From the
minute we wake up, we depend highly on our phone. We use it to check the time,
set our alarm clock, upload pictures on Instagram, or post a status update on
Facebook. In a society like ours, it is almost impossible to be in a public
area and see an individual that is not straining his neck to look down at his
mobile device.
Smart phones are
getting more and more popular due to the number of applications that the user
can download to make his phone work accordingly to his needs. Some of these
apps are used for productivity purposes and they are supposed to save the user’s
time and energy. But is this really what applications do for us?
Apps demand
our time and energy. Our phones basically control us. Users believe that thanks
to productivity applications they can better sort out their schedules to allow
for improved time management, but really all they do is wasting more time. In
the time it takes to find an application to help you create a to-do list,
download the application, set it up the way you like it, and actually write
your to-do list, you could have written the list on a sheet of paper and
completed at least one of the items.
Smart phones
are also one of the biggest distracters. For example, we can turn on a phone
with the intention of using a calculator, but get quickly distracted by a social
media app and completely forget about our task.
I like to use
applications like “Goalist” that helps me organize my time better, but I admit
that many games and social media apps are big distraction. Sometimes they make
it really hard to focus, do more harm than good.
Applications
are made with the best intentions in mind, but our society just doesn’t know
how to use them efficiently so that they could really serve their true purpose.
Maybe sometimes it is just better to take a pen and paper, or a calculator and
stay off the phone?
Comments
Many apps are not useful at all. I do not understand at all the popularity of applications such like SnapChat. For me they does not have any sense and people are wasting time for that.
Some applications are useful like online banking, trip advisors, expenses controller or to do lists. But most of them are time consumers like games, trial versions of app that are very limited or those which are paid.
Same as Cezary I don't understand the existence of SnapChat.
Here is an interesting article (in polish) about time management. Although I like that my phone is so useful, I don't like the feeling that I always have to be "available" and answer every phone call or every message. If you feel the same, I recommend checking out the article. http://jasonhunt.pl/to-tylko-kolejny-tekst-z-9-sposobami-na-lepsza-organizacje-czasu-i-dluzsze-wakacje-w-zyciu/
But besides the "dark side" of smatphones we need to remember that it is helpful. When you are standing in a lomg queue you won't socialise with other people, but you can read a nice article that you have found when you were driving a bus. Or you can answer your emails instead of doing it at home. So in fact it might be not so bad :D
However, I agree that there are many garbage apps that are totally useless.
I agree that smartphones can be also very helpful, but not necessary in a big dose.
First of all, I agree that a lot of applications distract us. That's one of the reasons I don't use Facebook, Instagram etc. - I know it would distract me and I don't think it's worth it. However, I don't think that all the applications make us waste our time.
I personally joined the company I work for because I like the application and I use it on a daily basis - whenever I have to travel anywhere actually. I wanted to make it even better.
I think that wether the applications waste your time or help you depends mainly on you and how you use them.
I noticed that having constant access to the Internet makes converstions poorer - we don't speculate or wonder, when we don't know something, we simply take our phone out and in no time our lack of knowledge is fixed. I think this makes us less humble, because we are not fully aware of how little we know without having our smartphones in our hands.
But, coming back to the actual subject, I use a lot of time consuming apps. I use a couple of messengers to contact with my friends, Internet app, Pinterest and 500px (image browsers) etc. HoweverI also use a lot of apps that help me manage my time, duties and plans - calendars that I can update on various devices and everything is synchronised, a list manager (Wunderlist, I highly reccomend this app), google maps (I would be long lost and gone without it) and jakdojade, e-mail, synchronised groceries list (I love that I can move the items up and down and save a lot of time in a supermarket, because I put my list into categories and I don't run from one end of the store to the other just because I forgot something), simultaneous cooking timers, physical activity controllers... All these apps make my life easier and they make me happier because I like to have everything in order and planned out. And carrying a phone in my pocket is better than having an actual calendar and several hundreds of lose sheets of paper with no order at all.
However I can't imagine myself not using smartphone and all the apps - it help's me to remember about meetings, calls and even paying my bills. If I don't have something in my digital calendar - 100% that I will forget about it.
I like to use apps, that help me to improve some of my skills. I am a big fan of brain training apps that generate interesting exercises for you every day. They help you to improve your language, so you can express your thoughts easier, or to be better in math, e.g. counting faster; help you to better focus on tasks and so on.
I can recommend such apps like Peak or Elevate.
What about apps that help you organize your time:
It doesn't work for me at all. Steal I prefer dashboard, notebook and pen. :)
One category of the apps are the ones meant for entertainment, like games (but not limited to them). You could call using those apps "a waste of time", but everyone needs a bit of fun - some people play computer games, other surf the internet, or watch some cartoons. I wouldn't say it's a complete waste of time, unless you do it too often.
The other category are utility apps, like to-do lists or communication finders. Here, I don't agree with your statement that "In the time it takes to find an application to help you create a to-do list, download the application, set it up the way you like it, and actually write your to-do list, you could have written the list on a sheet of paper and completed at least one of the items". I use a to-do list application, and it took me literally like three clicks to download it and login using facebook. I find it extremely useful, especially that I would probably lose the mentioned sheet of paper in 5 minutes :)
I understand your point and I also think some people are seriosly addicted to their mobiles. However, it's the matter of a person - you can't say apps are bad, it's just that some people have poor time management or find it hard to focus. Using the apps or playing games isn't bad - it's only a waste of time if you do it too often :)
Phone I have always with you. I always get timely reminder of the event.