You may not realize it, but you’ve actually been using a wearable device every day for years now: your smartphone. It fits conveniently in your pocket and becomes an extension of you for every waking hour. Basically, it’s a supercomputer packed with sensors, always on and always connected, with a massive ecosystem of helpful apps. As such, it’s one of the ultimate productivity tools, letting you work anytime and anywhere. Here are some other wearable devices that can amp up your productivity.
Headphones and earbuds
Some of the oldest and simplest wearables are headphones. They help your productivity by letting you focus in loud and distracting environments. In addition, when equipped with a microphone, they allow you to communicate more effectively. Modern headphones and earbuds are getting more advanced every year, featuring active noise cancellation, Bluetooth wireless connectivity, built-in sensors, and even heads-up displays.
Smartwatches and smart wearables
Forget fitness bands. They are to smartwatches what basic flip phones are to smartphones: just simple activity tracking devices. Smartwatches aren’t a gimmick, because they can provide a huge boost in productivity. Several worthy models have been around for two to three years now, with Pebble leading the charge, and more recently the Apple Watch and Android Wear joining the party.
Notifications are the killer app for smartwatches. If you’re constantly interrupted by notifications, smartwatches allow you to filter which alerts stay in your pocket and which ones reach your wrist. Then, a simple glance lets you decide what needs your immediate attention and what can be dealt with later. Many notifications can be handled right on your wrist, but some will require you to pull out your phone. Ultimately, you’ll feel more in control and you’ll accomplish more. Smartwatches also function as fitness bands, and did I mention they tell the time?
If you prefer checking the time on your father’s gold watch, connected bracelets and other fashion-centric smart wearables (rings, pendants, and brooches) let you accessorize without necessarily featuring a display. They provide basic notifications via vibrations or lights, and detailed activity tracking via a series of advanced sensors. Some of these devices also offer additional functionality like stress monitoring and coaching to further help you stay focused.
Of course, you’ll be more productive if you exercise both your mind and your body. Some smart wearables are optimized for specific activities, such as hiking, cycling, or working out at the gym, and often come in rugged and water-resistant designs. While they don’t directly help you getting things done, these devices will contribute to your overall well-being.
VR and AR headsets
While a novelty today, virtual reality and augmented reality headsets will likely help us be more productive in the future. Some industries (healthcare, aerospace, oil, and gas) are already using wearable heads-up displays to validate complex tasks and complete checklists.
VR will help us stay focused while traveling. Imagine no longer being restricted by an airplane tray table, but working at a spacious virtual desk while flying across the ocean. But it’s AR that offers the most potential to revolutionize productivity, especially in co-working spaces like WeWork. Microsoft is currently at the forefront of this technology with HoloLens, a fully wireless head-worn computer that overlays virtual content on top of the real world.
Suddenly, any surface can become a display or keyboard, so you’re no longer limited by the physical size of your laptop or tablet. The entire office comes to life with virtual white boards that only show the right information to the right people, are never accidentally wiped, and easily can be moved from one wall to another. We’re still a few years away from seeing AR commonly used in the workplace, but it’s coming.