How to reduce smartphone usage and become more productive at work? [Tips outside of our app.]
The greatest invention of our time – the smartphone – has also become one of the biggest consumers of our energy and attention.
Being focused is now an art.
People spend around 4 hours and 30 minutes per day on their smartphones on average.
Even a phone lying face-down on the table can reduce a child’s ability to learn by up to 21%, because part of their attention stays mentally tied to possible notifications [Source 1, Source 2]
That’s one of the reasons why we launched a minimalist phone / digital-detox app for iPhone today – and we appreciate your support.
Anyway, here are a few things you can already do to reduce your smartphone usage:
1. Keep your phone out of sight
Not just on silent, ideally in another room. Even its presence on your desk reduces focus.
2. Turn off non-essential notifications
If something is truly important, people will call you. The rest is just algorithmic noise.
3. Make your phone visually boring
Use grayscale mode, remove widgets, and keep only essential apps. Your phone should work for you, not against you.
4. Work in focused time blocks
30 – 60 minutes of deep work without your phone, followed by a short break.
5. Replace the habit, ideally make your hands busy (but not with a phone) :)
When you feel the urge to grab your phone, stand up, drink water, or write something down.
6. No blue light at least 2 hours before bedtime
Blue light suppresses the body's release of melatonin. How do you want your brain to work optimally without proper sleep?
There are many steps you can take to help you be productive at work, just make sure you don't become a slave to technology.
How do you keep yourself away from technology in this world that requires you to be constantly online?
Honestly, I am not a good example for digital detox. I barely spend time on my smartphone, but because of work, I spend at least 12 hours at the desktop.
But I am pretty sure that many people are able to scroll feed 4 hours per day "just for fun." And I believe, that time could be used more meaningfully, e.g. learn new language or go out with your friends.
Replies
minimalist phone: creating folders
@siarhei_ai Why that question mark at the end :D
minimalist phone: creating folders
@siarhei_ai Don't make yourself replacable with AI :D
Tried putting my phone in a drawer to be a responsible adult but somehow I just keep opening the drawer lol. Like my hand does it on autopilot? The motivation is there but the follow through is not. At least all these apps popping up for this problem makes me feel less alone in my failure
minimalist phone: creating folders
@gunhorizon Maybe the drawer should be locked with the key and you should dig that key somewhere under the ground :D
Keeping my phone out of sight and reach like in a bag or another room has been a game-changer when it’s not staring at me, I focus way better on what I’m working on.
minimalist phone: creating folders
@sandy_leventh Hopefully, you don't sleep with the phone in the same room, or? :)
Murror
Thank you for your tips. Sometimes I got caught up in scrolling the phone and I often regret wasting my time. I hope I can get rid of this bad habit.
minimalist phone: creating folders
@monatruong_murror Mona, thank you :) I recomend to do more things without a phone – like creating a no-tech room in your house or walking outside without technologies :) E.g. I created tech-free mornings with a book :)
CreateOS
It’s really hard to follow this when my work itself demands a lot of screen time. I keep my phone on “no interruptions” so only critical notifications get through, but beyond that I still end up using my laptop far more than my phone.
minimalist phone: creating folders
@navedux I know what you are talking about :D
For me, it’s all about physical distance now. I tried setting time limits on social media apps, but I eventually developed a 'blindness' to the alerts and kept hitting 'skip limit' until they became useless. Moving distracting icons to the last screen worked for a while, but the habit eventually won.
Now, during work, I have to keep my phone out of sight. My main rule is after work—when I’m with my daughter, the phone stays in another room so I can be 100% present. Also, I’m so glad I don't own a smartwatch. Seeing people check notifications even during sports is a huge reminder of how distracting they can be.
minimalist phone: creating folders
@valeriia_kuna this is an important point – we are role models to our kids, if kids see what we do, they want to copy that pattern. Not talking about the fact that it can harm their growth, cognitive functions, motorics etc.
Insightful tips, Nika! The statistic about the 21% reduction in focus just by having the phone on the table is a real wake-up call.
In my experience mentoring founders, the smartphone is often the gateway to what I call the 'Circle of infinite distraction'. We often mistake being 'busy' on our phones for being 'productive' at our desks, but those 4.5 hours of scrolling are usually just a defense mechanism to avoid the hard, deep work that startups actually require.
I particularly agree with your 4th point. In my book Startup Inferno, I argue that the inability to stay in 'Deep Work' is one of the quickest ways to fall into a crisis. My personal trick? I use an old-fashioned physical notebook for my daily 'to-do' list. Writing things down by hand keeps me grounded in the physical world and away from the notification trap.
To answer your question: I manage to stay offline by strictly scheduling 'Analog Hours' where my only technology is a pen and a printed roadmap. It’s the only way to see the 'big picture' without being blinded by the blue light!
minimalist phone: creating folders
@claudio_montesion Thank you, I heard that statistics for the very first time in that attached interview.
P.S. I also prefer writing by hand. ;)
Vmaker for Windows
I use a Nothing phone which comes with a built-in on-screen timer. I have added the widget on the home screen which has a pixelated smiling face. I have set a target of maximum 3 hours of on-screen time, if I exceed the limit, the widget turns red and that smiling face turns into a sad one :( When I feel like using my phone, I'm always mindful of that smiling face.
minimalist phone: creating folders
@tanoy27 Haev you also tried alternatives to Nothing phone? As far as I know, it is a hardware device. What about apps?
Vmaker for Windows
@busmark_w_nika I have used the minimalist app in my previous phone; it was the default launcher. I love it and cannot recommend it enough. I have recently moved to the Nothing phone, so I might install Minimalist later on.
minimalist phone: creating folders
@tanoy27 Do you mean our minimalist phone? Because there is another one called "minimalist"
Vmaker for Windows
@busmark_w_nika Yup, I'm referring to your minimalist app. I started using it after you launched it the first time on PH
Triforce Todos
Good point about sleep. People want better focus but ignore rest, even though it affects everything.
minimalist phone: creating folders
@abod_rehman During sleep, you recover ;)
MultiDrive
I'm trying to put the screen away and focus on my work. Sometimes it works 😄
I keep my phone on silent because I don't like notifications.
minimalist phone: creating folders
@tetianai But now, be honest! :D How are you doing without phone? :DDD