About 85% of North Americans have smartphones, which we rely on for texts, calls, web browsing, getting directions, ordering services and products online, and much more. Yet even if you know your way around your smartphone, you can boost productivity and reduce friction by enabling the right services and installing certain apps.

For example, almost everyone receives spam calls, but with Android and iOS, you can block many of them by toggling on the built-in spam blockers. There's no simple way to block all spam text messages, but you can block certain numbers, including spammers, through the built-in messaging platforms.

Notifications also might be bombarding you. Fortunately, you can turn off notifications from websites and low-priority apps in the settings menu.

Privacy is another major issue. Many phones and apps will share your location automatically—not just with authorized apps, but with friends and family, too. You can enjoy peace of mind by turning off location sharing.

Finally, if you're constantly running out of storage space on your phone, then remember you can store such things as photos and videos on the cloud. Besides cloud services offered by Google and Apple, you can opt for pCloud, Tresorit, or other apps.