occasion of my retirement in 1998, internet was not very popular. However we used to get the information loaded in cassettes, and then in compact discs (CDs). Information packed in these devices was sold and we buy them in large number and store at home, thinking that we may use them later. But even after 10 years they were not used in most cases.

Of late also, I collected enormous amounts of information on self-help, motivation, photography, science, and many other topics which I liked. Such information is important but they are available for all at anytime and anywhere. Hence we need not accumulate them in files and unnecessarily load our computers. Whenever we need particular information we can get it through search engines like google or yahoo.

In fact, imagination has much more importance than the capacity of accumulating information. Since we have a habit of possession of everything we like including information, we collect, accumulate and store them whether we use them or not. It has become a habit for all of us. It is something like buying number of new dresses or new furniture at different intervals of time and accumulating them without using or using for once or twice. Every house has enormous number of items accumulated over time. One way is to use them or give them to others to use; in other words “declutter” them. Decluttering actually brings abundance.

Psychiatrist Dr. Harish Shetty said that the sight of unorganized and unused furniture, books and other articles causes a sense of heaviness inside the brain, leading to irritability, anger and tiredness. It negatively affects people living with you and your relationship with them. In fact, clutter is one the major causes of marital distress, even divorce. Thus accumulation of unwanted/wanted things at home becomes clutter. So, one has to declutter periodically to keep the house clean. Most of us are not good at it. However people are anyway compelled to do it because of paucity of space. Apartment with less than 1000 sq. ft. is not suitable to accumulate many things. So people are forced to declutter periodically.

Similarly, so many files stored in our computer should be decluttered periodically. The best way is to delete those unused files and store the most important ones in a storing device such as a CD or external hard disc or memory stick/card. In this way, we carry less in our sensitive computers, so that the computer speed increases. Accumulation of information or things appears to be useless beyond a limit. So everyone should follow “use and throw” principle of the West. Less is More!