6 Steps and 2 minutes to Free 5 hours From Your Phone

Anti-social is the new social. (Photo: Scott Beale / Laughing Squid)

Have you seen a group of friends typing away on their phones instead of talking?

I have. I use to be one of these people in fact. I had my blackberry (aka crackberry). Now seeing these people waste the precious time they have with their friends or loved ones to type away on their phones, allows me to value my time spent with others.

It isn’t just about being anti-social either. It is a big time waster to type away on these phones most of the time. I know a lot of people who use unproductive behavior as an excuse to not be productive. Do you find yourself tweaking with your new iPhone App instead of finishing that paper or making that sales call? Do you press on the iFart application and laugh in the corner?

I would find myself wasting time on my phone doing useless things like tweaking settings here and there instead of working. When hanging out with other people I would pull out my phone every few minutes to check email or other items. Now, with a few tweaks, I can focus on the important things in my life. Dinner and special time will be interrupted no more. To me as a Vagabond, these few steps allow me to focus on relationships more.

I’m actually planning to experiment life with no phone and only use Skype. Though I would actually want to keep a phone just to keep in touch with the special one. You might find me typing away at times still on my blackberry, though it is only very productive messages to a person who matters.

Benefits of Taking the 6 steps:

• Save Money (No need for a data plan, possibly reduced texting plan)
• 5 Extra hours of free time
• Focus on important tasks
• Focus on loved ones
• Less interruption in life

Cons of Taking the 6 steps:

• Not up to date on useless matters
• Not able to make excuses to participate
• 5 Extra hours of free time

Yes, take the next few steps for the unimportant matters in life, keep alert for the people you find important as you do now, or if you have ignored them, now you can focus on them like me.

Make the choice or pick and choose what works for you.

6 Steps and 2 minutes to an Extra 5 Hours a Day

One key item you need to apply with all this is:

“Make a decision today and take action, and apologize later.” It is not word for word from Tim Ferris. It is best to try something out instead of asking for permission. Just apologize later.

1. Remove access to email on your phone.

Depending on the type of phone you have, you will usually have email with a smart phone. A smart phone is an iPhone, Blackberry, Palm, Android and etc.

Many companies are requiring employees to carry around a blackberry with them now so they become 24/7, and some of these employees have struck back with lawsuits.

Removing your access to email will seem very difficult in the beginning. You are probably checking it every 10 minutes. You can test with auto responders informing the emailing offender that you only check your email twice a day due to a busy schedule and for them to call you if it is truly an emergency. Start checking twice a day on a computer.

This might seem crazy and you think your boss will get angry you didn’t respond to their inquiry right away or at 10pm at night. Well, it is going to take some training for your boss in this situation. Plus, who needs you at 10pm? I would say only those special to you. If people treat every business related matter as an emergency, those people NEED to learn to plan ahead.

2. Remove any social media related applications. (Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Instant Messengers, etc.)

If you have these apps on your phone, you probably already waste enough time on the computer looking at which friends got drunk the weekend before, or those witty comments by your friends too hip to be defined.

Why do you need to know what your friends did if you are hanging out with them? Just ask!

It is just a huge time waster to consistently check for new information in social media. You can always do it later on a computer.

Instant messaging on a phone is a great time waster too. Waiting for their reply, typing out your reply, hours and hours can go by with nothing getting done. Reply back later.

3. Hide the Internet browser on your phone and do not use it.

I checked CNNMoney everyday on my phone to waste time. I didn’t even like the information they had, it was just a good time waster.

Just hide the Internet browser and only use it for occasions you really need it. When do you need it? When you decide to go to a movie with your special ones and you do not have a computer near you. Finding information you need in a REAL emergency like someone being hurt.

4. Disable notifications.

Don’t disable all your notifications. If your special ones are fans of texting you, you may want to be notified of those.

If you use your phone for your calendar, don’t disable those notifications. Just disable whatever is distracting.

I’m sure you found yourself checking your phone if you received a notification even if it didn’t notify you. It just becomes habit.

Just disable notifications and check your phone at intervals. This is a great solution if you don’t want to remove programs, you can always batch checking your phone at certain times.

5. Put your phone on vibrate forever.

There are so many benefits for vibrate, though the best con you can give me, “what if I miss a call?”

Sometimes it is actually good to miss a call. Though you don’t want to miss your special persons’ calls, so don’t train them that you wouldn’t answer their calls.

It is the calls from your boss, possibly high demanding clients, and other time wasters.

Most of the time, they think they are calling you with an emergency, though if they planned ahead, it would have not happened. The problem can be easily resolved if steps were in place before.

I actually started to ignore calls, these “emergencies” stopped coming to me and many times the person would find the solution themselves. They can also leave voice mails.

Though the special ones to me or you can still reach you because when your phone vibrates, it will usually be them. Text message or call.

Another benefit is not bothering others with a call or text during a meeting or other events where silence is required. Yes you can always change the settings for those times, though it is easier just to walk in the room and focus.

6. Ignore unimportant phone calls and text messages.

This is similar to the vibrate step.

What I call unimportant is anyone you do not deem special. A special person may be your spouse and kids.

Just stop answering calls, have them leave a voice mail and get back to the person when it is convenient for you, not them.

If the text is from an unimportant person, check it later and get back to them then.

Bonus!

7. Have your phone turn auto-off and auto-on

Only have your phone turn on or off at set intervals if you DON’T need to be on call.

If you have a sickly family member and they need to reach you just in case they need a ride, it is best to be reachable.

Having it turn on and off at set times means no one wakes you up and bothers you during sleeping time or after work.

For example, if you use your phone for business and personal, have it set off at 11pm before you sleep and on at 8am after you wake up.

If you don’t want to be on call after work, have it turn off at 5pm, and on at 9am.

The 7th step is similar to step 5 and 6 where unimportant people don’t have their calls answered right away. They have to leave a voice mail, email, or fix their problem themselves.

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Now you have just freed 5 hours daily from your phone.

Spend time with those who matter. You are not looking at your phone anymore during dinner, and now look straight at the special ones.

Posted on January 26th 2010.