Your Phone Is an Asset, Not Just a Distraction

ad

My phone is one of the most powerful tools I own. And no, I’m not just saying that to sound productive, I literally run my business, my marketing, and my income streams from this small device that fits in my pocket.

Yes, I still get distracted sometimes.

Yes, I still open apps out of reflex.

But I’ve learned to turn my phone from a dopamine trap into a money-printing machine. And if you're reading this on a ₦300,000+ smartphone while struggling to pay bills, this message is for you.

The Truth in Nigeria is; Everyone Has a Smartphone

Walk into any market, salon, or bus stop, what’s in everyone’s hand? A phone.

But ask that same person: “How are you using it?”

You’ll hear stuff like:

    “I just dey check TikTok small.”

    “I dey laugh for Twitter to cool off.”

    “WhatsApp na just gist and updates.”

Meanwhile, on this same phone:

• You can start a mini-importation business.
• You can post affiliate links and earn commissions.
• You can run ads and sell your product or service.
• You can learn copywriting, video editing, or social media management.

How I Personally Use My Phone to Work

Let me break it down. Here’s what I actually do with my phone daily:

Action	Tool / App I Use	Purpose
Content planning	Notion	Drafting ideas, scripts, captions
Sales & customer service	WhatsApp Business	Make sales, send invoices, customer service
Marketing	Instagram + WhatsApp Status	Selling to my audience & leads
Affiliate income	Blog sites	Promoting links & tracking sales
Learning & strategy	YouTube + Twitter (intentional)	Industry updates, new skills

That’s it.

No mindless scrolling. No trending gossip.

I filter my feeds. I silence certain apps. And when I’m not working, I log off to reset.

Your Phone Can Do the Same For You , If You Let It

Ask yourself this honestly:

"Is my phone helping me grow, or just draining my energy?"

If it’s the second one, here’s what I suggest:

✅ Quick Fixes:

• Turn off notifications (except for essential apps).
• Unfollow distraction accounts or mute them.
• Set time limits on TikTok/Instagram if you must.
• Download business/productivity tools you actually use.

✅ Big Shift:

Start seeing your phone as a tool for value exchange. Not just a consumption device but a creation device. Even if you're not a business owner, your phone can help you learn skills, apply for jobs, manage your money, or build something that’s yours.

Use It Intentionally, or It’ll Use You

The average Nigerian spends 3 to 6 hours a day on their phone.

That’s over 1,000 hours a year.

What could you have done with that time if you flipped just 30% of it into productive action?

Me? I’m not perfect. I still get sucked in sometimes.

But I’ve made peace with this, I don’t need to “use my phone less,” I just need to use it better.

And it's been working.

Your Turn

Are you using your phone for more than just vibes and cruise?

Tell me what’s working (or not) for you in the comments.

Let’s normalize talking about productivity, not just problems.