3 Ways to Limit Smartphone While Working from Home: Stay Focused, Stay Sane - Regain Control of Your Time
How to Stop Your Smartphone Ruining Your Productivity When Working From Home
Are you tired of losing track of time and productivity as your smartphone lures you into its captivating blue glow and the realm of doom-scrolling while you work from the comfort of your home?
The siren call of social media, cat videos, and endless notifications can easily steer us off course. But fear not, dear reader!
You're not alone. It’s happened to all of us — myself included. My personal weakness is getting sucked into a Warhammer rabbit hole and emerging three hours later. What’s your digital rabbit hole of choice?
In this blog post, we’ll explore practical strategies to rein in your smartphone use and help you refocus on your work.
Who Will Find This Article Useful?
If you find yourself scrolling through memes instead of spreadsheets, checking Instagram instead of emails, and endlessly swiping instead of meeting deadlines, this post is your life raft.
Whether you're a freelancer, a remote worker, or a digital nomad, these strategies will help you strike a healthier balance between work and smartphone play.
Promise
By the end of this article, you'll have six proven techniques to help you:
✅ Take control of your smartphone use
✅ Boost your productivity
✅ Regain some of that elusive work–life balance
How to Limit Your Smartphone Use
Step 1: Set Clear Boundaries
The first step to reclaiming your work hours is setting strict boundaries for smartphone use.
Designate times during the day when your phone is off-limits. For example, during work hours, put your phone in another room or use apps that temporarily block distracting apps.
Out of sight, out of mind really works.
Personally, I leave my phone charging in another room — it’s enough to trick my brain into leaving it alone.
Step 2: Embrace the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that helps you stay focused while limiting distractions.
Here’s how it works:
- Work in focused 25-minute sprints
- Take a 5-minute break
- After four cycles, enjoy a longer break (15–30 minutes)
During those Pomodoro bursts, your smartphone should be firmly out of reach.
📩 Want more productivity tips?
Step 3: Curate Your Notifications
Notifications are tiny pings that shatter concentration.
Take control:
- Turn off non-essential alerts
- Keep only the ones that truly matter
By silencing constant buzzing and chiming, you’ll reduce the urge to check your phone every five minutes.
Step 4: Delete Unnecessary Apps
Audit your phone regularly. Ask:
❓ Does this app genuinely serve a purpose?
If not, delete it.
Removing clutter not only frees up storage space but also reduces temptation.
Step 5: Greyscale Your Phone During Working Hours
Many smartphones offer greyscale (black-and-white) mode.
Switching to greyscale makes your phone less visually stimulating — those bright, enticing app icons suddenly look far less tempting.
Step 6: Find a Digital Accountability Partner
Find a friend, family member, or colleague who also wants to cut back on smartphone use.
Check in with each other regularly. Share successes, struggles, and hold each other accountable.
Having someone on the same journey can make the process more effective (and even a little fun).
Actionable Takeaways
✅ Takeaway 1: Designate “phone-free” zones in your workspace.
✅ Takeaway 2: Use the Pomodoro Technique to structure your work time.
✅ Takeaway 3: Curate notifications — and don’t beat yourself up if you slip now and then.
Call to Action
Ready to take control of your phone use and reclaim hours of productivity?
Start with just one or two steps today — and watch your focus (and free time) grow.
📖 This book by James Sugel offers a 10-step programme to fight digital addiction.
TL;DR
📱 Your smartphone is eating your productivity.
Here’s how to take back control:
- ✅ Set boundaries – charge it in another room during work hours.
- ✅ Use Pomodoro – 25 mins focus, 5 mins break.
- ✅ Silence notifications – only keep urgent ones.
- ✅ Delete or hide apps that are just time-wasters.
- ✅ Switch to greyscale to make your phone less addictive.
- ✅ Get an accountability buddy to keep you honest.
Take it one step at a time. Your focus (and sanity) will thank you.