At least once a year, better twice, take a few minutes to clean your computer. Inside and out.

First, make a backup of every possible data file. No need to backup programs if you have the original disks. If you downloaded programs, you should have the original download (before installation) saved on a disk or burned on a CD.

This step is here because most folks don't do backups. The day will come (so many us us know the feeling) when it goes KaPow! and you realize how long ago or incomplete the backs were. Backups are a tough habit to build, so much time sitting in front of the monitor with a creeping blue line.

On to spring cleaning Dust can kill your computer, and with it, valuable information you thought you had backed up.

At least twice a year clean your drives with an inexpensive cleaning kit. Vacuum any dirt off your cooling fan in the back. Clean the keyboard with a new paintbrush, get the gook out from between the keys. Clean the monitor screen as per directions in the monitor book.

While you are at it, reorganize your hard drive for greater efficiency. Run De-Frag. Search for files that haven’t been modified in the last six months or year. If they’re not being used, get them off your hard drive.

Put this project on a schedule and do it at  time change month each year. That’s April and October.

©2004 BIG Mike McDaniel, Professional Speaker and Former Major Market TV News Anchor. The BIG Ideas Group helps small business grow with mastermind groups, seminars and sales training. MailTo: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it http://BIGIdeasGroup.com