Smartphone Habits to Increase Productivity & Wellbeing
Wow, is it just me or are Medical Affairs teams busier than ever? It seems that endless hours on video calls and constantly being “on” is the norm now. Everyone is being asked to do more with less. Being productive means being extra smart with our time. Smartphones are like double-edged swords. They can make us more productive and kill our productivity at the same time.
Here are 6 smartphone habits to help you increase your productivity. Bonus: these will help you break your smartphone addiction, spend less time in front of a screen and feel better as well!
6 Smartphone Habits to Increase Productivity
1. No Checking Email at Night
Do you find yourself obsessively checking your email on your phone? Create a “stop working” time and do not look at your email after that time (including personal email!). This gives your brain to relax and disconnect. You need rest, and when you are well rested, you are more productive!
Take this one step further: don’t even have email on your phone! You are significantly faster on your computer.
2. No Phone Usage in the Car (Except Maps)
Are you guilty of reaching for your phone at every stop light? This is a great opportunity to give your brain a break from screens. Let your mind wonder a bit and take a look around.
A rested brain = a productive brain.
3. Do Not Check Your Phone During Meetings
Have you ever been in a meeting and notice how conversations suddenly stop because people are on their phones? It takes forever to get back on task and sucks the productivity out of the meeting. Do not check your phone during meetings and watch how things get done more quickly.
4. Don’t Pick Up Your Phone First Thing
This is the ulitmate productivity killer. There is going to be something on your phone that will derail you first thing in the morning. It puts you into reactive mode, and you are no longer focusing on your priorities. Instead set a block of time to manage your email. Check out my tips on time-blocking.
5. Don’t Jump on Your Phone When You Have a Second
When you have a second, what is the first thing you do? Get on your phone. This will probably have a major distraction on it or something to derail your productivity. If you want to be strategic, you need to be laser focused on your priorities and not let anything get in your way.
Plus being on screens all the time makes us tired.
6. No Social Media Apps on Your Phone
Social media is highly addictive and if you find yourself mindlessly scrolling a lot, removing it from your phone will help. Your time is your most valuable resource! If you want to be productive and feel good, be mindful where you spend your time. Check out my recommendation on Digital Minimalism here.
Conclusion
You probably noticed a lot of these are related to protecting your time. This is critical if you want to be strategic. Not only will spending less time on your phone increase your productivity and make you feel better, it will also help you connect with others and build relationships.
Written by Patrina Pellett, PhD
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