5 Clever Ways to Get More Done Using Your Phone

That smartphone in your pocket can do a lot more than take photos and receive notifications. With the right tools and knowledge, you can turn your device into a productivity powerhouse, one that—under the right circumstances—may even be able to replace your laptop. Here's how.

1. Invest in peripherals.

The whole point of a touch screen is that it allows you to interact with the phone directly—no need to rely on an annoying stylus or a clunky mouse. But a touchscreen has limitations, and for some productivity tasks, external accessories can help you get a lot done a lot faster. And even tackle tasks that may have been impossible to do using just a touchscreen.

But enough broad strokes; let's talk about specifics. A good place to start is to buy a keyboard and mouse for your phone. Yes, most modern smartphones—across both Android and iPhone—support both peripherals, either through Bluetooth or USB dongles.

Accessories can also help make your phone more useful. There are plenty of phone cases that come with useful features, and an anti-glare screen protector can make your phone screen easier to see outdoors.

2. Keep looking for better apps.

Sometimes, the best way to improve isn't to get something new but to replace something familiar. If you're like most people, you've built a library of apps to meet your various needs and then stuck with it. Nothing gets replaced unless a specific app starts causing you trouble. And while this approach does provide stability, it also means that you may be missing out on a ton of apps that are better and more robust than your current tools.

The tip here is to take stock of which apps you use daily and then spend some time looking for better versions of those apps. Who knows, you may even find one with options you never knew you needed until you got them.

3. Keep an eye on updates.

When was the last time you read the patch notes of your latest phone's update? I don't blame you; many of those notes are boring and dry and only really talk about minor improvements in safety and stability. Stuff that is important but doesn't really affect your daily use.

Still, every so often, a major upgrade comes around and adds a ton of new features to old devices. So once your phone receives a new version of Android or iOS, make sure to read the patch notes. This way, you can keep track of what features got added and make the useful ones a part of your routine.

4. Read the manual.

Speaking of features, what about all the features your phone has had since launch? Unless you've read your device's manual or read a ton about your phone online, chances are that there are some useful features and settings in your phone that you've yet to learn about.

Reading the manual is an easy way to solve that problem. Even if you lost your phone's packaging, it should be easy to find a copy of the manual online. For a less boring solution, there are plenty of video guides out there that walk owners through every useful feature of a given new phone.

5. Leverage cloud solutions.

Last but not least, there is the cloud. From cloud storage, allowing you to access terabytes of files on your device, to cloud computing, allowing you to simulate and interact with a desktop server on your phone screen, there are a lot of ways to use the cloud to make your phone more useful.

Granted, some of these solutions require more tech skills than others. But if you'd like more space on your phone or find that it lacks the computing power needed to perform a certain task, there is a good chance you can solve that problem using the cloud. And it'll be much cheaper than buying a new phone.