#022 - Efficiency Tips - Control Your Phone!

Control Your Phone Cell phones, mobile phone, smart phones...they have many names. One thing is certain, smartphone addiction is growing and it's sapping your energy and your creativity and it's time to take back control with these top tips. First of all, here is a list of apps that can help you to exert more control over your 'phone (I know, Irony Klaxon, get an app to control your app addiction!) Mute justmuteit.com The newest app in this genre, Mute tracks screen-time and pickups, and logs your “detox streaks” with an emphasis on celebrating the latter. Moment inthemoment.io Moment sets daily limits on your usage, and will even try to force you off the device with a barrage of notifications if you choose that option. Space space-app.com Space starts with a quiz to assign you a phone-user “type” (from Rabbit Hole Wanderer to Sticky Social Mitt) and then helps you set goals to change your habits. Hold holdstudent.com Aimed at students, Hold tracks how much time they spend not using their phone, and converts that into points to be redeemed for real-world rewards. Forest forestapp.cc Forest takes a different approach: starting the app plants a virtual tree, which grows for as long as you don’t quit the app (and thus use other ones), but dies if you exit. But sometimes it’s the simple things; the little things that make the biggest difference. Discipline is one of them. 1. Get one of the apps above to help you 2. Do not use your phone as an alarm clock 3. Use pen and paper to record thoughts 4. Switch off your phone during the day 5. Do not take your phone into your bedroom at night 6. Turn off notifications 7. You are not a dog so stop acting like one 8. Are you choosing your 'phone over a relationship 9. A phone is a tool, not a ball and chain References Salehan, M. & Negahban, A. (2013). Social networking on smartphones: When mobile phones become addictive. Computers in Human Behavior, 29. Stothart, C., Mitchum, A. & Yehnert, C. (2015). The Attentional Cost of Receiving a Cell Phone Notification. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. van Deursen, et al. (2015). Modeling habitual and addictive smartphone behavior The role of smartphone usage types, emotional intelligence, social stress, self-regulation, age, and gender. Computers in Human Behavior, 45 All success leave clues. The Skill Stack shows you what to look for and more importantly, like any great recipe, the correct order of the ingredients and skills is as important. For all the underlying links and transcript, go to: www.TheSkillStack.com/podcast You can get us in our Twitter account: @TheSkillStack email us on: [email protected]