4 Ways Your Phone Can Improve Your Time Management
Last month, my doctor prescribed a medication that I am supposed to take just before bed every night. I took it the first night and promptly forgot to take the medication for the next 2 nights. Then I would remember for a day or two and then forget again. Or I would wake up in the middle of the night and groggily take my medication.
Until a light bulb finally went off in my head – use the Reminder feature on my iPhone!
I tell my clients all.the.time to use this very same feature. But it took weeks for me to even think about it for myself. 🤦♀️
While your phone is the number one distraction for most of us, it has capabilities and apps that can help us with time management. Let’s ignore those social media apps for a while and dig into these better ones instead!
4 Ways Your Phone Can Improve Your Time Management
Get a Digital Planner
Planning out your time and knowing what commitments you have is the key to managing your time. Whether you use a paper or digital one is a personal preference. I happen to use a combination of both – my beloved Google calendar and my Academic Planner from Order Out of Chaos.
There are plenty of free or cheap digital planner apps available. The main convenience for digital apps – they are available across platforms and devices. Add it to your laptop during class and it shows up on your phone or tablet. They can also send you reminder notifications, something my paper planner cannot.
If you’re not using a planner, you need to get one now and set it up right away. Seriously.
Set Reminders
This one is so easy and simple. You can set up a reminder on your phone in less than one minute. Use it for a one-time event or make it recurring (like I did with my medication!)
My clients have used this feature to remind them to check their planner when they get home, start a homework assignment, get ready for bed, etc. There are so many uses for this feature – you can use it for just about anything. iPhones have a built-in reminder app, but Android phones can use the reminder feature on Google Calendar.
Use an Alarm Clock App
For those who just can’t get out of bed, an alarm clock on your phone might just work. Normally, I recommend a regular alarm clock, not your phone. All too often, having our phones nearby = too much late-night social media scrolling.
But if you’re one of those who can sleep through multiple alarms, a digital one might work better! Kiwake is an extreme alarm – to turn it off you have to take a picture of something in your home (not near your bed) AND do a puzzle. It makes sure you’re awake and ready to go!
You can also use an alarm clock app
Set a Timer
There are a bunch of good timer apps around. They are especially useful for Pomodoro sessions or keeping yourself on task in general.
For a timer that gives you lots of options, consider Focus Keeper. And it’s already set up for the Pomodoro Technique! Forest is an unusual timer app that doesn’t
Our smartphones get smarter every day! Use those smarts to manage your time and get stuff done.
What’s your favorite time management app? Let me know in the comments below!
Related Posts: Make Every Day Great with a Morning Routine, Get the Best Organization Apps for Students, How a Nightly Routine Can Make for a Better Tomorrow