One of the curses of the smartphone is that no matter where you are, it allows you to be somewhere else.  When you’re at home relaxing in your recliner, watching tv, you can scroll through work emails. Conversely, when you’re at work, you can be distracted by any number of apps that keep you from being productive.

Maybe you’re one of those employees who allow themselves (or are required) to be accessible 24/7 through their smartphone. In other words, you’re available for questions or discussion all the time. And, your work-life balance is no longer balanced at all.

If you want to have a healthy lifestyle, you must have boundaries, and only you can set them. Here are some tips for creating those work-life boundaries with the help of your smartphone:

Be more productive at work

Are you leaving work every day without having come close to checking off all the items on your to-do list? Join the crowd. Many workers have issues with managing their time on the job. If you find yourself taking an hour to do a simple 15-minute task, you’re probably being distracted by things that don’t matter.

Your smartphone can help. Add an app like ATracker or OmniFocus to help you track the amount of time you’re spending on any task. It’s an excellent way to hold yourself accountable.

Have a set work schedule

One thing you can do without a smartphone app is to let everyone at work know your schedule. If you’re working from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm, leave when your time is up, and try to forget about work until you arrive the next morning. Your co-workers and bosses will learn to respect your schedule and will stop expecting you to be available at all hours. It’s one of the best ways to ensure a proper work-life balance.

Block things out

If you’re tempted to look at your work emails on your time off, you’ll end up spending time with them or worrying about things that you can handle in the morning. So, if you can’t discipline yourself to stay away from them, there are apps that will do it for you.

Freedom (free for iPhone, and Flipd, for Android phones) allow you to block apps and devices for a designated time so that you can relax and be present during your downtime.

Just turn off the phone

Put down the phone! If you have a couple of hours that you intended to spend playing games with the kids or watching a movie with your special someone, turn your phone off. If you don’t feel comfortable completely disconnecting from the outside world, at least use your phone’s “do not disturb” feature so you won’t be pinged or buzzed during family activities.

Do you need advice on advancing your career?

Let us help you. Get in touch with HCR Personnel Solutions, a leading manufacturing recruitment agency in Toronto, Canada, that recruits top professionals for exceptional career opportunities.