Over 6.5 billion people own smartphones worldwide, and you might be one of them. While using your phone’s basic features is convenient, there’s a lot more it can offer. You can turn it into a productivity and success tool with a few tricks. To make this happen, it’s all about your mindset. If you see your phone as a tool to enhance your focus and productivity, it can do just that. Here are five hacks that can change your phone from a time-waster into a catalyst for self-improvement.
Set your home screen up for success
Your phone’s home screen is prime real estate, and it’s wise to use it strategically. Consider placing your most-used and vital apps there to save time searching for them. Having these apps readily visible can also motivate you to be productive. Moreover, maintaining a clean and uncluttered home screen can help reduce stress and create a sense of calm. You can organize similar apps into folders and add widgets for quick access to essential information like the weather, calendar events, or currency exchange rates.
Save time with a password manager tool
Tech.co reports that the average person has to manage around 100 passwords, a challenging feat given the complexity of password requirements. These mandates often demand a mix of numbers, symbols, and varying letter cases. Dealing with forgotten passwords can be a headache, with recovery and reset processes sometimes more cumbersome than creating new accounts.
Fortunately, there are reliable tools like LastPass, a secure browser extension that stores your passwords in an encrypted vault. With LastPass, all you need to remember is your master password to access your entire collection of passwords. It’s so effective that some companies make it mandatory for their employees to use, streamlining operations, enhancing security, and reducing the risk of data loss.
Take full advantage of your camera
Do you recall the time when cameras became a standard feature on phones? It brought tremendous convenience, eliminating the need to carry an extra gadget during trips and important events, especially with the ever-improving image quality. There are numerous ways to maximize your phone’s camera for added convenience.
For instance, instead of jotting down a shopping list, simply take a picture of your pantry and fridge before heading to the store—no more forgetting to buy milk! Additionally, snap a photo of your parked car to save time finding it in the parking lot, and capture store signs displaying details like opening hours.
Using the camera function is also beneficial for scanning apps, which can often outperform actual scanners. You can use it to photograph important documents or receipts to prevent potential loss and take screenshots of crucial emails or messages you don’t want to hunt for later.
Turn off your notifications
Dealing with notifications can be quite challenging. While they can be exciting and give a rush of dopamine with every ding and buzz, they can also significantly disrupt productivity, as noted by Optimize Yourself. If your goal is to enter and maintain a state of creativity, stay focused, and accomplish meaningful tasks, it might be best to bid farewell to those notifications.
Studies mentioned in Fast Company indicate that it can take more than 23 minutes to regain focus after being interrupted and distracted by a notification. This is likely one reason why the Focus Mode feature on Apple devices, which lets users decide when to receive alerts, has become so popular.
Track your screen time
Knowledge is indeed a powerful tool. A significant online technology publication, Make Use Of, suggests that understanding the amount of time you dedicate to particular apps on your smartphone is essential. By monitoring your screen time, you gain valuable insights into your most frequently used apps, enabling you to make informed decisions to enhance your productivity.
