You’re carrying around a supercomputer but you only use it for checking emails and crushing candy? What a waste. Here’s how to transform your phone into your AI personal assistant
Set reminders
“One way to stay motivated is to set micro-targets throughout the day,” says Magill. “Set your phone activity to prompt you to stand for at least one minute every hour, and do it for 12 hours over the course of the day.” Alternatively, if you’re not in the office, upgrade to something a bit trickier.
Switch your defaults
If the first things you see when you switch your phone on are your Instagram notifications and Clash Of Clans login, don’t be surprised if you end up in a productivity time-sink and eventually forget why you picked it up. Shuffle your default apps around so that your Notepad, email and other, more productive apps are front and centre.
Make better notes
Dictation software has never been better, so there’s no need to double-thumb it through your idea for a diet app targeting new dads – just find a note-taking app that suits your needs, and jab the mic button. Google Keep is ideal for the short-form stuff – shopping lists and style notes – but for all-around functionality, get OneNote, which allows you to save all manner of multimedia.
Sort out your emails
This isn’t phone-specific, but most modern inboxes offer a dizzying array of ways to sort out email beyond “trudge through it all”. The simplest is the best: Gmail and other services offer options to mark people or conversations as “important”, ensuring that you’re only bothered when it actually matters. Better yet, set key times to check your mail, and don’t deviate from them.
