The Impact of iPhones on Productivity: A Study of User Experiences

Author

Linh Lieu & Omeed Adham Sindy, MS

Abstract

With the rise of mobile technology, individuals have become more virtually connected and less productive than ever. The higher the screen time, the greater the possibility of being less effective. An individual's screen time on their iPhone can indicate their productivity level on a given day.

This research focuses on an individual's screen time compared to their productivity. Nine iPhone users participated in a two-week-long experiment. This experiment required the participants to complete daily surveys to indicate the following: top three categories of use, number of pick-ups, number of notifications, overall screen time, emotions, and productivity.

The participants were divided into two groups, A and B. In the first week, group A were instructed to keep their phones on their desks while they worked, and participants in group B were instructed to keep their phones away. During the second week, instructions were switched between the two groups.

The data showed a correlation between high screen time and higher productivity versus the original thought that low screen time would result in higher productivity. We used the interpreted statistical method, the T-Test, to conclude our results. The results showed that users who reported lower screen time were less likely to feel productive.

Key Terms

  • FoMO: Fear of Missing Out
  • PNOD: Phone Not on the Desk
  • ST: Screen Time
  • PR: Productivity Rating
  • POD: Phone On the Desk
  • P: Productivity

Introduction

As the world moves towards a remote and hybrid environment, employees are more likely to use their smartphones during working hours.

In 2018, Apple released a new feature in iOS 12 that gives users insight into their daily and weekly iPhone usage. The Screen Time feature can be found by navigating to Settings > Screen Time. This feature allows users to track their daily average screen time, most-used apps, pickups, and notifications. Users can see usage in both daily and weekly views. Additionally, users can set time limits on specific apps, and a pop-up will inform them when they reach that limit.

These features were developed to help users make informed decisions about their device usage and set limits if they choose. App limits, in particular, can help control excessive phone usage.

In recent years, smartphones have disrupted the workplace and personal interactions. Excessive phone usage during work can lead employees to feel unproductive and experience negative emotions due to unmet work goals.

For this study, we asked nine working participants to report daily on:

  • Top three categories of use
  • Number of pickups
  • Number of notifications
  • Overall screen time
  • Emotions felt throughout the day
  • Self-reported productivity and productivity rating

The key difference between our experiment and similar ones is that we observed participants over two weeks, not one. Participants were split into two groups, with each group assigned specific phone placement tasks for each week.

Data was collected over the two weeks and analyzed to compare the relationship between productivity and screen time. Initially, we hypothesized—based on literature—that high screen time would lead to low productivity. However, the results revealed a different insight: some users who reported higher screen time also reported feeling more productive.

This study aimed to determine the link between productivity and screen time by analyzing data across a diverse range of social, economic, and professional backgrounds.

Literature Review

Smartphones introduce significant disruptions to workplace productivity through social media, notifications, emails, and phone calls. How employees use their smartphones influences how productive their workdays are. Two perspectives exist:

  • Excessive smartphone use and addiction correlates with more workplace interruptions and lower productivity (Duke et al., 2017).

  • Smartphone use can enhance workplace autonomy, peer relationships, and knowledge sharing (Pitichat, 2013).

Smartphone dependency is often linked to anxiety and fear of disconnection, described as FoMO (Fear of Missing Out). FoMO is the compulsive behavior to remain socially connected due to a fear of being left out (Gupta et al., 2021).

However, smartphone use can also promote efficiency — for example, enabling remote client calls instead of physical travel. Supportive workplace smartphone policies can improve satisfaction and productivity. A structured smartphone policy showed the greatest increase in productivity in one study (Misra et al., 2013, 2021).

This study seeks to explore whether smartphone usage impacts productivity in real-world work environments. We hypothesize that smartphone use at work correlates with decreased productivity.

Method

This quantitative study involved 9 participants (4 females, 5 males), all of whom worked at least 8-hour shifts. Participants completed daily structured surveys over a two-week period. The participants were divided into two randomized groups:

  • Week 1: Group A kept phones on desks; Group B kept phones away
  • Week 2: Groups switched their phone placement conditions

Surveys recorded: screen time, emotions, notifications, pickups, productivity ratings, and most-used app categories. One participant’s data was excluded due to incompleteness.

Prior to the study, participants completed a Phone Addiction Form to evaluate their dependency levels. Consent forms and demographic information (e.g. age, work hours, field, ethnicity, income) were also collected. At the end, participants received their individual reports and completed an End-of-Experiment feedback survey.

Result

We hypothesized that reduced screen time would correlate with higher productivity. However, our findings revealed the opposite.

  • Group A (Week 1 – Phones on desk): Avg screen time = 5h 19m | Productivity = 4.04/5

  • Group B (Week 1 – Phones away): Avg screen time = 5h 21m | Productivity = 3.06/5

  • Group A (Week 2 – Phones away): Screen time ↑ 17% | Productivity ↓ 3.7%

  • Group B (Week 2 – Phones on desk): Screen time ↑ 2.3% | Productivity ↑ 7%

T-test comparisons:

  • Group A (Week 1 vs. Week 2 productivity): Score = 0.1061
  • Group A (Week 1 vs. Week 2 screen time): Score = 0.55
  • Group B (Phones on desk): Productivity score = 0.4065
  • Group A (Phones on desk): Productivity score = 0.535

These results indicate that the presence of iPhones had opposite effects depending on the group. Some participants felt less productive when their phones were out of sight — driven possibly by FoMO. Conversely, when phones were nearby, higher screen time was reported, yet participants also felt more productive.

Discussion

Group A’s screen time and productivity dropped when their phones were removed in week 2, suggesting FoMO may have impacted focus. Group B’s productivity increased when their phones were placed on the desk in week 2.

  • Phones on desk (POD): Higher Productivity (P), Lower Screen Time (ST)
  • Phones not on desk (PNOD): Lower P, Higher ST

This result may be due to psychological comfort — when phones were within sight, participants were less distracted by their absence and did not feel the need to “catch up” on what they missed.

Study Limitations and Future Studies

Several limitations were identified:

  • Self-reported data may lack accuracy or be biased
  • Participants sometimes submitted late surveys or retroactively filled out missing days
  • Sample size was small (n = 9), and duration was only two weeks

Recommendations for future studies:

  • Implement real-time data collection for accuracy
  • Standardize time entry — e.g., input "3 hours 20 minutes" as 3.33, not 3.2
  • Expand duration and participant pool for stronger generalizability
  • Use a wider productivity scale (e.g., include 2.5, 3.5 scores) and qualitative emotion tracking
  • Distinguish between essential and optional questions in surveys
  • Develop new objective performance measurement methods

Despite limitations, the study highlights the complex relationship between smartphones and productivity. Future research should continue exploring the role of tech in workplace behavior and performance.

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