Why a Smart Ring Probably Won’t Make You More Productive

Apple is so serious about their relationship with customers that they’re now willing to put a ring on it.

After making its debut in the wearable technology industry with the Apple Watch, the innovative conglomerate is now in the process of developing a smart ring.

Apple has filed a patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark, and the Internet is abuzz with excitement about this potentially new product

The smart ring offers bells and whistles, including some features that you might not have expected. With voice command, cameras and motion detection, Apple is designing another product that will fly off the shelves.

This sounds great, but will Apple’s newest venture increase your productivity and improve your work life? Although it’s way too early in the development process to tell, let’s take a look at some reasons why you might not want to bring your smart ring to work.

The Screen Is Too Small

A smart ring offers many luxury features. However, the screen is simply way too small for you to do anything remotely productive. Although the Apple Watch screen is relatively small compared to other Apple products, it is still big enough so you can read emails and look at important information. A smart ring’s screen can only fit one or two words at a time.

Now try to browse the Internet with a smart ring. Is it even possible? I doubt it. Unless the screen can project a hologram like some futuristic science-fiction gadget, it’s difficult to imagine a scenario where you will be able to accomplish anything productive on your smart ring.

Distraction Via Notifications

Do you ever find yourself working on something urgent when suddenly your phone lights up with notifications? Not only are notifications distracting, but your natural impulse is to immediately check your phone.

Once you enter your passcode, it’s game over. Let the procrastination begin!

When you feel a vibration and are aware that there is a notification waiting for you, your performance is impacted, and your productivity decreases. This effect is similar to multitasking, because you have more than one thing on your mind, which makes it more difficult to focus on the task at hand.

The main feature of smart rings is that they are linked to your smartphone, and you are notified whenever you receive a text message, email, or phone call. That means even if you throw your phone out the window to finally focus on your work, you’ll still get those darn notifications.

The smart ring screams “Hey, look at your phone! Distractions await you!” at you as you try to be productive.

Slower to Type Messages

The new Apple smart ring will be able to detect the motion of your fingers, which will essentially make keyboards and computer mice obsolete. Instead of typing, you can either write down whatever you want to say or motion the letters in the air.

One of the key components of productivity is time. You want to be as efficient as possible in a short amount of time, and sometimes you procrastinate because you feel like you don’t have enough time. Time management is an essential skill to develop to increase productivity.

Now let’s say that I want to type the letter “G.” What takes less time: Hitting a button on the keyboard that says “G,” or motioning the letter “G” in the air? I’d rather hit the button every time.

Apple’s New Smart Ring Won’t Increase Productivity

The smart ring has potential to be an innovative gadget. It could have many features that Apple has never implemented in any of their other products, and it will certainly be a success if they decide to produce smart rings.

However, don’t expect it to do anything other than distract you from your work and fuel your procrastination.