For most people, their phone is their biggest distraction. We all know that we shouldn’t have our phones next to us on our desks while working, but we still do.
The temptation to pick up your phone for just a few minutes and start scrolling can be hard to resist. Before you know, a few minutes have turned into half an hour, and you have entirely lost track of the task you were trying to complete.
When working in a traditional office setting, the knowledge that other people around you are working away and will likely be silently judging you if you pick up your phone is enough to prevent mindless scrolling. When working from home, however, there is no one to hold you accountable.
As working from home looks set to become the norm for many people finding alternatives to judgmental colleagues to limit phone time and increase productivity is essential.
There are a number of popular apps explicitly designed to help you limit your phone time while working and be more productive.
Here are the top three apps that are sure to help you cut down on your screen time.
#1: Forest - Your Focus Motivation
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/forest-your-focus-motivation/id866450515
Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cc.forestapp&hl=en_GB&gl=US
Forest is a productivity app that aims to limit procrastination and stop you from reaching for your phone every few minutes. Rather than simply placing a lock or a motivating emote on your phone screen to prevent you from picking it up, the app motivates you by growing a tree while you work.
Forest uses a simple but effective formula. When you are ready to work, plant a seed, and leave your phone to grow your tree. The longer you work, the taller the tree will grow. If you exit the app, however, your tree will die, and you will have to start the process again from a new seed.
Your flourishing trees remain, and over time, you start to build your very own forest as a reward for all of your hard work.
One of the really nice features about Forest is that while your trees may be virtual by purchasing the app, you contribute to the plantation of real trees. Forest has paired with Trees of the Future to help plant actual trees in the real world.
#2: Focus Noodles
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/focus-noodles/id1492424176
Focus Noodles is an app that aims to prevent you from becoming distracted by your phone and makes the process of completing tasks fun.
Focus Noodles is based on the idea that most people cannot sit for hours at a time without a break, especially without a reward at the end. Noodles ask you to set a realistic length of time that you wish to stay focused and on task for. You then turn your phone over and start working while the app prepares a bowl of noodles.
If you pick up your phone during your focus time, the app will become irritable and stop cooking. The app will let you know that your noodles are ready when the time is up. Alongside your cute bowl of noodles, the app will also give you a humorous story to help you unwind after an intense period of focus.
Focus Noodles uses a cute doodle art style that adds to the app's charm and is motivating in itself.
#3 Freedom
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/freedom-block-distractions/id1269788228
Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=to.freedom.android2&hl=en_US
Freedom is a useful app for anyone who wants to prevent their phone from distracting them while they work, but also uses their phone for work purposes and so still needs to access some aspects of their phone.
Most apps designed to limit scrolling completely prevent you from using your phone. Freedom instead allows you to block access to specific apps and websites across all of your devices for a set period.
The synchronization between tablets, phones, and computers makes using Freedom a seamless experience that allows you to stay on task. Thanks to Freedom, you can still use your phone to make calls, receive important work emails, and use other productivity apps while not having to worry about becoming distracted by mindless scrolling.
With the settings of Freedom, you can choose the days and times that you want certain apps to be restricted. Freedom can therefore be used out of work hours as a way to prevent your work apps from leaking into your personal time.
