7 tips on how to be more productive

People often ask me how to avoid overusing social media or other activities on my smartphone. I decided to pitch 6 + 1 tips on this topic. Let's dive into it! 1. Turn off notifications Most notifications don't serve you – they serve the app developer. When you use those apps, they make more profit for developers (for example, it allows ads to be shown that you view or click on). Notifications like "Your friend XY just added a new post..." have no benefit to you, so the best idea is to reduce them. 2. Act consciously Before you open an app, think about why you want to do it. Once you've reconsidered your potential action, only then reach for your phone and open the app. Ultimately, you may find that you don't even need to grab your phone this time. 3. Turn off the ringtone Constant ringing or vibrating interferes with your concentration and ability to focus. You can also read your messages later. If you accidentally miss a call, you can call back, or they will call you again. 4. Use a timer Try setting a simple timer (for example, 15 minutes) before you enter the app. Use it to time your time in the app. Social media always has an "infinite feed" of posts. You'll never get to the end of the content. Instead, you get lost in this flood of information and spend more time in the app than you wanted to. When the timer runs out, decide whether to close the app or extend your timer. 5. Replace your smartphone with a "dumb" phone A phone that can only make calls, send and receive texts, show you a calendar, and, of course, has a snake game that can cut into your screen time. It doesn't have many stimuli to distract you. However, this solution has one catch – most people will realise that they miss their Messenger, WhatsApp, timetable, translator and other apps that their friends, family and the rest of the world use daily. Getting their smartphone time under control instead of buying a "dumb" phone seems to be a better solution. 6. Try it in black and white Android phones allow you to switch the screen to black-and-white mode. When apps lose their colours, everything is much less appealing. You'll spend less time on your phone this way. PRO TIP: 7. Install an app that solves everything for you You can solve all of the previous points with an app on your phone that will cut down on unproductive time-wasting: a minimalist phone app. I hope you will find this suggestion helpful. Do you have something to add? 🙂