The smartphone was an incredibly valuable introduction to the business world, allowing entrepreneurs to exponentially increase productivity both in and out of the workplace. However, they are a double-edged sword, capable of cutting down barriers, or slicing productivity to ribbons with time-wasting apps and texting.
Some businesses are embracing the smartphone with open arms with a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) strategy, allowing employees to bring their own devices to the workplace. In fact, according to a study by Cisco partner mConcierge, 90 percent of Americans use their smartphones for work (or at work). But not everyone is on the same page when it comes to smartphones in the workplace. Jake Knapp, blogger and design partner at Google Ventures, felt the weight of his smartphone pressing against his very being. He relied on his smartphone to keep himself preoccupied, but more than anything else, he saw it as a distraction from what needed to be done.
Some business owners are in agreement, preventing their employees from using their own mobile devices in the workplace altogether, for fear of unprecedented time-wasting. It’s a reasonable assumption. Smartphones are filled with applications that have nothing to do with work, like social media apps and web browsing. Therefore, unless the situation is somehow controlled, businesses will have employees using smartphones for all sorts of things while on the clock.
Knapp had an idea. He desired a distraction-free smartphone of his own accord. It seems like a completely impossible feat, knowing the unlimited possibilities smartphones pose for their users, but he wanted to try it out anyway. In his original post on sharing website Medium, Knapp says:
My iPhone made me twitchy. I could feel it in my pocket, calling me, like the Ring called Bilbo Baggins. It distracted me from my kids. It distracted me from my wife. It distracted me anytime, anywhere. I just didn’t have the willpower to ignore email and Twitter and Instagram and the whole World Wide Web. Infinity in my pocket was too much.
In response to this ongoing smartphone addiction, Knapp did what he thought would be best for himself and his productivity. He succeeded in making his iPhone distraction-free by following these simple steps:
Will you try to boost your productivity with a distraction-free smartphone lifestyle? Let us know in the comments.
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