10 Tips to Master your Phone📱

Tears might be for fears...but tools are NOT for fools.

What's the most important discovery in human history?

I would argue it's the domestication of fire.  

The heat kept us alive, helped us cook food, and gave us a place to congregate around.  Plus the light allowed us to be more aware of our surroundings whether it was seeing a lion in the grass or just staying up late to shit talk Neanderthals...

And don't get me wrong, I'm open to other guesses.  If you've got one, let me know by replying to the email.

And it's important to remember, fire is a tool.  The flip side of these positives would be me burning my fingers on a sparkler as a kid, or Mrs. O'Leary and her cow, and a bunch of other terrible things fire has done.

So, like with any tool...it's not just what it is...it's how we use it, which brings us to the most frienemied tool of modern society - the cell phone.  More specifically, here are 10 tips on how I use my phone to enjoy YOLO more than hate FOMO (I'll be honest...I am old enough to not be 100% sure I said that correctly...yolo can be a good thing right?).

1. The Iron Man Interface: Customize Your Notifications

Like Tony Stark customizes his suit, tailor your phone notifications. I watch the Social Dilemma on Netflix (highly recommend it if you struggle with social media related issues). But it got me to turn off basically ALL my notifications. I think a text or a phone call are all that come through. And then I also silence unknown callers... To use our ancestors again...I want my phone to keep me as a hunter looking for what I am there to do, not gathering all the notifications others sent me. Limiting notifications can keep you in control, just like Iron Man in his armor.

2. The Screen Time Sidekick (iPhone Edition)

To keep up the ironman motif for one more tip, I REALLY want to highlight the Screen Time feature. This allows you to set limits on social media and other apps, either X minutes a day, or shut the app off after blank o'clock (or both). It's like having a personal Jarvis for your digital life, keeping you on track.

I have a 15 minute limit on FB and another 15 minute limit on other social media together and then at 7pm basically everything on my phone shuts off.

Sure I can hit 2 buttons and get back into it...but sometimes that's all I need to stay away from doom scrolling.

3. The Batarang Strategy: Organize Apps for Efficiency

Like Batman's well-maintained tool belt, (or heck...Hawkeye always knowing where the right arrow is) organize your apps. Keep the most-used apps within easy reach and the distracting ones tucked away in distant folders.

I even call the folders things to help. For example my social media/games folder is called Time Wasters just to give me that one extra kick in the gut.

4. The Obi-Wan Kenobi Off-Mode: Utilize ‘Do Not Disturb’

Master the art of 'Do Not Disturb' mode during important tasks or meetings (OR DRIVING...SERIOUSLY DO NOT TEXT AND DRIVE), just as Obi-Wan Kenobi hid in the desert for 20 years to avoid distractions...we can do 15 minutes without our phones.

If DND mode isn't enough, consider shutting the phone fully off. Maybe the 10 seconds to boot up will keep you focused.

5. The Hogwarts Entrance Exam: Learning While Doing

Be a lifelong learner. I hated school as a kid, but I have always LOVED to learn (just on my time). Well guess what...with the right educational apps for quick learning during downtime, you have the Library of Alexandria at your fingertips.

Whether it's an audiobook, Duolingo, or even Wikipedia...new knowledge is just a click away (just make sure you're doing it correctly).

I am a sucker for audiobooks while running/working out, driving, doing chores, etc.

6. The R2-D2 Backup: Cloud Sync and Backup

Join the Rebel Alliance's strategy for safety. Somehow, they constantly entrusted everything in only the data banks of R2D2...well guess what...in this galaxy not so long, long ago...we have the cloud. Ensure your critical legal data is always accessible, like plans for the Death Star.

I traveled across the country for 13 months with a laptop and a phone and didn't have any issues. Use the cloud to liberate you from behind your desk. Get out there, meet people, stay in touch (or use the phone to call them).

7. The Flash’s Speed Dial: Essential Contacts at Your Fingertips

Just like The Flash needs to react quickly, keep your essential contacts easily accessible. Customize your favorites or speed dial list to include your top clients, team members, and family. This way, you can reach them faster than Barry Allen runs a mile.

I have my top 50 contacts on my favorites list on my iPhone. It's like having my own Justice League, just a tap away.

8. The Captain Picard Approach: Use Voice Commands

Embrace your inner Starfleet Captain and utilize voice commands for efficiency. Whether it’s dictating texts, setting reminders, or conducting searches, voice commands can save you time and keep your hands free for other tasks.

I regularly use voice-to-text for quick emails or to set reminders. It’s like having my own version of the Starship Enterprise computer – efficient, responsive, and always ready.

9. The Neo's Matrix Mode: Switch to Black and White

Just like Neo sees the Matrix in its raw form, switch your phone's display to grayscale. Removing colors can significantly reduce the addictive appeal of your screen, much like the stark reality of the Matrix. This helps in curbing the urge to constantly check apps.

To be honest, I don't follow this one. I just don't need it. But I have heard from SO many people that it's a surprisingly effective way to make their phone less enticing for endless scrolling and more of a tool for productivity.

10. The Tony Stark Routine: Regular Tech Detox

Even Iron Man needs a break from his suit. Schedule regular tech detoxes to disconnect and recharge. It can be as simple as an unplugged weekend or a no-phone evening. This helps maintain a healthy balance between the digital and real world.

For me, I try to live in the moment. So, when my son is up in the morning, my phone is away. And when I am back at home for the night, it's usually in another room.

I also stopped checking email on weekends. Even just that little bit is SOOOOO helpful towards using my phone the way it was intended...as a lightsaber to keep the galaxy safe from the sith, and not as a way to quickly chop my own arm off... as they often say...with great power comes great responsibility.

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