In recent years, the use of social media platforms around the world has skyrocketed. With the click of a button or the swipe of a screen, you can be connected to friends and family across the world. Technological advances in the last decade have enabled us to keep abreast of current events, celebrity lifestyles, and just about any other subject you can imagine, all with the use of one little device.
However, as amazing as this technology is, it has the potential to distract us from accomplishing our goals. In fact, during a study conducted by Dscout, individuals touched their phones an average of 2,617 times per day. All these touches culminated into an average time of just over two hours spent on a smartphone for the typical user.
If you are one of those who finds yourself constantly fighting the urge to check your phone or update social media, do not worry. There are a number of ways to increase your productivity and manage the time you spend plugged-into your favorite apps. Here, we have listed three tools that will have you setting aside time for the important things sooner rather than later.
Photo: Facebook/Techmagnifier
A great way to see if you are spending too much time on your phone is by tracking your app usage. The BreakFree app, created for both Apple and Android operating systems, is a great way to accomplish this. According to Inc.com, this app not only tells you everytime you unlock your phone, it breaks down the entirety of your screen interaction each day. Additionally, the app sums it all up neatly in an overall “addiction score” so that you can keep track of your improvement.
Photo: Facebook/RescueTime
According to RescueTime’s website, this app has a variety of features that can help you track and manage your social media habits. A blocking aspect denies access to any website you select and an overall productivity score lets you know if your newfound time management skills are paying off.
The lite version of this handy tool is completely free and allows you to track the time you spend on the worldwide web. However, RescueTime’s blocking feature only comes in its premium version which can be purchased for $9 per month. This app is available for computers and mobile devices
Photo: Pixabay
To conclude this list of helpful tools, the Moment app includes many of the same features previously mentioned in descriptions for other apps. However, Moment does have a sub-entity labeled Moment Family, which enables you to control the browsing and usage habits of your entire family depending on what in-app purchases you decide to make. Its description notes this app is great for accountability purposes, as family members can track other’s goals and usage amounts.
Currently, Moment and Moment Family are only available for iPhones. However, you can sign-up to receive notifications when it is available for Androids as well.
In many ways, technology has made our lives much easier, but it is important to recognize the possible dangers of spending too much time glued to a screen. Hopefully, these three tools will help you increase your productivity and will free up time for you to do things you truly enjoy!
