5 Tips for Minimizing Mobile Device Distractions
It is hard to imagine how we functioned before mobile devices. These powerful little devices give us a world of communication, collaboration, and information at our fingertips, along with the ability to work almost anywhere. But mobile devices can also drain productivity with a constant barrage of alerts and distractions.
In one recent study, 55 percent of employees admitted using their mobile devices for non-work activities during work hours. More than two-thirds (69 percent) said they regularly text and check personal emails during work hours. All this adds up to 2.5 hours each workday on average.
What’s more, mobile phone distractions negatively impact our health. In one study, 28 percent of workers said that checking their devices for one minute made them feel stressed.
With a few simple hacks, you can minimize distractions and turn your mobile devices into more powerful productivity tools:
Turn off notifications. Notifications from various apps and services constantly vie for our attention, creating one of the biggest mobile device distractions. You do not even have to look at the device — notification sounds alone cause most of us to lose focus. Easily eliminate the problem by turning them off.
Use the Do Not Disturb feature. If you are hesitant to turn off certain notifications, use the Do Not Disturb feature. This allows you to silence phone calls and notifications for a set period. You can also select to receive calls from specific people.
Rearrange the main screen. We are more likely to access apps on the device’s main screen. Move productivity-killing apps like social media to another screen and fill your main screen with apps that increase productivity. Add handy information such as weather to your lock screen where you can see it at-a-glance.
Use apps that save you time. Password managers, time-management apps and other tools can help you speed through common tasks and stay organized.
Track device usage. Most devices track data on usage, and you can access reports in the Settings app.