Five easy ways to stay productive while staying on the phone

Adelaide, Australia - October 3, 2012: Switching to Do Not Disturb mode on an iPad. Do Not Disturb is a new feature in iOS which allows users to silence calls, alerts, and notifications on iPhone or

Often, people are glued to their phones for all the wrong reasons. Whether mindlessly scrolling through social media or episodes deep into a new series, excessive time on the phone can get in the way of one being productive.

Just a few minutes on the phone can easily turn into hours, and just like that, the day is nearly over. Luckily, productivity can be right at someone’s fingertips with these five tips.

1. Take advantage of ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode:

For those who work from their phone or use their phone to keep up with daily tasks and activities, it can be hard to stay away from the distractions of social media.

With the ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature on many Androids and nearly all iPhones, this mode will silence all notifications until the user turns them off.

For Apple users who updated their devices to iOS 15, Do Not Disturb mode has more advanced features.

Apple has created three new settings that filter their notifications and notify their friends when they work or sleep. This feature allows people to be more engaged with the work at hand.

2. Listen to white noise while working:

Many people enjoy listening to music while getting some work done. For others, fun lyrics and lively beats can be a distraction.

Listening to soothing white noise can drown out the sounds from noisy coworkers or the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

This kind of music is a great way to stay focused and allow thoughts and ideas to flow freely. The sounds can range from rain showers, frequencies or static.

Many playlists available on Spotify and Apple Music have hours of white noise or deep focus sounds that help keep the listener engaged with their tasks.

3. Listen to meaningful podcasts:

It is easy to devote hours to online content, and podcasts make it easier to be entertained and informed. Spotify is a great place to find a podcast for almost any audience.

Podcasts are an excellent way to kick start a productive day as some speakers use their platform to motivate listeners to be their best selves and make the most of the day.

Other speakers use their listening platform to create informative content or change minds on a subject.

Regardless of the content, it is always better to learn about a new concept or ways to improve than keep up with the latest online trends.

4. Meditate via phone:

For those desperate for some alone time or just 30 minutes of serenity, technology makes meditating easy with a few clicks.

Available in the App Store and Google Play Store, Headspace is an app that allows one to connect with their body and exhale all the stress of the day.

They provide sessions as short as one minute to as long as an hour. Their meditation options range from an early morning pick-up, group meditation and meditation for winding down.

Depending on the circumstance, they also have different sessions, so there is not just one kind of meditation with Headspace.

5. Make a to-do list

Lastly, making a to-do list has been around for ages and comes in many forms. This idea is one of the most traditional yet effective ways to get back on track and maintain productivity.

Whether someone owns several businesses or is a student in college, to-do lists can keep one accountable to complete tasks and see how much they have accomplished.

Popular apps and platforms for keeping track of tasks include TickTick, Todoist, Microsoft To-Do and Google Tasks.

Many of these apps are great for staying productive because they are easy to use and because users can sync tasks with other apps and connect them to their calendars.