I used to pride myself on finishing my workday before 6pm, leaving me plenty of time to hit the gym and play squash before dinner. That being said, it was clear to me that I was still spend too much time on my phone during the work day. Whether it was checking something important or wasting time on Instagram and YouTube, I was wasting precious time that could have been better spent.
When I upgraded to Windows 11 recently, I rediscovered Phone Link, a built-in Windows app that allowed me to link my phone to my PC. This turned out to be just what kept me off the phone for hours on end. Thanks to the control that Phone Link offers, I could choose which distractions I wanted to allow. With my phone out of the picture and everything important accessible on my PC, my work sessions have become more productive than ever.
Reducing my phone time wasn’t working so well
I was my worst enemy
It’s no mystery that not talking on the phone helps you be more productive. Still, I had a bad habit of keeping my phone within reach while working, just so I wouldn’t miss any important notifications. For me, “critical” meant anything from important deliveries and calls to WhatsApp messages that demanded timely responses. The urgency of these notifications is debatable, but the result was that I was always reaching for my phone while typing.
Even without any notification prompting me to pick up the phone, I used to proactively look at it from time to time. I kept it on the ringer so I wouldn’t miss any calls. The problem was that even though these checks only took a few seconds, the impact on my productivity was significant. I would constantly break my concentration and scroll through Instagram for 10-15 minutes after responding to a notification.
Even keeping the phone out of the room didn’t help, as I still felt compelled to get up and check the screen every half hour or so. This had less to do with my phone and more to do with my addiction. Still, I needed something to keep me off the phone.
Phone Link kept me away from my phone
I didn’t have to miss important updates
Phone Link isn’t a new addition to Windows 11, but I’ve never bothered to use it before. Moving to Windows 11 about two months ago, I thought I would finally give it a try. Linking my OnePlus 15 to my Windows PC seemed redundant at first, but I went ahead. The main idea behind Phone Link is that you can see almost everything that happens on your phone on your PC (depending on the phone model, of course).
However, what I discovered was that this allowed me to properly disconnect from my phone during the work day. At first there was friction, but gradually I no longer needed my phone in my hand. I could see all notifications in the Phone Link app, receive and make calls, and even launch my phone apps on my PC screen.
Phone Link’s Android integration is better than iOS due to the limitations of Apple’s ecosystem, so the experience on my OnePlus 15 was seamless. As for distractions by simply switching from my phone to the PC screen, I could customize which apps could show notifications. This way, only truly urgent alerts can disturb my concentration.
Now, even when my phone is away, I never feel pressured to reach for it, as Phone Link ensures I won’t miss any important texts, calls, or notifications. He The number of distractions has been reduced.I’ve shaved an hour off my workday and the upside is that my phone screen time has decreased.
Phone Link has some other tricks
I uninstalled many third party apps from my phone
I don’t use Phone Link’s other features as much, but they are useful. When I click photos for articles, I no longer need to use any third-party app to transfer them to PC. I can use the Photos in the Phone Link app to save them to PC and edit them as needed. It only saves me about a minute, but the friction it removes from my workflow is more important.
Then, there’s the multi-device clipboard that lets me copy and paste text and images from phone to PC (or vice versa). This helps me when I need to share notes, URL or a saved WhatsApp message from my phone to PC. You can even use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot or webcam for your PC, but those features don’t apply to me yet.
However, I use screen mirroring when I need to cast the screen of an app, chat window, or browser tab from the phone to the PC. He Link to Windows The companion app makes it easy and I can also control the phone screen from the PC. At least I was able to minimize the clutter on my phone by uninstalling the separate file mirroring and sharing apps I previously had.
Phone Link is still one of the easiest ways to sync my phone with my PC
Phone Link is a built-in Windows 11 app, which is already a benefit. I don’t need to look for third party alternatives to connect my phone to my PC. Staying on top of critical calls and notifications on the PC allows me to reduce my dependence on my phone. And the additional file and screen sharing features have only added to my workflow.
