Everyone has a smartphone, but only a fraction of people use it productively. Instead of using your smartphone for wasting time, you could be using your smartphone as a productivity tool to get more done, reducing your stress levels and creating a better work-life. Today, we’ll give you three valuable tips on how to change the way you use your smartphone as a productivity tool.
Make Productivity Front and Center
The first tip is pretty simple: choose productivity over distraction. If you are like most people, your home screen is filled with the apps you use the most: These are usually Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Tik Tok, and Facebook. These five apps alone make up about seven-out-of-every-10 minutes of the 3.8 trillion hours spent on apps in 2021. That’s not to say you aren’t doing anything productive on those sites, but by in large, if you are contributing to that massive number, you are probably wasting some time.
One way to immediately boost productivity with your smartphone is by taking these apps off your home screen and replacing them with apps that help build a more productive experience. Choosing current events apps, wellness apps, and other positive influences will change the way you use your phone, even if it’s just a touch. You will probably still use those other apps more than any other, but having these other apps at your literal fingertips every time you unlock your phone, will get you to use them more.
Limit or Turn Off Notifications
Nothing can hinder productivity on a device more than getting constant notifications. It can take an average of 23 minutes to get back to your original task after being distracted by a notification. Unfortunately, people refuse to silence the notifications on their devices. Not to say that is that surprising, as people depend on their push notifications. However, knowing what we know about the importance of focusing on productivity, notifications can reduce organizational productivity by over 30 percent.
If you are struggling to focus on your work because you get a notification a minute, consider setting your phone to Do Not Disturb. This is an easy-to-navigate option on iOS and Android and can go a long way toward keeping your mind on your work, rather than on your five group chats and fantasy football updates.
Don’t Extend Your Scrolling into Work
You know when you are on your lunch break or the few minutes before a meeting starts where almost everyone is scrolling through their phones looking at social media, replying to messages, or playing games? They are necessary. What isn’t required is continuing to do so when you are on the clock or in a meeting. Sure, that recipe for spanakopita looks appealing, but if you are trying to boost your productivity, it can wait.
Unfortunately, a lot of people will not only read the recipe, they’ll watch the video and share it with their friends before getting down to business. You have to be mindful of the empty time you spend on your phone, especially if it is keeping you from improving your Florida business.
Smartphones can be useful, but they can also present an outlet for distraction and waste a lot of time. Do you have any tips you can share that can help people use their smartphones as a productivity tool? Leave your thoughts in the comments and check back soon for more productivity tips. Consider setting up a Device Management Policy to keep people happy and productive during the work day. We can help you create one.
