54% of the global population now owns a smartphone. So, whether you're an iPhone or Android user, it's time to learn how pre-installed and downloadable smartphone apps can boost your productivity.
Smartphones have a built-in camera, calendar, map, calculator, notepad, alarm clock, and more. With all these features and access to social media, news, games, and the weather, it's no surprise that your phone can become a distraction.
However, in this article, we explore seven smartphone apps that can boost your productivity and help you stay organized, whether at work, home, or on the go.
Alarm Clock App
Do you have lots to do today? Set an alarm to ensure you get up early and maximize your day.
Do you need a reminder to take a break when working from home? Set an alarm as breaks can clear your mind and help you be more productive.
Most smartphones come with a clock app that has an alarm setting feature, and more alarm apps are available to download.
You can set as many alarms as you need, but be careful that they don't become a distraction.
Note-taking and Task Manager Apps
Do you need to jot down something while you're out and about but don't have a pen and paper? Use a note-taking or task manager app. This makes capturing ideas and adding things to your to-do list as easy as tapping your screen.
Your smartphone likely has a pre-installed notes app where you can easily create to-do lists, shopping lists, and folders.
However, you might consider using a task manager app to benefit from extra features such as being able to set deadlines, reminders, and share your lists with others. Here are a few task manager apps available to download:
- ● ClickUp. ClickUp is a task management app which allows individuals to create and organize tasks in a hierarchical structure using lists, reminders, goals, and calendars.
- ● Notion. Notion is a productivity and note-taking app that has a range of organizational features such as task management, project tracking, to-do lists, and bookmarking.
- ● Evernote. Evernote is a note-taking and task-management app for creating notes with embedded photos, audio, and saved web content that can be saved in virtual notebooks.
Calendar and Task Management Apps
Your smartphone most likely has a pre-installed calendar app, where you can keep track of your doctors and dentist appointments, work events, and upcoming vacations.
However, if you have a partner and/or children, creating a shared calendar is one of the most simple but effective ways to keep track of what's happening to ensure you never miss your kids' sports match. You can do this on Google Calendar from your smartphone.
In addition, you can download a free task management app that enhances how you manage your calendar. Task management apps allow you to create multiple calendars and organize things into different categories: work, personal, kids, and partner.
Screen Time Settings
You should be able to track your screen time and phone usage in the settings of your smartphone. Once you know your phone usage habits, you can make adjustments to boost your productivity.
For example, if you notice you spend too much time on social media, you could consider restricting yourself to only scrolling through social media at certain times of the day - when you are not working.
In addition, if you're really concerned about your screen time, you could download an app that gives a more detailed insight into your phone usage, such as:
- ● Social Fever. With a focus on social media, you can monitor the time spent on various platforms, manage notifications, and set your own usage limits.
- ● Digital Wellbeing. Digital Wellbeing tells you exactly how often you are using the apps on your device, how many notifications appear, and how frequently you unlock or check your device. In addition, the focus mode intelligently pauses the apps causing the most distraction.
- ● Screen Time. You can manage screen time for individual apps, filter and view web history, and gain valuable insights into your children's phone usage.
Password Managers
Trying to remember different passwords for various online accounts can be a hassle and forgetting a password is a huge waste of time, because you must go through the timely process of resetting it.
Most smartphones have the ability to autofill your passwords when you need to log in to an online account, which saves time.
However, you could also consider downloading a password manager such as LastPass or Bitwarden, which stores all your passwords in one location and has built-in password generators to help you create more secure passwords.
Reminders
Using the reminder app on your smartphone has many benefits, including:
- ● You won't miss crucial commitments and appointments. The notifications will ensure you are where you need to be.
- ● Reduced stress. Reminders lessen the stress and anxiety associated with deadlines or missed appointments.
- ● Free up mental space. You free up your mental space by offloading the responsibility of remembering tasks to reminders, leading to increased productivity.
- ● Easy to adjust. You can easily adjust reminders to suit changing priorities or rescheduled commitments.
- ● Increases collaboration. You can share your reminders with family members or colleagues to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Camera App
By taking a picture of something important with your smartphone camera, you could save several minutes by not having to search for that information again when you need it.
Here are some examples of how your camera can help with productivity:
- ● If you are a student, take pictures of important sections of your workbooks instead of spending hours making notes.
- ● If you are writing a shopping list, take some pictures of your fridge and cupboards to know what items you already have.
- ● If you see an advertisement for a product or service you are interested in, take a picture so you have the information to place your order at a time that suits you.
- ● If you are off on vacation, take a picture of any important documents in case you need them and don’t have them at hand.
Wrapping Up
In today's digital age, it's almost impossible to imagine a life without a smartphone; they're always in our pockets, bags or hands. So, it's essential to understand how to use apps on your phone as productivity tools.
The key to boosting your productivity is eliminating distractions, staying on top of tasks, and optimizing the use of pre-installed and downloadable apps.
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