My Latest Productivity Killer: Periscope

Smartphones are in many ways a productivity blessing. They provide you with instant access to hundreds of apps designed to help you get more out of your day. However, smartphones can also be a productivity curse. Because you also have access to hundreds of apps designed to get you addicted and take up all your time!

As much as I write about the importance of not being distracted – I too, sometimes get addicted to apps and get thrown off course.

The latest being Periscope.

The app allows you to live stream video from your phone from anywhere in the world. It’s very exciting for me, as a news producer, to think of all the possibilities. When I downloaded the app I had expected to watch a few videos of people going about their lives, but I quickly found myself becoming addicted.

Here are some of the things I’ve watched so far:

• Pizza delivery guy arriving at a house in Utah
• Kid playing super mario brothers for the first time
• Pearl Jam tribute band
• Guy hiking in Arizona
• Person hanging out near the Golden Gate Bridge
• Guy walking through the mall in NJ
• Little girl learning to ride her bike for the first time
• Guy who couldn’t sleep in the UK drawing
• Newsroom tours in Waco, TX, Lexington, KY, Las Vegas, CNN
• A puppy that is afraid of a cat in Alabama
• Mother daughter dance at wedding
• Malibu Beach sunset
• Some nascar race
• A firehandler on the beach in Florida
• A cat yawning
• A puppy eating
• The MTV Movie Awards red carpet
• Cherry blossoms in DC
• Behind the scenes tour at The View

You can download the app here. Follow me — I’m @listproducer of course. Remember it is seriously addictive – so consider yourself warned!  So use is as a reward when you get something checked off your to-do list.  Then you can check out someone walking through Times Square or a Disney parade in real time.  Let me know what you think if you check it out.