5 Steps to a Less Distracting Phone

Smartphones are a great source of information and distraction.  They are a necessary and ubiquitous tool that we use each day, However,  it may also be working against us.  Phones are set up at the factory to notify and show us everything that goes on in our digital universe.  Here are 5 simple steps to make your phone a better tool and less of a distraction:  

Step 1:

Remove any app you have never used from your Home Screens.  It can remain in your library, but get it off the screens.

Step 2:   

Put all apps in folders:  Work, School, Social Media, Money, Transportation and navigation, Travel, Food, Health, Utilities, lists/Notes, Family, and Home, are some that I use.  

Step 3:

Consolidate all email accounts into one calendar - work, school, and personal.  Keep your work email inbox in a separate email app.  

Step 4:   

Move anything unrelated to school, work, or the calendar off of the first Home Screen.  Only keep communication apps, photos, email, text, calendar, things for work and school, and any productivity apps.  

Step 5:  

Go to notifications and turn off everything you don’t need - no games, no entertainment, no media.  Only Emails, Texts, calls, calendars, food delivery/rideshare, or other time-sensitive announcements should make noise and have banners/badges.

These simple steps will still allow the convenience of phones but with fewer distractions.