Opening applications seems like a cumbersome process when one needs some quick info. Unlock your phone, find the application's icon, wait for the loading screen and only then look for the necessary data. A few seconds of valuable time wasted in a university environment. Widgets are your solution in saving these few seconds and keeping all the necessary information always visible on your home screen.
To put it simply, a widget is a window into your application. Widget exists outside your application and is available on your home screen all the time. Instead of opening your application, one looks into the widget and sees all the needed data. Widget is similar to an automatic cheat sheet.
Usually, people do not notice any benefit of using widgets because they look either messy or complicated. This perception is rather justified. Rotating dials and live charts do look quite messy. However, there are a few widgets that clean up your home screen and make it more convenient.
First of all, one can add a calendar to the home screen. 📅 If you use Google Calendar or any other default calendar widget, simply add a medium-sized widget to your home screen. Now you see all the classes, sport practices and dentist appointments right on your screen. No more missing the chemistry lab in room 204.
Another useful widget for students is the weather widget. Widgets like Apple Weather or AccuWeather give you an overview of the current weather conditions in your city or campus. You check the temperature and know whether you need to take a jacket before going out of the dormitory.
What is truly interesting for the studying community is having a widget of Reminders or Tasks application added to your home screen. There all your homework assignments will be visible right alongside your applications. It is hard to miss such a task as "read chapter 7". Guilt is a strong motivator and this widget utilizes it. 😅
How to set up the widget? On iPhones, the process of adding a widget is rather easy. One needs to long-press an empty area of the home screen until the apps begin to wiggle. Then click on the "+" in the upper corner and you will see the menu with the widgets options. One chooses the necessary widget, selects its size and clicks "Add".
For Android users, the process is similar. The steps may differ depending on the brand of the device but the main concept stays the same. You long-press the home screen, look for the "Widgets" option, select the widget you want and simply drag it to the screen. Then one resizes the widget by pulling its edges.
The size of the widget is the very important parameter. Small widget contains only the basic data (clock, battery level). Medium widget fits the screen perfectly in one row and contains several upcoming events. Large widgets take up too much of the screen space and are supposed to contain data which is always checked.
One of the newest features of iPhone devices – stacking widgets – deserves particular attention. Now one can stack several widgets on top of each other and swipe through them vertically. Now the calendar, weather widget and Spotify controls can coexist on the same screen space. One saves screen space and home screen will not look cluttered anymore.
There is one thing to be aware of – battery usage. Some widgets refresh continuously and receive data from the internet server every few minutes. If one notices that his battery consumption increased, he needs to check which widgets work all the time. To disable those which one rarely uses and thus save his battery.
Not every application has a widget. For example, Spotify, YouTube Music and Apple Music have control buttons. Also, banking applications like Chase and Bank of America allow one to see his bank account balance directly on the widget. Even photos widget can show some old memories right on the screen.
For a student with a lot of tasks, there is one widget that should not be neglected – Focus or Do Not Disturb widget. All one has to do is click on it and all the notifications will be silenced during study sessions. No need to dig into device settings while one is trying to understand some complex algebraic formula. It is one tap solution for a common problem. 🎯
Some people say that widgets make the home screen cluttered. This statement is indeed true, but instead of wasting time in opening and closing applications, one wastes even more time. Discipline and moderate number of 3-5 widgets will give you everything you need without unnecessary information. You get rid of additional moments of distraction.
The real magic happens after using widgets for a week. You realize in what order you check different widgets. You may understand that you need the weather widget once in the morning. The homework reminder may become the most useful widget by the end of Friday afternoon.
Experimentation is crucial in this case. One uses the widget for a couple of days and if it is not useful – deletes it. One's home screen should show his real habits, not some idealized productivity. The goal is getting rid of these little distractions.
Widgets will not change your life dramatically but will make your phone more functional. Each second saved by not opening an application is a second to do something more useful. Any widget which helps you to save even a minute on Monday morning is worth trying. 😎
0 Comments