12 productive things to do on your phone

Smartphones have been around for so long, we’ve gotten used to using them for so many tasks. But on the flip side, we often find ourselves using our smartphones somewhat… mindlessly. Oh the irony. Fortunately, there are several productive things you can do on your phone to better optimize the time you spend on it. You can learn a skill, a new language, or maybe just some fun facts. You can also make your phone work for you in just a few steps. So if you’re ready to stop doomscrolling the same three social media apps every day and start bettering yourself, it’s time to discover some productive things to do on your phone.   

What can you do on your smartphone to be productive?

Whether it’s utilizing your smartphone’s built-in tools or downloading new apps, there are many productive things you can be doing beyond just looking up where you know that actor from (although that is a valid question, he was definitely in something you saw recently). 

Use your phone to learn stuff 

1. Start nano learning

Traditional 30-minute courses are being replaced by “nano learning.” Bite-size educational lessons designed to be finished in about 1-2 minutes. You could learn a single line of code, a common phrase in another language or a valuable management strategy while you’re waiting for the coffee to finish brewing.

2. Learn a new language

Planning some international travel anytime soon? Or maybe you’d just like to communicate better with some of your neighbors. There are several apps that can help you learn a new language through quick, fun lessons. 

3. Listen to knowledge-rich podcasts

Find some educational podcasts covering the topics that interest you the most. Put a few of them in a playlist and before you know it, you’ll be your friend group’s leading expert on home brewing or the history of automobile manufacturing. Bump each episode to 1.5x or 2x speed to pack in even more learning if your time is limited.

4. Watch educational YouTube videos

Similar to podcasts, you can find a lot of educational content on YouTube. Browse channels based on things you’re interested in and create your own playlists. You can even download content for offline viewing while you’re on Wi-Fi so you can learn on the go without having YouTube eat up too much of your data.

5. Learn a new skill

That’s right, you can pick up a new hobby pretty quickly with different apps designed to teach you the basics of coding, knitting, baking, engineering… you name it.

Use your phone to stay organized

6. Schedule your day

A good to-do list really is one of the best ways to manage daily priorities. Built-in calendar apps can be helpful for establishing a structure to ensure you accomplish everything you need to efficiently. And the latest native AI tools can help sync your tasks to your calendar automatically.   

7. Delete unused apps or images

One of the easiest things you can do when you have some downtime is to organize your phone, so you can be more productive with it going forward. This includes freeing up memory by uninstalling any apps you don’t use anymore, as well as any photos or videos you don’t need (yes, it’s time to say goodbye to that order confirmation screenshot from 2017).

8. Use voice-to-text to record your notes and ideas

Whether you’re creating a shopping list in minutes by just opening the fridge and reciting what you need out loud, or tracking your progress at the gym by vocalizing your new PR, voice-to-text makes taking notes ridiculously easy.

9. Keep up with industry news
An RSS reader will collect news and articles related to your special interests across the whole web, so you can stay caught up on trends or what your favorite industry leaders are up to.

Use your phone to stay focused

10. Set up different focus modes

Creating different modes on your phone can help you be productive in other ways by limiting distractions and keeping you focused. With just a few taps, you can turn your iPhone into a dumb phone and get back to studying or painting or whatever other valuable activity you could be doing without certain app notifications vying for your attention. Are you an Android user? You can turn your Android into a dumb phone too.

11. Meditate

Focus modes help you focus on other stuff besides your phone, but you can also focus on yourself with guided meditation apps or a journaling app. You can also set regular reminders for mindful breathing exercises.

12. Automate your “deep work” environment

Use the Shortcuts app on iPhone, or Tasker if you’re an Android user, to create and automate custom workflows. Setting a “work trigger” will cause your phone to block certain apps, start a playlist, etc at a preset time, or when your phone detects you’re at a specified location (like your desk).

Are you ready to be productive?

The most important thing is to just be mindful of how you use your smartphone. We can all get caught up doomscrolling from time to time, but hopefully the suggestions in this blog will help you find ways to be more productive with your screen time. But you should also beware of burnout. Too much time on your phone in general, even if you think you’re accomplishing more, can end up being counterproductive. If you want to slow down the grind with a digital detox or at least focus more of your energy on relaxation, we can help with that too. Here at Mint Mobile, we care about saving you money, but we also care about your mental wellbeing. And when you’re ready, feel free to dig into why Mint Mobile, powered by America’s largest 5G network, is the best choice for people who want to be productive while saving time and money.