Focus your time with tech
Explore the six tips below to learn how to get the most out of technology by being more focused when you use it.
Much of people’s daily lives involve smartphones. Adam Gazzaley M.D. Ph.D. and Alexandra Samuel Ph.D. propose ways to become more aware of our time spent on screens.
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Tip 01
Understand how you’re using your device
Getting a better, more detailed understanding of your tech use is the first step toward improving your overall digital wellbeing.
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Learn more about your time spent in apps.
The dashboard gives you a complete picture of how you use your phone. See your daily screen time, how many notifications you get, and how often you unlock your phone.
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See how much you watch.
Discover how much time you’ve spent watching YouTube videos today, yesterday, and over the past week.
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Tip 02
Create boundaries for yourself
Setting limits for certain apps and sites can keep you from scrolling the day away.
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Manage your time spent in apps and on sites.
If you want to limit the time you spend using certain apps or websites, you can set daily timers. When the timer runs out, the app or website is paused for the rest of the day.
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Remind yourself to take a break.
Schedule custom breathers as often as you want, pausing what you’re currently watching and encouraging you to step away.
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Take control of your video experience.
Autoplay control lets you decide whether you want the next video to start playing automatically.
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Tip 03
Make some simple adjustments to your screen
Making changes to your screen can help you be even more purposeful when using your device.
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Simplify your Home screen.
Removing distracting apps on your Home screen can make it easier to stay focused on the task at hand.
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Organize your apps.
Having screens full of apps can be a distraction in itself. Try cutting down the number of pages of apps, and put specific apps that frequently distract you into a folder on the second page.
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Go Grayscale.
Grayscale turns your screen black and white, making your apps less engaging when you’re trying to focus. Turn it on with Bedtime mode.
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Remove the notification dots from your apps.
To reduce the urge to check email or social media when you don’t intend to, remove the indicators on the app reminding you of unread messages or updates.
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Tip 04
Master your inbox
Email at your fingertips can enable connection and productivity. Make your inbox work even harder for you with new tools that give you greater control over when and how you email.
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Get organized, instantly.
To declutter your inbox, Priority Inbox automatically organizes your emails into categories.
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Draft now, send later.
Draft an email message as you normally would and schedule it to be sent at the perfect time.
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Tip 05
Use the search bar to navigate your device
Navigating your phone by typing or speaking into the search bar can help you be more intentional about the apps you open.
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Tip 06
Try single-tasking
Multitasking can sometimes be counterproductive to getting anything done. To improve your focus, try reducing the number of screens around you, prioritizing just the one that helps you achieve a single task at a time.
More tips
Explore more ways to fine-tune your tech habits
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Unplug more often
Whether at work or at play, find more ways to hit pause.
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Minimize distractions
Ensure technology doesn’t take away from what matters to you.
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Find balance as a family
Talk with your family about creating healthy digital habits, together.
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