Working on a task is difficult when we constantly face many distractions. We got screens everywhere, throwing contents and information that will just pull us into a rabbit hole, and by the time we look at our clock, the time has passed.

That’s what I feel every day. The smartphone sends us so much data through its pixels that it gets impossible to focus on what is needed. The other day, I just wanted to check the latest conversion rates, I was just checking the blog for more information, but then an interesting article on “How to find free games on Steam” came up. That’s it; I went down the rabbit hole and lost track of time.

So now, what are the ways to be better productive using the same tools that distract us? Here are some tips that can help you be more effective.

Keep Your Goal In Front

Wallpaper: The home and lock screen are the first places to work on. Create or select a custom wallpaper that can define your goals. For, e.g., you can add wallpaper with your favorite quote representing your goal or action. So each time you open your phone, you get reminded about your plan and take the necessary steps to proceed.

Widget: Use a photo widget to keep up the motivation. I have saved custom images as a widget on the home screen, which keeps changing and making me conscious of the present moment. Another idea can be downloading apps displaying quotes on the home screen widget.

Use Timers

Make sure to set a target date for any goal. Once you set a date, you will internally take action to reach the target within the timeline. On a day-to-day basis, using timers can help a lot. If you don’t feel like working on a task, just set a timer for 5 min and ask yourself to focus only for 5 minutes. Take a short break and again sit on it for 5 minutes. These short intervals will help you start a task and complete it a little rather than not working on them. Timers are a great help in distributing big tasks into small ones and working on them quickly.

There are different methods to use timers, like the Pomodoro Technique. Try other methods and slowly build your skills.

Restrict Apps

We can easily find our habits on what apps we use most by exploring smartphone phone usage statistics. Once you find where you are spending most of your time, it will be easy to take the following steps. Use app blockers to restrict your phone usage. For example, the first thing you do in the morning is look at Instagram or TikTok? You can set custom timers on app blockers to restrict usage in the morning or before night.

Now, these are some simple tricks to help you build your focus. Daily small steps will help you create the following habits that will impact you in the long run. You can stay focused, accomplish more, and reduce stress. Happy productivity!