We love our smartphones and keep them close, even when we’re sleeping. We pay hefty monthly contracts for our lovely little gadgets. But are we actually getting all of the smarts our smartphones have to offer? Most of us use our smart phones for activities like watching movies, playing games, and browsing the web shows a smartphone consumer study by Edison Research. Those activities are fun and there’s nothing wrong with them but, the study highlights something important: we’re losing out on productivity features that save us time and reduce our stress. With three smart and simple changes you’ll have more time for those fun activities and justify that monthly bill.
Our smartphones are excellent at handling our busy lives provided they have the proper tools. So hold off on the movie or game and make some room for three productivity tools on your smartphone. Once you realize how effortless it becomes staying on top of the important things in your life your stress and worry will fade away paving the way for more smartphone fun.
Tasks
1. Capturing and managing tasks is the first step in smartening up the way you use your smartphone. Tracking tasks transforms you into the master of your own destiny because you choose how to spend your time each day making sure the important to-do’s in your life don’t slip through the cracks. This simple change in tracking tasks and when they are due eclipses the productivity power of what your brain could do before.
Calendars
2. Because of the reminder function they provide, calendar apps are another important tool in your arsenal of time savers. A typical calendar app will capture appointments and events however, setting reminders far in advance, not for just an hour before, provide the real benefit. These reminders allow you to prepare early for meetings, be proactive, and stay aware of your agenda for upcoming days and weeks. Running late, getting caught off-guard, or unprepared for events and appointments will become a thing of the past once you’ve mastered capturing and setting reminders.
Notes
3. Often we need to access information on the go making a note taking application on our smartphone the ideal tool since it’s always with us. You can capture addresses, instructions, web links, meeting notes, and your own ideas saving them for later when you need them the most. Keeping your important information at the ready on your smartphone not only makes you look smart but makes for a smart proactive habit for all you do.
Once you load a good task tracking app, a calendar app, and a note taking app make sure you add shortcuts on your home screen so you can quickly access these apps when you need the most. These three simple tips for using your smartphone make you proactive, giving time to the most important things in your life while leaving you plenty of time to kick back, watch a movie, browse the web, or play your favorite game. Improving your life while still having time for fun makes your smartphone worth every penny.