With businesses moving to the cloud, working from a smartphone is now a reality for many people. Faster internet speeds, and WiFi hotspots everywhere we go - even on the Tube! People are increasingly using their smartphones to get more work done, whether it is while commuting to and from work, or at home.

Using your smartphone is making work far more flexible, and allowing business owners to perform multiple tasks from the comfort of their homes, or where it is most convenient. Mobiles are great for getting things done! Especially small task and this can potentially boost your productivity!

Here are six ways your phone can help you leave the office behind, using some of the most popular apps on the market:

1. Keep in touch with your team and clients

In fact, many business owners and executives love the freedom and convenience that using their smartphone gives them. Over half of all emails are now opened on a mobile device. No matter where you are, you can keep in touch with members of your team, take calls from clients, answer your emails, and even “attend” meetings! Use apps like Google Hangouts, Slack or WhatsApp to never miss out on those all important conversation.

2. Create, share, and manage documents

Forget about Microsoft Word – it’s now much easier to create and share all types of documents with your team and clients using Cloud services like Google Docs that are mobile responsive. Text-based documents, spreadsheets, and presentations are just as easy to manage as on a computer. Easily collaborate with your team from wherever you are.

3. Take payments

If you’re in the business of regularly out and about working at your clients’ homes, or own a business that’s often on the move, you might need to let your clients pay for purchases and services directly. Apps such as PayPal allow you to make and accept payment with your phone and remove the need for invoices.

4. Control your finances

There are now so many accounting apps available; there’s no reason why managing your business’s finances should have to be done on a computer. 55% of people prefer to use online banking services on their smartphones – so it might be time to get yourself and your team on board the mobile train! Whether commuting into work or out meeting clients, your smartphone is enough to check your bank balance, create and send invoices if you need them.

5. Manage social media

You already access your personal social media accounts from your phone – so why not manage and keep up to date with your company’s too? Apps like Facebook and LinkedIn are readily available for all kinds of mobiles, as are social media management and scheduling apps like Hootsuite.

6. Manage your tasks and calendar

From Google Calendar to Asana, there’s a large number of apps dedicated to task management and calendar integration. Create to-do lists, set reminders it’s easy because everything synchronises with your computer, so you’ll never miss out on an important event. It’s also very straightforward to see what your teams have scheduled, so you can easily set and work on tasks with the rest of your team.

Final thoughts

Is it necessarily a good idea to run your business from your smartphone? Just because you can do something, it doesn’t always mean you should. Before you begin to use your smartphone more for business tasks, consider the following:

It could prove harder to 'switch off’

However, alongside the advantages that smartphones bring, there are also some major concerns. Running a business from a smartphone, and going against the typical office-based nine to five role, can mean working 24/7 and rarely having the opportunity to unplug and switch off from the stresses that inevitably come with being a business leader.

Keep security in mind

Ensure your device secure when holding or accessing company information on it. Use secure and trusted WiFi so as not to be vulnerable from a cyber attack, and research the best antivirus programs you can download to protect your phone and company data.

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