Time
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The average person checks their phone around 1,500 times per week. If you’re a serial entrepreneur, or otherwise make a living with your phone like me, double that. Add in a tablet (or two) and that’s a massive amount of scrolling, swiping, and scanning. I never knew where my apps were & on what device.

If you’re successful or ambitious, time is everything. Having a strategic and purposed app arrangement will save you time. If you shave off even one second every time you check your phone, you’ll get an extra 25 minutes each week. Fast-forward one year and I just saved you 20 hours of productivity. Yelp! That’s crazy.

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Your Image
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If time isn’t a factor for you, maybe your image is. Think about this: our mobile phones are one of the our most personal possessions. We use them to communicate, bank, book a flight, & post cat videos. Our phones hold precious memories, data, as well as reminders.

Our phones are an extension of us. The apps on your mobile/tele paint a picture about who you are & what you do. Let’s say I’m interviewing a potential employee for RaisingSails. If they pulled out their phone and I saw some game apps on their home screen, I wouldn’t hire them. That’s because their mobile gave me the impression they aren’t passionate or motivated towards a cause or goal. It suggests to me that they could be playing games during office hours. Lastly, I just have an abhorrence for mobile games, but that’s for a different blog.

If I was on a date and I saw Tinder, Hinge, or Whisper on a girl’s phone, I’d probably lose Pinterest. If I saw all three it would really be a Snappy-Chat. Those apps tell me the girl has either bought into our culture’s pervasive narcissism (she’s a tease), or is into fleeting ‘altercations’ with strangers. Neither of which are my cup of tea. If you’ve ever used any of those apps you understand what I’m talking about.

If I meet a potential client (or anyone, really), chances are I’m opening up my phone in front of them. First impressions are everything & my homescreen is a glimpse of who I am and what is important in my life. For me, I want them to know I may be a young business owner- but I’m a professional who has my priorities straight. Take a look at my home screen below.
The point is, knowingly or not, people will judge you based on your phone apps. So don’t open Pandora’s box. In this day in age, image is everything.

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Safety & Simplicity
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This is a big one. Most of the ‘bloggers’ on the issue miss it. Since our phones are an extension of who we are, it’s critical we protect it.

Aside from my banking app, all my financial apps like Mint, Cash App, & Venmo are on the last page. If someone stole my phone, & managed to work past the security code, they’d easily find those apps, which would be problematic. Still I put them on my last page because it’s like flashing cash in public. Chances are you’re not going to get robbed, but it isn’t a good idea.

Take a look at my homepage. I use those apps on a daily basis, but the ones I use the most are either in the top row, dock, or on the right side. Why the right side? Because the iPhone I’m typing on right now is always cradled in my right hand. This makes the click & open easy. Specifically, I have my Maps app in the bottom right corner. This is because I tend to use the app most while I’m driving & I need to have it in a spot that I can reach with my thumb. Without looking.

I recently Kik’d my social media apps to the second page & the iBreviary Catholic prayer app to the first, as I’m trying to change my priorities. So far it’s working. Seeing it on the first page is a constant reminder that I should be praying more, & not constantly seeing my Facebook Messenger app has reduced my checking it.

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Strategy
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There are numerous app arrangement theories. I’ve outlined much of the strategy used throughout this post. But what’s your strategy? Surely everyone’s will be different. To summarize here’s a quick list of tactical ideas you may want to implement.

1. Place apps on pages based on how frequently you use them. Most frequently used on the first page & so on.
2. Place apps on the first page that you want to start using more. An example would be placing your banking app on the homescreen as a constant reminder that money doesn’t grow on trees & your account balance is a real thing. It may help with some of your discretionary spending.
3. Remember, other people will be viewing your home screen, whether it’s your boss, parents, significant other, potential significant other, or that gossiper in the office.
4. Group similar apps like financing, work, or social media together to decrease scanning & swiping time to find them.
5. Place the most important apps in your dock, then bottom & top row. In that order. Because the dock has your most frequently used apps, you’re also looking at the bottom row often. The first row is just below the top ticker & clock so you’re regularly looking at that row as well.
6. Are you a lefty or righty? Place those frequently used ones on the edges of your screen. They are easier to find & to click when holding the device with one hand . As a righty, my go-to’s are on the right edge.
7. Group less-used apps together in a folder. Less clutter means you’ll find the apps you need more quickly.

Now that you realize the importance, take the whole 5 minutes necessary to make these changes. While you’re at it, jump onto FB & like this page to get more sweet reads like this.

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