Second phone with minimal fuss
April 24, 2023 3:33 AM Subscribe
My new job has provided me an iPhone SE. I've never had a dedicated work mobile before! It won't be getting heavy use - how do I configure it so that I have to think about it as little as possible?
I'm used to working with a desk phone or VOIP that I don't ever have to worry about keeping charged, updated, etc. I haven't had an iPhone before.
I only expect to receive a couple calls per week, and the occasional text, and I'm only expected to monitor it during work hours. (Most of my work calls are done on Teams, so it's just for the rare occasions when I need a real phone line.) I'll probably add my work email to it for emergencies, but won't be using it for other smartphone-y things.
What should I turn on, or off, to maximise battery life and minimise it bugging me when I'm not working?
I'm used to working with a desk phone or VOIP that I don't ever have to worry about keeping charged, updated, etc. I haven't had an iPhone before.
I only expect to receive a couple calls per week, and the occasional text, and I'm only expected to monitor it during work hours. (Most of my work calls are done on Teams, so it's just for the rare occasions when I need a real phone line.) I'll probably add my work email to it for emergencies, but won't be using it for other smartphone-y things.
What should I turn on, or off, to maximise battery life and minimise it bugging me when I'm not working?
I LOVE having teams or whatever the preferred conferencing tool is on a work phone because it allows me to go for walks during organization-wide meetings, and other meetings that don’t require active video participation.
posted by rockindata at 4:17 AM on April 24, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by rockindata at 4:17 AM on April 24, 2023 [8 favorites]
One small tip - Get a case with a texture that feels very different than your usual phone case so you can feel which phone is which by touch without looking.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 4:41 AM on April 24, 2023 [9 favorites]
posted by nouvelle-personne at 4:41 AM on April 24, 2023 [9 favorites]
minimise it bugging me when I'm not working
Do Not Disturb.
posted by box at 5:20 AM on April 24, 2023 [6 favorites]
Do Not Disturb.
posted by box at 5:20 AM on April 24, 2023 [6 favorites]
Best answer: If I were in this situation, I would do the following things:
1: Delete all app icons of apps except for the following: Outlook, Teams, Phone, Camera, Photos, Messages. Just those 4 icons on your home page.
2: Schedule do not disturb mode for outside working hours. You can find these settings and configure to your liking in the settings app.
3: Personally, I would always keep the ringer off - most people leave their phones on silent at all times. Do not disturb will additionally stop it from vibrating.
4: I wouldn't "turn it off" ever really. I'd keep it charging by my workstation. Battery life on phones these days are very solid - if you leave it on for 3 years, it won't lose much charge capacity.
posted by bbqturtle at 5:22 AM on April 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
1: Delete all app icons of apps except for the following: Outlook, Teams, Phone, Camera, Photos, Messages. Just those 4 icons on your home page.
2: Schedule do not disturb mode for outside working hours. You can find these settings and configure to your liking in the settings app.
3: Personally, I would always keep the ringer off - most people leave their phones on silent at all times. Do not disturb will additionally stop it from vibrating.
4: I wouldn't "turn it off" ever really. I'd keep it charging by my workstation. Battery life on phones these days are very solid - if you leave it on for 3 years, it won't lose much charge capacity.
posted by bbqturtle at 5:22 AM on April 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
Charge it at work. Have a spare charger at home in case of urgent need, but if it charges most of the day at the office, it will be fine overnight by the door. iPhones don't like to be shut down and are fine being on all the time. Face down with the ringer off, it won't bug you.
If there are iPhone-only apps you want to check out, drag those icons to a 2nd home screen to reduce distraction.
Do set up the Find app, get a case with a distinctive color, texture is a good idea. Set up Siri enough that you can use it to turn on the flashlight or any other handy tasks; I use the flashlight to find the phone more than I'm going to admit.
posted by theora55 at 7:33 AM on April 24, 2023
If there are iPhone-only apps you want to check out, drag those icons to a 2nd home screen to reduce distraction.
Do set up the Find app, get a case with a distinctive color, texture is a good idea. Set up Siri enough that you can use it to turn on the flashlight or any other handy tasks; I use the flashlight to find the phone more than I'm going to admit.
posted by theora55 at 7:33 AM on April 24, 2023
If you do keep the ringer on, I'd go through the ringtones and notification sounds and set them up so they're distinct from your usual ones. I'd also turn off any notifications from apps that aren't important.
posted by trig at 9:12 AM on April 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by trig at 9:12 AM on April 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
« Older Weirdest songs you've seen in a jukebox | What is this arty 90s movie about an organ prodigy... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
I treat it the way I treat my personal mobile phone as well - when I get home from work, both phones get plugged right back into their chargers and left there. I rarely use either phone when I'm at home, so they can happily charge back up; and I've gotten used to knowing right where my phone is when I leave the house in the morning.
I have never had any cell phone run low on battery on me because of this.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:43 AM on April 24, 2023