Ways to Get a Handle on Productivity Apps
When you first bought your Android phone, you were probably delighted with the number of apps you could download for both personal and business use. There are apps that can help you deposit a check right into your work account and an app that assists you in planning dinners based on what you have in your fridge. Then there are game apps, health apps, astronomy apps and much more. With so many choices when it comes to apps, you may have felt like you were visiting the app equivalent of an all-you-can-eat restaurant.
Unfortunately, just as overeating can make you feel bloated and uncomfortably full, your smartphone may be showing similar signs of having too many apps by running really slowly and taking forever to load new programs. The expression “too much of a good thing” definitely applies to apps and phones. In order to get your phone up and running at peak levels again — as well as feel less overwhelmed by all of the stuff on your screen — it is time for some serious app detox. In order to do this as easily and effectively as possible, check out the following tips:
Start with the Apps You Never Use
Use the same approach to app removal as you do donating the old clothes in your closet — take an honest look at your dozens of apps and start deleting the ones you never use — even some that are meant to help your business run smoother. If you never use that finance or invoicing app, it is taking up important real estate on your phone. In addition, any app that claims to save RAM on your phone should be deleted because they tend to use up battery life, and any sort of “cleaning app” that promises to make your phone perform better should also be given the boot — going into Settings and then Storage and Cached Data and tapping on Clear Cached Data will do the same thing.
Next, Remove the Apps that Distract You From Work
You may have a number of apps that you genuinely like and use often — and this can be a problem. As a business owner, the last thing you want or need is a game or website tempting you with every glance at your phone. Classic examples of distracting apps include Facebook, Twitter and Instagram — especially if they are set up to give you constant push alerts and notifications. Games like Candy Crush may also need to be deleted, especially if you find yourself trying to surreptitiously line up three candies in a row during a meeting. Other apps that deserve a rapid trip to delete land include shopping sites that encourage you to spend more money; getting rid of them will free up much-needed space on your phone as well as help save your hard-earned cash.
Look Into Instant Apps
The ability to temporarily download and use an app may be the coolest solution of all for app fans. Some of the top mobile platforms on the market today feature super-fast Gigabit LTE speeds, which will allow you to load an Android Instant App, up to 20MG in size, in just over a second. Once it’s on your phone, you can use the app for whatever you need it for and then when you are done it will automatically go away. Talk about having your cake and eating it too — in this case you can use the app and save your phone space at the same time.
Doing a full digital detox can take time and patience, and there may be setbacks along the way. But by standing firm in your resolve to clear your Android phone from unneeded apps and giving the Android Instant App feature a try, you will emerge victorious, less reliant on apps and you’ll enjoy a feeling of peace.