11 Surprisingly Productive Things to Do on Your Phone

Listen on Spotify.

What do you do with your downtime? If you’re like me, you pick up your phone and start doom-scrolling. But what does this subconscious habit achieve? Nothing, right? It certainly doesn’t add value to your life. Rather, it wastes time and becomes a mindless activity we engage in when bored.

So, what could you do instead that might be a little more productive?

In the rest of this article, we’ll find out some productive things you can do on your phone, which may prove more useful. The trick is to use your phone with purpose and act with intention.

Without further ado, let’s jump in.

Using Your Phone with Intention

When you begin using your phone with a particular goal in mind, you can become much more productive. If you use the right tools, your phone can be a fantastic asset that can help you remain productive and achieve more.

Once you make it a habit to use your phone with a specific goal in mind, you’ll be surprised at how much more productive you can be. Although we often blame technology for causing distraction and reducing productivity, it really boils down to how you use it.

Next, we’ll list some ways you can use your smartphone with more intention to help you achieve your goals.

11 Surprisingly Productive Things to do on Your Phone

Here is a list giving ideas on how you can use your phone in a more productive way.

1. Read an e-book

If you love books, there are various apps you can use to satisfy the craving. If you’re travelling or on the go, this is a fantastic way to read without having to haul around physical copies of your favourite books.

One of the apps you can use is Amazon Kindle. While you can’t buy books through the app, all you need do is open Amazon on your browser, buy the book you want and add it to your Kindle Library.

Then you can read to your heart’s content.

Check out our post exploring whether reading makes you more productive to discover more benefits of this activity.

2. Listen to podcasts

Listening to podcasts, like reading, can also be a fantastic way to learn something new and can serve as a good source of entertainment when travelling to work.

Spotify, for instance, in addition to being a fantastic music streaming service, also has a large library of podcasts exploring a wide range of topics. You no longer have to switch between apps to listen to music and your favourite podcasts.

3. Learn a language

You can download Babble or Duolingo and focus on learning a new language. Doing so can have many benefits. These include:

• Improved cognitive ability.
• Improved career prospects.
• Better ability to connect and relate to different cultured.

If you choose Duolingo as your go-to app to start learning your language, you’re sure to have fun on your journey.

4. Watch documentaries

Don’t fancy reading on the way to work? You can always watch documentaries instead. The app CuriosityStream is perfect for it. There are many high-quality documentaries available and watching them is a fantastic way to learn something new. They are also a fabulous source of entertainment.

There is something to suit all tastes, so whether you’d like to learn about the rise and fall of empires, how technology shapes our world, or about scientific advances, you’ll find something to enjoy.

5. Keep a diary

Writing in a diary can be good for you, as we discovered in our post on bullet journals. It can help your cope with difficult experiences, explore thoughts and feelings, and set achievable goals. You can also use it to keep tabs on your progress over time. In this way, it is one of the best ways to become more productive.

An example of a journal app is Daily Journal. This is a journal and mood tracker that is super easy to use, so you’ll have no trouble getting started. You can record your thoughts, track your achievements, and can even use a password to keep entries private.

6. Train your brain

Got some time on your hands? Why not train your brain? You must challenge your brain to keep it healthy and active. Like every other muscle in your body, you need to exercise it. This is especially important in the modern age because an over-reliance on technology can cause a decline in cognitive abilities.

All is not lost, however. You can use technology to address this problem. Download the brain training app Elevate to give yourself a mental workout on the way to work. You can use the personised brain training offered to improve cognitive skills such as maths skills, the ability to focus, memory, and more. Improving your cognitive skills will help you become more productive in all areas of your life.

The app is free to download, and all you need to do is complete a test to determine your cognitive abilities so the app can devise a training program for you. However, there is a subscription fee to unlock all the in-app features.

7. Get your paperwork organised

Why not use an app like Evernote to scan and store all your documents electronically, so you needn’t worry about handling all those overstuffed file folders.

This has more advantages than simply tidying up a messy office, it also makes it more convenient to access documents as needed, from anywhere you happen to be. It doesn’t matter if you’re at home or on the move, you can pull up what you need and share paperwork with others with a few easy taps on your screen.

Having files stored electronically also means that should anything happen to physical copies of important documents, you will have a backup.

8. Make productive use of alarms and reminders

Using alarms and reminders can be helpful, especially for those of us prone to the distraction of forgetfulness.

They can help keep us on track and remind us of important events, deadlines, and appointments, as well as help us track the progress of tasks so that we can accomplish all we need to. Not having to keep all the tasks in our heads means we are free to concentrate on whatever we are currently working on, without having to worry that we might forget something vital.

9. Use your phone to make lists

Making lists on your phone — whether a to-do list, a grocery list, or a list of gift ideas — keeps information on hand and easily accessible. That way, you need not waste time looking around your office or house for the lists you’ve made, because you’ll always have them with you.

10. Pay the bills

Being productive can encompass more than merely working effectively. It can also mean managing your finances well, so you are not always thinking about them and becoming distracted as a result.

Why not use your phone to stay on top of your finances and as a quick, easy way to pay bills?

You can easily do this with a few quick taps. You can also see what money you have coming in, and what money is outgoing, making it easy to keep tabs on what you are spending each month. This can save time and take your mind off your finances, as well as help you stay organised and avoid late fees, which can do wonders for your credit score.

11. Meditate

Have you ever considered using your phone to help manage stress? Well, you can do exactly that. Just download a meditation app like Headspace to get started. You can take advantage of brief periods of respite throughout the day to centre yourself and de-stress. Doing so can improve your productivity over time because you are more focused on the present and less likely to become distracted.

Meditation apps also over the advantages of flexibility and convenience meaning anyone can find time to meditate, no matter how busy and hectic our lives are.

Wrapping Up

Now we have discovered 11 surprisingly productive things you can do on your phone, you can start using your phone in a more intentional, smart way that will help you stay productive.

If you try out some of the tips shared here, you can begin to make the most of your phone and more effective use of your time.

So, why not start taking advantage of the apps available for your smartphone? You can transform it into an invaluable tool that’s sure to help you achieve your goals and improve your productivity.

Got any tips on how to make productive use of your phone? Share your thoughts in the comments.