3 Categories to Master

This changed my life back in 2016. It’s such a foundational philosophy that I have NEVER changed my methodology. Instead, with every software update that comes out, I find BETTER ways to embody these core principles.

• 📲 Be strategic with APP PLACEMENT.

• 🔔 PICK YOUR NOTIFICATIONS wisely.

• 📱 Create EFFECTIVE HOME SCREEN layouts.

App Placement 📲

• Remove Unused Apps - Go through the app library and remove anything you for sure don’t need.

  • In Settings > General > Storage you can also have your phone intelligently remove unused apps.

• Keep Essential Apps on Home Screen - EVERYTHING ELSE you will remove so it’s now hidden in your app library.

  • Back in 2016 we didn’t have an App Library on iPhone… I just put everything in a single folder and made a final home screen that was the purgatory for all these apps 😄.

• Make App Search 2nd Nature - Every app you have you can access to by searching (pull down on the home screen). Not only will you use this to search for apps hidden in your library, but you’ll find this is a quick and intentional way to access anything.

  • Eventually you’ll get to the point where you search for what you need 9 times out of 10. App search is SO quick!

This is the essential, first step before organizing home screen layout… which we’ll get to in the 3rd section.

Notifications 🔔

Be they “red dots” or notification banners, or anything else, notifications are meant to tell you what is IMPORTANT. If you are seeing banners, or collecting “red dots” and you are not doing anything with them… then they aren’t important… and they are TRAINING YOU to ignore notifications. It’s only a matter of time until you miss something that is truly important.

• Turn Off Non-Essential Notifications - If it doesn’t tell you something useful… get rid of it!

• Use “Red Dots” Sparingly - If every app has a dot that calls out for you to tap on it, then once again you are either distracted by everything… or you train your brain to ignore the very thing that’s meant to notify you.

  • Text Messages, Missed Calls/Voicemails… Finance Apps… and maybe a couple other things… but no more than a few apps.

    • And NEVER work email… that you open up strategically during your work day, but you never let it assault your attention.

• Leverage Levels of Notifications - You can pick if a notification interrupts you, or if it silently shows up in your Notification Center. Be strategic with what you pick:

  • Apps that don’t notify you at all.

  • Apps that will silently plop into your Notification Center and you’ll see them periodically when you turn on your lock screen.

  • Apps that interrupt you, because they are truly important.

Home Screens 📱

Use those multiple screens as “folders” to strategically display apps and guard your attention.

• Essential Apps 1st - Notes app, task manager, finance ledger, photos… things that you use regularly should be easy to access.

  • Avoid red dots here - The first home screen should be a place that doesn’t assault your attention. Unless it’s phone and texting (which is in my bottom bar) get it off the 1st screen.

    • This also means that a notification on that main screen catches my attention, because it’s only there if someone is trying to contact me urgently.

  • You can use this method to enforce new habits - For example if you want to read more and listen to podcasts more, then put those apps on the 1st home screen.

• “Red Dot” Apps 2nd - Personal Email, messaging apps, shopping apps, etc… things that could distract you, you keep on the second screen so you can still be notified, but you’re intentionally guarding your attention.

  • Also this is a good space for less frequent apps you use (maps, contacts, etc.)

• Recreation Apps 3rd - Social Media, Games, etc… keep the fun in one spot and keep it away from the apps you need for work and life, otherwise it will distract you.

• Work Apps 4th - Keeping your work apps on a single screen ensures that when you’re on the job you’re not distracted by personal notifications. You’ll simply be on that specific screen for your work hours.

  • This is more powerful when you use Focus Modes - You can set specific home screens to be the only screen at specific times of the day. This is helpful for making sure you don’t accidentally flip through your screens and then get distracted.

  • Pro Tip - This is also why I use two different email clients (one for personal email and one for work), it allows me to keep my work email app on the work screen, and I don’t get distracted by the one when I’m in the other.

🌟 TOP PICKS

The Sources

How to Unhijack Your Mind from Your Phone
This is the article that I read back in 2016!

Article Source: Google Study on Employee Eating Habits
This is the study that the 2016 article references.

Pro Tip: Haptic Touch

Did you know that you can long-press on an app and get a series of actions you can immediately trigger? This is a great way to avoid distraction, and be intentional about using an app for a specific purpose.

For example if you need to send an email… you might get really distracted if you open your inbox. But, if you haptic touch on the app you can go straight into email composition.

🎬 BEHIND THE SCENES

My Home Screens

Be inspired… or chuckle at how many Pokémon apps I have…
In my defense, being an early 90s kid means I was born to catch them all 😎

Christmas Sale 🎁

It is my pleasure to give all T+P Subscribers an additional 5% off the Designs store through the month of December (That is ON TOP of any existing sales running throughout the month). To ensure arrival before Christmas you’ll want to place any orders before December 9th. But this discount code will work all the way through January 4th if you’re looking to snag a New Years gift as well 😎

Use the discount code: NEWSLETTER