I Turned My Phone Into The Ultimate Knowledge Management System

Ev Chapman
December 15, 2021
2 min read

Our phones can be a huge distraction when it comes to not only productivity but also being fully engaged with life.

Most advice I hear when it comes to phones is just to have more self-discipline. But what if instead, we turned out phones into the ultimate knowledge management device? And instead of getting distracted by Twitter, we instead reached for a book or podcast or article?

That's what I did this year & I've been able to consume more than ever, which has helped me be a better creator.

Here's how I turned my phone into the ultimate knowledge management machine:

Remove All Apps From The Home screen. Hide every app you have in the app drawer. This is an instant point of friction for your brain and you'll be less tempted to go for Twitter or Instagram.

Keep what you want to consume front & centre. I have three widgets on my homesecreen that show up as soon as I open my phone. So instead of being tempted by Twitter, I dive into them instead:

  • Kindle - My latest Kindle book
  • Audible - My Current listens
  • Castro - UpNext Podcasts

Keep apps for short form content close. On my second home screen I keep read it later & short form content apps. My full library lives in Roam but I also keep some things in Matter & Up Next, as well as Racket & Medium so I can quickly find something to consume if I'm out and about and have a minute.

Cold Turkey is terrible strategy & most people fail at it. Instead try changing your habits around using your phone to be more intentional for what you want to do more of. You'll find yourself quickly doing less of the distracting things.

Liked thIS? Then You Might Like My SPARK Newsletter...

My best content in your inbox each Sunday.
Learn How To Build Your Unique Personal Knowledge & Share It With The World

Join 1200+ other creators building a magnificent obsession around their their unique ideas.
Or Keep Browsing More Posts Like This...

My Powerful Note-Taking Workflow That Turns Information Into Insight ⚡️

Peek behind the scenes into my workflow for taking notes from articles I read using Matter and turning them into real insights & knowledge.
Read post

How To Keep A Full Writing Inbox (That Serves You Inspiration Everyday)

My Writing Inbox is one inbox I prefer full not empty
Read post

The Four Stages Of Building Knowledge

Ideas take time to emerge. I rarely go from a new spark idea to a fully formed thesis in one spark writing session. They need time to soak & marinate. Often over days, weeks or even months.
Read post

How to Build a Spark Writing Practice That Will Ignite Your Creativity

I've been building what I now call my Spark Writing habit for the past 3 years. I'm not sure I've explained this before, but It's actually what set me on the path of becoming a creator and writing online. The more I built knowledge privately, the more I wanted to share publicly.
Read post

How To Swap Your Blank Screen For A Content Bank Overflowing With Ideas

Even after 10+ years as a content marketer, I still hate that moment at the start of the week when I’m staring down the barrel of a blank screen, wondering what to post.So I swapped a blank screen for a 🏦 Content Bank full of ideas.
Read post

6,000 Thoughts a Day: Why A Capture Habit is Crucial for Content Creators

Capturing ideas is the single most important thing I do as a creator everyday.It's a cornerstone habit that cascades into every part of my content creation. When I sit down to 'do content' I don't have to spend any time brainstorming ideas. I have more than enough ideas to work with because I've captured them beforehand.
Read post