Any app might help you be productive if you know the way to make use of it correctly. One app that at all times makes its means into my productiveness folder is YouTube. Right here is how I take advantage of YouTube (and sometimes, my Premium subscription) to spice up my focus whereas I work.
Take Benefit of Advert-Free Movies
The principle purpose I pay my month-to-month dues to YouTube for my Premium membership is that I can’t stand the adverts that break my focus once I play movies for my focus classes or just irritate me once I open a random video whereas taking a break from work. On condition that I spend wherever between one and 4 hours on YouTube whereas I work attributable to my lengthy focus playlists (usually hour-long lo-fi streams and movies), I really want a break from the adverts.
If you’re somebody who desires to cruise by means of your work with out breaking focus out of your YouTube playlist, then you definately may wish to think about a Premium subscription to do away with the adverts. YouTube Premium plans embrace:
- Particular person: $13.99/month
- Household: $22.99/month (as much as 5 members)
- Pupil: $7.99/month
Use Background Play to Multitask
One other YouTube Premium characteristic that I usually use when working is Background Play. This allows you to play a video within the background whilst you use different apps. It is a mobile-exclusive characteristic that you need to use for YouTube, YouTube Music, and YouTube Youngsters, so long as you’re signed in together with your Premium account.
Whereas the net app doesn’t precisely have Background Play, the picture-in-picture feature (additionally accessible on cellular) and the power to play a video or tune whereas browsing different tabs or home windows make up for it. I like to make use of this characteristic when I’m multitasking throughout apps or web sites in order that I can nonetheless hearken to my playlists whereas working.
To make adjustments to Background Play, faucet your YouTube profile image > Settings > Background & Downloads > Background Play. From right here, you may change this characteristic on for any state of affairs (“At all times On”), let it activate solely when your system is related to headphones or an exterior speaker (“Headphones or Exterior Audio system”), or flip it off. (“Off”).
Lock Your Video to Take away Distractions
When you actually wish to lock into the video you’re watching, a characteristic that is useful to keep away from distractions is YouTube’s video locking. Out there in your YouTube cellular app, this allows you to lock your display screen in order that any unintentional faucets or swipes you make don’t have an effect on your video playback. I take advantage of this characteristic when I’m making an attempt to focus on an academic video and don’t wish to drift my consideration in the direction of advisable movies that I is likely to be tempted to click on on.
To lock your YouTube display screen on a video, begin enjoying a video you want. Click on “Settings” within the upper-right nook of your display screen, then faucet “Lock.” As soon as you’re achieved with the video or wish to watch one other video, you may unlock the display screen by tapping wherever on the video’s display screen, ready for the lock icon to seem, then tapping “Faucet to Unlock.”
Locking your display screen nonetheless permits you to get in-app notifications and adverts (if you’re not a Premium consumer), however as soon as these disappear or end enjoying, your video will stay locked.
Use YouTube Chapters to Skip Sections
As somebody who usually makes use of YouTube movies for academic content material and work, I have a tendency to look at lengthy video essays that require lots of focus. Whereas many options assist me tune into the video with out distractions, one YouTube characteristic that enables me to effectively watch video essays is Chapters.
Though not accessible for each video you may click on on, YouTube’s Chapters is a playback characteristic that divides your video into neat sections (or chapters), usually utilized by content material creators to interrupt their movies into fragments differentiated by matters or subtopics. This helps with simple navigation by means of main components of lengthy movies, which could be very handy if you’re, say, on the lookout for particular data on a subject. I additionally discover that further sources for academic content material can usually be discovered within the video description within the type of hyperlinks and the remark part, though some cross-referencing is likely to be wanted.
Make Offline Playlists
One main supply of distractions past adverts on YouTube will be the truth that you’re nonetheless receiving notifications from different apps when you are making an attempt to immerse your self in a spotlight playlist on YouTube. Whereas you may make adjustments to your cellphone’s settings to manage these distractions (for example, using Do Not Disturb or completely different focus modes on iOS), you may also make use of a YouTube Premium characteristic to keep off pointless distractions.
I discover that downloading my YouTube playlists or videos that I save solely for work helps me weed out any obstacles to my focus since I don’t hassle checking my cellphone usually whether it is offline. To obtain movies, you may click on the three dots subsequent to them and choose “Obtain.” The button can be accessible for playlists (underneath the playlist’s title) or underneath the title for any video you’re watching.
Attempt Ambient Mode for Immersive Movies
One other setting that helps me absolutely bask in movies that I would like to look at for work or faculty is Ambient Mode. This adjustments the lighting in your video and makes it extra immersive, casting extra light colours out of your video into the display screen background.
You’ll be able to activate Ambient Mode on the cellular app from a video you’re watching by tapping Settings > Further Settings > Ambient Mode and toggle it on.
To your laptop, Ambient Mode is enabled routinely when your YouTube app makes use of the Darkish theme. To show this on, click on in your profile image > Look > Darkish theme.
Use a Sleep Timer
A YouTube characteristic that I take advantage of once I play my focus playlists or lengthy podcasts (often over an hour) is the Sleep Timer. Like a Sleep Timer you’ll see on Spotify for podcasts and audiobooks, YouTube’s Sleep Timer routinely turns off a video as soon as a preset time has been reached on the video. This allows you to think about work as an alternative of protecting monitor of a protracted video or playlist. I additionally use Sleep Timer as a makeshift focus timer, to know when to take a break between work duties for a stroll or look away from my display screen.
To make use of YouTube’s Sleep Timer, begin enjoying a video. Then, click on the “Settings” button (within the upper-right nook of the cellular app and lower-right nook of the net participant/desktop app). Choose “Sleep Timer” and choose a time interval (you may select between 10 and 60 minutes or till the top of the video).
Attempt Sensible Downloads
An addition to offline movies with a Premium subscription, Sensible Downloads lets your YouTube routinely obtain advisable movies to your Downloads library. This allows you to take your suggestions on the go or watch new content material throughout your offline time whereas working.
To activate Sensible Downloads on the cellular app, iPad, and net app, faucet your profile image > Downloads > Menu > Settings > Sensible Downloads, and toggle it on. It is possible for you to to entry your Sensible Downloads out of your Downloads part.
You should use apps corresponding to YouTube and Spotify to have a productive work or study session if you know the way to handle your library and playlists. Honing your assortment to make focus-centric playlists and discovering what kind of music or background sounds give you the results you want is a superb place to begin.