Smartphone Mastery: From Distraction to Efficiency

Welcome to edition 66 of The CRE Agents' Weekly. This is the LinkedIn newsletter where commercial real estate agents, brokers and leaders can get specific and tactical advice that will accelerate growth in their business and elevate their motivation.

Smartphone Mastery: From Distraction to Efficiency

We’ve all been there—casually glancing at our phones only to realise how much time we’ve spent glued to the screen.

A quick check of your device’s usage statistics can reveal just how often our smartphones interrupt us, pulling us away from more important tasks.

If this sounds familiar, I’m here to help with 11 strategies that can turn your mobile device from a source of distraction into a tool that enhances your productivity.

1. Limit Non-Essential Notifications

Our phones are designed to capture attention, and an endless stream of notifications only makes this worse. Whether it’s from social media, email, or shopping apps, each buzz can pull your focus away from work. Reducing or turning off non-essential notifications will help you stay on task and concentrate better.

2. Remove Unnecessary Apps

Apps you no longer use do nothing but clutter your phone and make it harder to access the ones you need. As Marie Kondo might say, if it doesn’t "spark joy" or add value, it’s time to declutter your digital space. Removing unused apps clears both mental and physical space for what matters.

3. Prioritise Time-Saving Apps

Make sure the apps you use most are easily accessible. Mobile-optimised versions of key platforms, like your CRM or e-commerce tools, are often more efficient than their browser counterparts. These apps can be customised to your preferences, helping you work faster and more efficiently.

4. Set Limits for Time-Draining Apps

We all have those apps that suck us into mindless scrolling. Setting daily time limits for these apps can prevent them from taking up too much of your time. Even though limits can be bypassed, having to make that extra effort can curb unnecessary usage. If you can’t be trusted, delete the app.

5. Keep Your Phone Out of Sight During Meetings

Having your phone visible—even face down—can still be a distraction. To fully engage in meetings and demonstrate good etiquette, keep your phone out of sight. This technique can also be applied during periods of deep, focused work to help you stay in the zone.

6. Use Focus Modes for Critical Tasks

When tackling important tasks, consider enabling "Do Not Disturb" or using the focus setting on your phone. Setting up specific profiles for uninterrupted work sessions can prevent distractions and help you maintain momentum on demanding projects.

7. Take Advantage of Voice Assistants for Quick Tasks

Need to calculate something quickly? Instead of manually working it out, ask Siri or Google Assistant to do it for you. Whether it’s calculating a settlement date or performing simple tasks, using voice commands can save time and eliminate errors.

8. Embrace Voice Commands and Dictation

The more you use voice commands, the smarter your phone becomes in understanding you. Voice dictation can make texting or responding to messages while driving safer and more efficient. Over time, using this feature will make routine tasks faster.

9. Send Voice Notes for Clearer Communication

Text messages are often misinterpreted when people abbreviate, and autocorrect can slow you down or create confusion if you send the wrong words. Using voice notes can speed up communication and make your message clearer, helping you cut through the noise in someone’s inbox.

10. Turn Commutes into Learning Opportunities with Podcasts

One of my favourite business gurus, Brian Tracy, often says that his car became a "university on wheels." Instead of tuning into shock-jocks on the radio, use commute time to listen to podcasts or audiobooks, turning what would otherwise be idle time into a valuable learning experience.

11. Use Keyboard Shortcuts for Common Responses

Keyboard shortcuts, or "hotkeys," can streamline your work by reducing the time spent typing out common responses. While this feature is often used for quick replies to phone calls, it can also be employed across apps like email and messaging.

By making these small adjustments, you can transform your smartphone from a source of distraction into a tool for enhanced productivity. The more effort you put into optimising how you use your phone, the more time you’ll save in the long run.

And finally…

Set goals.

Create clear, ambitious goals that you’ll be proud to achieve. This will give you direction and motivation.

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About the author

Darren Krakowiak is the Founder of?CRE Success?and the author of?The CRE Agents’ Weekly?on LinkedIn. He works closely with commercial real estate principals to accelerate growth in their business. CRE Success has a program for commercial real estate agents who want to invest in their own success. Darren is also the host of?Commercial Real Estate Leadership.