6 productive things to do on your phone.
Rachel Walton | Published: 17th November 2020
On a bad mental health day, it can be difficult to find the energy to do anything. Usually, this ends up with countless hours of scrolling through our phones followed by time spent feeling guilty. While it might feel impossible to take yourself on a 5 mile run, there are some things you can try to feel productive without putting your phone down. Doing a couple of these might even give you the momentum to do a lot more.
1. Write a to-do list in your notes.
All great things start with a plan. Knowing exactly what you want to get done is the first step to take, so take a a few minutes to jot down a very basic to-do list.
Doing this can make you realise that what feels like a really daunting task is just a few little steps. However, if the list does intimidate you, at least you’ll have a clearer idea of how long it might take and you can start to have a process developing in your mind.
2. Make a playlist of your favourite songs.
Music can be a great way to relax, to feel motivated, and to feel inspired. Putting together a playlist of old hits you haven’t heard in years can give you a big nostalgia boost. Or, you might want to put together a playlist of new releases if you’re feeling a little stagnant.
Whatever playlists you put together, there’ll come a time and a place that you’ll thank your past self for being a such a great DJ.
3. Unsubscribe from promotional emails.
You’ve probably been getting annoyed about getting promotional emails from the same company every day for several years now. Take this spare time to hit the unsubscribe button on the repeat offenders and save yourself from a thousand future annoyances.
4. Delete unwanted screenshots from your camera roll.
Embrace Marie Kondo vibes and delete anything that doesn’t spark joy!
You can only press ‘ignore’ on the data storage warnings so many times. Have a declutter of all the unnecessary screenshots of old messages and clothes you didn’t end up buying. Not only will it free up some much needed storage on your phone, it feels quite therapeutic to delete everything that you don’t need.
5. Reply to messages from family and friends.
It’s easy to lose track of how many people you haven’t replied to. Lots of important people can be left unread for a long time because we forget or just don’t feel up to a conversation.
Try to respond to the important messages that have slipped under the radar for whatever reason. Having a little catch up with a loved one might be a really good way to find the motivation to take on a busy day.
6. Listen to a podcast.
Listening to a podcast can be a great way to learn, re-charge, and get inspired. Whether you want to listen to something comedic to cheer you up or something educational to get you started, there’s plenty of options to choose from.
Try listening to a new podcast that sounds exciting or maybe re-listen to a podcast that has inspired you in the past.
Hopefully some of these ideas can be the start of a bigger project or a brighter day. If not, be kind to yourself and take some time to re-charge.
Movement creates momentum, so even the tiniest of first steps can be the start of progressing onto brilliant things.