#ProdChat – 08/17/2016 – Using Your Phone for Productivity
On 08/17/2016, #ProdChat discussed the topic, Using Your Phone for Productivity. It was hosted by the wonderful productivity coach, Natalie M. Houston (@nmhouston). Watch the slideshow to see what the productivity enthusiasts on #ProdChat had to say about “Using Your Phone for Productivity.” Enjoy!
Questions:
Q1: According to one study, Americans check their phones 35-70 times a day. How about you? #prodchat
Q2: What are some of the tasks you commonly perform on your phone? #prodchat
Q3: What helps you to use your phone for the greatest productivity? #prodchat
Q4: What is your biggest challenge in using your phone productively? #prodchat
Q5: What are your favorite productivity apps, shortcuts, or tips for your phone? #prodchat
Q6: What’s one thing you’d like to experiment with over the next week to improve your productivity? #prodchat
Raw transcript:
| User | Tweet | Time |
| nmhouston | Welcome to #ProdChat, the weekly chat for productivity enthusiasts! https://t.co/5Vks07ONnO | Thu Aug 18 00:00:21 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | Hey @nmhouston 🙂 #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:01:25 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | Tonight on #ProdChat our topic is: “Using Your Phone for Productivity”. Join us! #productivity | Thu Aug 18 00:01:28 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @IsaPinaud hi Isobel! I’ve been thinking of you! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:01:51 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @IsaPinaud IsAbel, sorry #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:02:08 +0000 2016 |
| xianfox | Expect more tweets than usual from me over the next hour as I host tonight’s #prodchat on “Using Your Phone for Productivity” | Thu Aug 18 00:02:15 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | First, intro yourself! Tell us a bit about you and your interest in #productivity! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:02:34 +0000 2016 |
| xianfox | Damn. I should have read the whole thing. I’m not hosting. #prodchat. But I’m here. | Thu Aug 18 00:03:15 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | I’m Natalie, an English professor & productivity coach. I help people move forward on the projects that matter most to them. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:03:22 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | Join us now, by following #prodchat https://t.co/ZfmKYKwVoa | Thu Aug 18 00:04:31 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @xianfox thought that was weird . . . glad you’re here though! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:05:12 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | While we wait for everyone to arrive…what’s a productivity success you’ve had recently? #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:05:27 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | @nmhouston Aww! Me too! I’ve missed #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:06:10 +0000 2016 |
| xianfox | Laborer by day, consultant by night. #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:06:33 +0000 2016 |
| Katie__Linder | @nmhouston – great question! I often think of the things I should be doing and not the successes #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:06:43 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | I’m Isabel. Graphic Designer + Illustrator obsessed with productivity. I also teach productivity & creativity. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:06:51 +0000 2016 |
| caplady1225 | Hi #ProdChat we are wrapping up Gtd DC I’ll try to chime in later https://t.co/RPrev6HOWl | Thu Aug 18 00:06:55 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | Recent success: Decluttering. I’ve gotten rid of SO MANY digital files #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:07:19 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | I’ve been having good success lately with using @trello for project planning. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:07:28 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | @nmhouston I got to #inboxzero today. I’ve been slacking lately, so it felt good to leave work with it cleared out #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:07:48 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @Katie__Linder Yes — starting by noticing what IS working gives you a better foundation for any further change . . . #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:08:45 +0000 2016 |
| xianfox | Success: had a pretty good job interview this week and Friday i’ll be moving my daughter back home from Kentucky. #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:09:25 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @michelle1908 Woo-hoo! (there should be a special #Inboxzero cheer, right?) #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:09:27 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | @nmhouston Yes! 🙂 #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:09:50 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @IsaPinaud yay for decluttering! I’ve been eyeing my closet for some decluttering, since it’s back-to-school season here #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:10:10 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @xianfox those definitely sound like successes! yay! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:10:45 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | As tonight’s host, I’ll post questions IN CAPS as Q1, Q2. Answer with A1, A2 for clarity, and add #prodchat to show up in the feed! | Thu Aug 18 00:11:16 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | no fancy pics for the questions tonight on #prodchat, we’ll go old-school with capital letters . . . | Thu Aug 18 00:11:34 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | Q1: ACCORDING TO ONE STUDY, AMERICANS CHECK THEIR PHONES 35-70 TIMES A DAY. HOW ABOUT YOU? #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:12:14 +0000 2016 |
| xianfox | A1: Sound about right to me. #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:13:18 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | Here’s the link to the study mentioned in #prodchat Q1: https://t.co/6IhZ4ZXpkM | Thu Aug 18 00:14:09 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | A1: Considering I’m in a long distance relationship, I’m sure I’ll check it that much because we message back and forth all day #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:14:26 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | A1: Maybe not 70, but definitely a lot, especially when I’m not focused at work. Definitely too many times. #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:15:20 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A1 I know I go through periods of time where I’m on my phone more than other times, but 50+x/day sounds pretty accurate #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:15:32 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @IsaPinaud yeah, I’m not sure the study distinguished which kinds of uses people were doing — text vs email etc #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:16:20 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | Q2: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TASKS YOU COMMONLY PERFORM ON YOUR PHONE? #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:17:11 +0000 2016 |
| xianfox | Q2: social, messaging, calendar, tasks, podcasts. That’s a good percentage of my use. #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:18:54 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A2 Smartphones can do so many things yet I think most people tend to mostly check email, social media, etc. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:20:19 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | A2: Scan documents in @Evernote – Check notifications – Review & update deadlines in @Wunderlist – Check email – Log in @ynab #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:21:37 +0000 2016 |
| Katie__Linder | A2 – social media updates, podcast listening & email checking #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:21:47 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | @xianfox Q2b: How could I forget? I listen to podcasts on my phone too! And check my calendar #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:22:35 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | @xianfox Q2b: How could I forget? I listen to podcasts on my phone too! And check my calendar #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:22:35 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A2 email, messaging, calendar review, navigation. I’ve been doing quick Amz shopping from my phone too. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:22:53 +0000 2016 |
| JKatzaman | A1 Checking my phone depends on my location. With access to a PC or laptop, I don’t need to check my phone for email. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:22:57 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | A2 I don’t use my phone that much…only whatssapp and the occasional checking of Facebook. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:23:39 +0000 2016 |
| Katie__Linder | A2 – I definitely don’t use my phone for calls as much as I use it for other things #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:23:41 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | RT @nmhouston: @IsaPinaud yeah, I’m not sure the study distinguished which kinds of uses people were doing — text vs email etc #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:23:51 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A2 and who can forget the zillions of times I look up random stuff that comes up in conversation… IMDB is my friend #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:24:05 +0000 2016 |
| JKatzaman | A2 Out and about, I use my cell phone for email, texts and Twitter. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:24:30 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | Q3: WHAT HELPS YOU TO USE YOUR PHONE FOR THE GREATEST PRODUCTIVITY? #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:24:50 +0000 2016 |
| caplady1225 | A2 capture reviewing tasks reading searching items in @evernote @pocket #prodchat https://t.co/ULLrpfyf4g | Thu Aug 18 00:25:03 +0000 2016 |
| SallyReb | Think I have time to catch some of #prodchat tonight | Thu Aug 18 00:25:16 +0000 2016 |
| Katie__Linder | A3: I use the notes feature to create to-do and other lists to keep myself on track #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:25:25 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @SallyReb glad you can stop by! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:25:58 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @JKatzaman hi Jim, glad you could stop by! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:26:15 +0000 2016 |
| SallyReb | RT @nmhouston: Q3: WHAT HELPS YOU TO USE YOUR PHONE FOR THE GREATEST PRODUCTIVITY? #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:26:25 +0000 2016 |
| xianfox | A3: Mostly that it’s with me everywhere. Plus I’ve tailored my productivity apps to it and my iPad. #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:27:26 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A3: capturing quick actions to @todoist is one of the things I have found really useful on my phone #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:27:32 +0000 2016 |
| SallyReb | A3: I use the notes feature for to do lists too …. But I never follow up #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:27:38 +0000 2016 |
| Katie__Linder | A3: I also listen to productivity podcasts like @beingbossclub & @ErikJFisher to stay motivated #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:27:56 +0000 2016 |
| JKatzaman | A3 Phone apps give me ready access to social media, the Internet, banking, gas prices and GPS. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:28:42 +0000 2016 |
| Katie__Linder | A3: I’m really picky about adding new apps to my phone and try to get along without so as not to add clutter #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:28:49 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A3: using the same color-coding scheme for categories (info, actions, etc) across different phone apps helps me be more productive #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:29:09 +0000 2016 |
| SallyReb | A3: photos to capture white board notes, design ideas #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:29:45 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @xianfox what kind of tailoring have you done? #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:29:51 +0000 2016 |
| Katie__Linder | Heading home for the day – thanks for the #prodchat @nmhouston! | Thu Aug 18 00:30:06 +0000 2016 |
| prodchat | Don’t forget to get a copy of The Conquest of Happiness for August’s @prodbookgrp! https://t.co/IC0Casbh6J #prodchat https://t.co/3LlYQEEakP | Thu Aug 18 00:30:12 +0000 2016 |
| JKatzaman | @nmhouston It’s a few dead moments in training. This might not last long. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:30:27 +0000 2016 |
| SallyReb | Color coding … Say more please #prodchat https://t.co/LjtipyytIp | Thu Aug 18 00:31:01 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @SallyReb follow-up or review is the thing lots of people struggle with . . . have you tried setting aside time for this? #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:31:09 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @Katie__Linder glad you could stop by! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:31:31 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | A3: Maybe how easily and quickly I can capture tasks and notes, no matter where I am #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:32:08 +0000 2016 |
| xianfox | iCloud and Google calendar, Wunderlist, Evernote, Airmail are the main apps. #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:32:32 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @SallyReb sure: in all my apps, green is for teaching-related items, purple for research, etc. That helps me find what I need. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:32:41 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A3 sometimes to be most productive I put my phone on airplane mode. Create a zone of focus. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:34:03 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | Q4: WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN USING YOUR PHONE PRODUCTIVELY? #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:34:16 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @SallyReb yes! I do this too. Also for quotes in things I’m reading. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:35:14 +0000 2016 |
| SallyReb | It’s funny, I do make time to review paper to-do list but I do not treat phone list the same #prodchat https://t.co/AXUtAkbbDw | Thu Aug 18 00:35:25 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | A4: How easily it is to Google things and check @feedly looking for something to distract me from my work. Maybe it’s self control #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:36:05 +0000 2016 |
| SallyReb | I love this, I use color all the time to org but do not know how to apply to apps #prodchat https://t.co/UU6IyMxiam | Thu Aug 18 00:37:14 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @SallyReb interesting. . . sometimes digital info seems less tangible, easier to forget about #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:37:16 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | A3 I turn off data for almost all of my apps. This limits the time I use it. My productivity with it is silencing it 😛 #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:38:33 +0000 2016 |
| xianfox | A4: Distractions. Games, twitter, etc. #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:38:49 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A4: I save a lot of things to @pocket and the unread can pile up! Trying to be better about tagging at least. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:39:04 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | A4 I like games LOL #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:39:07 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A4 One problem I see a lot is reading email on phone without answering/processing it. Causes inbox fatigue and pileup. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:40:58 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | @nmhouston I do this too! I am trying to set aside time on Saturday to clear it out, but I haven’t been consistent #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:41:19 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @IsaPinaud but with a timer on, a game can be a great little break, too . . . #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:41:50 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | Q5: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE PRODUCTIVITY APPS, SHORTCUTS, OR TIPS FOR YOUR PHONE? #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:43:48 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | A5: Widgets on Android and organizing frequently used apps into folders. And turning off lots of notifications 🙂 #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:45:55 +0000 2016 |
| xianfox | Q5: I’m really loving Wunderlist as of late. #ProdChat I’m just afraid Microsoft will kill it now that I love it. | Thu Aug 18 00:46:24 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A5 I use CamScanner to scan documents to PDF from my phone. Or just photo them if it’s something small #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:46:46 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A5 do any of you have good recommendations for organizing photos on Android? #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:48:02 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | @xianfox I was afraid too, but it’s been awhile & they haven’t hurt it yet. I think they’ve just integrated it into Outlook #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:48:48 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A5 @todoist @trello and G calendar are super helpful for me #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:48:56 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | @nmhouston @googlephotos Super simple #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:49:16 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | A5 At the moment I am obsessing over @airtable . It’s basically a text based excel, letting you create spreadsheets out of info #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:49:57 +0000 2016 |
| SallyReb | Thanks all! in transit now Appreciate conversation and learning from you #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:50:23 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | A5b: I don’t know how to describe how AWESOME @airtable is! I wish I had money to sponsor them 😛 #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:50:24 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A5 I keep lists of useful misc info on my phone: things like the size of wiper blades for our cars, printer cartridge numbers, etc #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:51:06 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | @nmhouston That’s what I’m doing 🙂 Playing on my @PomodoroTech breaks 😉 #prodchat |
Thu Aug 18 00:51:09 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @IsaPinaud @airtable sounds awesome, I will have to check this out #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:53:38 +0000 2016 |
| jmolich | @nmhouston Similarly rely on TurboScan app for receipts, passport scan, insurance card scan, kid’s artwork, etc. #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:53:51 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @SallyReb glad you could join us! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:53:54 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @michelle1908 @googlephotos thanks! will check it out #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:54:07 +0000 2016 |
| JKatzaman | A4 My challenge with cell phones is simply figuring out what the apps do — and if I need them in the first place. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:54:35 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | Q6: WHAT’S ONE THING YOU’D LIKE TO EXPERIMENT WITH OVER THE NEXT WEEK TO IMPROVE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY? #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:55:12 +0000 2016 |
| GTDPhilly | RT @prodchat: Don’t forget to get a copy of The Conquest of Happiness for August’s @prodbookgrp! https://t.co/IC0Casbh6J #prodchat https://… | Thu Aug 18 00:55:16 +0000 2016 |
| focusatwork | RT @prodchat: Don’t forget to get a copy of The Conquest of Happiness for August’s @prodbookgrp! https://t.co/IC0Casbh6J #prodchat https://… | Thu Aug 18 00:55:16 +0000 2016 |
| prodbookgrp | RT @prodchat: Don’t forget to get a copy of The Conquest of Happiness for August’s @prodbookgrp! https://t.co/IC0Casbh6J #prodchat https://… | Thu Aug 18 00:55:16 +0000 2016 |
| gtdnyc | RT @prodchat: Don’t forget to get a copy of The Conquest of Happiness for August’s @prodbookgrp! https://t.co/IC0Casbh6J #prodchat https://… | Thu Aug 18 00:55:16 +0000 2016 |
| gtddc | RT @prodchat: Don’t forget to get a copy of The Conquest of Happiness for August’s @prodbookgrp! https://t.co/IC0Casbh6J #prodchat https://… | Thu Aug 18 00:55:16 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A6 over the next week, I’m going to check out some of the apps everyone mentioned tonight in the chat! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:57:09 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | A6: I like the idea of putting it in airplane mode when I need to focus. I should use my pomodoro app more. It does the same thing #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:58:02 +0000 2016 |
| xianfox | A6: For me it’d be sticking to my current apps and NOT experimenting. New apps are my weakness. #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:58:11 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | A6 I’d love to try and block out free time as well as my work time. An awesome idea I got from my brother @apinaud #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:58:40 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | Thanks everyone for today’s #ProdChat! Join us again next week! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:58:50 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | Check out the #prodchat Storify tomorrow from @rsidneysmith! | Thu Aug 18 00:59:15 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @xianfox totally understand! if it’s working, no need to change it! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 00:59:47 +0000 2016 |
| michelle1908 | @nmhouston Thank you for leading it! #ProdChat | Thu Aug 18 00:59:58 +0000 2016 |
| rsidneysmith | Thanks so much to @nmhouston for hosting today’s #ProdChat! Virtual round of applause for Natalie Houston, everyone! 😀 | Thu Aug 18 00:59:59 +0000 2016 |
| prodchat | RT @nmhouston: Check out the #prodchat Storify tomorrow from @rsidneysmith! | Thu Aug 18 01:00:14 +0000 2016 |
| prodbookgrp | RT @nmhouston: Check out the #prodchat Storify tomorrow from @rsidneysmith! | Thu Aug 18 01:00:14 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @IsaPinaud @apinaud a wise idea! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 01:00:15 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | A5 one more app I love and forgot to mention: @focusatwill helps my brain focus #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 01:00:49 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @michelle1908 thanks! So glad you could join us! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 01:01:26 +0000 2016 |
| IsaPinaud | I was only sort of here because I’m busy, but I’ve missed #prodchat so it was good to be back! Thanks @nmhouston and @rsidneysmith 🙂 | Thu Aug 18 01:02:02 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | Thanks everyone — see you all next week! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 01:02:24 +0000 2016 |
| nmhouston | @IsaPinaud great to see you! #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 01:02:50 +0000 2016 |
| TheIdeaPump | Better late than never. Now to pan for the wisdom nuggets from #prodchat | Thu Aug 18 01:45:43 +0000 2016 |