A battery-case for my phone. Even though I have one for the pixel 3A, and it makes my phone noticeably more bulky due to the placement of the fingerprint reader, NEVER having to worry about recharging my phone except at night makes my day noticeably less stressful. Also noticeably less stressful than having to plug into an external battery pack which requires me being stationary.
A mobi-handle to attach to my phone. Can help me hold the phone, and I prop it up next to my work area when using it as a Pomodoro Timer, both more durable and aesthetic than a pop-socket.
Its’ implicit in the previous two but… a smartphone. These get a bad rap for ruining people and their attention span but if you use them correctly and mindfully they are like the most amazing thing in the world.
A Kindle Paperwhite. Being able to save highlights, carry hundreds of books, and read in the dark is amazing. Probably one of my favorite possessions.
Noise cancelling headphones are great and really enhance flow.
If you cook a lot—A voice activated assistant in the kitchen to change music and set timers. I use an Echo Dot, which is relatively cheap.
Also if you cook a lot: A nice, labeled spice rack with a full array of spices makes things SOO much more fun than a jam-packed spice cabinet.
Keeping a BakBlade in my shower has ensured that my back doesn’t become an unruly forest.
I have a plethora of objects on hand to deal with tightness and knots. Having a bag of them closeby when I work probably gives me an extra 30 minutes of productive work daily.
For particularly persistent pains/knots, I’ll leave my EMS Machine running while I work.
I also keep a Yoga Block and Yoga Mat in there, and will do Yoga Tune-Up quickfixes on an area if it needs to be stretched as well as massaged.
In the same vein, I keep a back scratcher by where I work.
Really long charger cables, preferably with multiple charger types at the end. Not as important now that I have a phone battery-case, but still nice to have for guests.
″ …a smartphone. These get a bad rap for ruining people and their attention span but if you use them correctly and mindfully they are like the most amazing thing in the world.”
Can you please suggest how to use a smartphone more mindfully? Thank you.
I’ve found it useful to set it to grayscale mode (Accessibility → Display → Color Filters on iPhones, or in developer settings on Android). Certain apps capture your attention through bright colors, and grayscale mode negates that for me with a surprisingly small effect on usability. I don’t have a shortcut to reenable color so as not to tempt myself.
Also, the standard advice is to not use your phone in bed for sleep hygiene reasons, which probably works for almost everyone.
Get one that’s a few years old so it can’t run heavyweight stuff. I use mine almost exclusively for reading/communication and utility stuff (math/searching/navigation). Games and most apps that aren’t super simple lag too much for easy usage.
A battery-case for my phone. Even though I have one for the pixel 3A, and it makes my phone noticeably more bulky due to the placement of the fingerprint reader, NEVER having to worry about recharging my phone except at night makes my day noticeably less stressful. Also noticeably less stressful than having to plug into an external battery pack which requires me being stationary.
A mobi-handle to attach to my phone. Can help me hold the phone, and I prop it up next to my work area when using it as a Pomodoro Timer, both more durable and aesthetic than a pop-socket.
Its’ implicit in the previous two but… a smartphone. These get a bad rap for ruining people and their attention span but if you use them correctly and mindfully they are like the most amazing thing in the world.
A Kindle Paperwhite. Being able to save highlights, carry hundreds of books, and read in the dark is amazing. Probably one of my favorite possessions.
Noise cancelling headphones are great and really enhance flow.
If you cook a lot—A voice activated assistant in the kitchen to change music and set timers. I use an Echo Dot, which is relatively cheap.
Also if you cook a lot: A nice, labeled spice rack with a full array of spices makes things SOO much more fun than a jam-packed spice cabinet.
Keeping a BakBlade in my shower has ensured that my back doesn’t become an unruly forest.
I have a plethora of objects on hand to deal with tightness and knots. Having a bag of them closeby when I work probably gives me an extra 30 minutes of productive work daily.
Pinky Ball
Racquet Ball
Golf Ball
Lacrosse Ball
Corgeous Ball
For particularly persistent pains/knots, I’ll leave my EMS Machine running while I work.
I also keep a Yoga Block and Yoga Mat in there, and will do Yoga Tune-Up quickfixes on an area if it needs to be stretched as well as massaged.
In the same vein, I keep a back scratcher by where I work.
Really long charger cables, preferably with multiple charger types at the end. Not as important now that I have a phone battery-case, but still nice to have for guests.
″ …a smartphone. These get a bad rap for ruining people and their attention span but if you use them correctly and mindfully they are like the most amazing thing in the world.”
Can you please suggest how to use a smartphone more mindfully? Thank you.
I’ve found the recommendations from the Center for Humane Technology to be useful.
I’ve found it useful to set it to grayscale mode (Accessibility → Display → Color Filters on iPhones, or in developer settings on Android). Certain apps capture your attention through bright colors, and grayscale mode negates that for me with a surprisingly small effect on usability. I don’t have a shortcut to reenable color so as not to tempt myself.
Also, the standard advice is to not use your phone in bed for sleep hygiene reasons, which probably works for almost everyone.
Get one that’s a few years old so it can’t run heavyweight stuff. I use mine almost exclusively for reading/communication and utility stuff (math/searching/navigation). Games and most apps that aren’t super simple lag too much for easy usage.