I juggle three jobs and a full life, so I rely on tools and tech to stay productive (and sane). Here’s everything I use daily.
I’ve shared it here and there before, but I basically have three jobs while also trying to live a mindful and meaningful life.
On one hand, I work as Content Performance Lead at a newspaper, where I spend most of my day looking at data, talking to journalists, and trying not to waste away in Microsoft Teams meetings.
Then, I also co-run overkill together with Chris. We’re currently in the midst of a video-heavy push, while also working with freelancers, writing content on the blog, and sending two newsletters per week (one of which is this one).
Finally, I share my thoughts on my personal blog. And while it’s still a baby, I see it as a job, with deadlines, to-do lists, and milestones to hit, because that’s how I’m best able to write actually decent content (if I may say so myself).
Add to the mix all the things I do on the side, be it reading, lifting heavy, running, playing games, spending time with loved ones, sketching... basically, my days are full.
You might not have quite as much on your plate as I do (at times I envy you; then again, I brought all of this onto myself), but I bet you also have a bunch of things you do every day and might, like me, struggle at times to get it all done.
Thankfully, there is technology: tools and software that help us stay productive, and hopefully balanced. And since it’s my job to overthink these things, here are all the things I use (nearly) every day to get shit done and not go insane.
Software
Little side note: I use a Mac for work. My Gaming PC runs Windows and is, well, for gaming. So all of the software below is Mac-focused.
Work
- Raycast: Probably the app I use the most throughout the day. It’s a launcher, similar to Spotlight, only with way more features and extensions. I have the shortcut on Hyper + A, and I probably hit it a hundred times a day.
- granola.ai: I spend a significant amount of time in Microsoft Teams meetings. granola.ai listens and transcribes the calls into notes. I’ll be honest, I barely use the notes, so this might be something I kill soon.
- Obsidian: I wrote about my setup here. Still tweaking it, and maybe soon I can share the whole thing like one of those productivity influencers on YouTube. It’s all a cult anyway.
- iA Writer: My writing app of choice. I’m typing these lists into iA Writer right now. It’s minimal, uses the same folder structure as Obsidian, so I can easily turn a note into a blog post. And all of these live on...
- Dropbox: I mean, it’s Dropbox. No explanation needed.
- DaVinci Resolve: Until recently, I used Final Cut Pro. But Chris and I decided to share the video workload, so I’m slowly getting into Resolve, paired with their cloud collaboration setup.
- ChatGPT: I use ChatGPT, probably too much. It’s mapped to my Action Button on iPhone, and to
Hyper + \on my Mac. (More about the Hyper Key.) - Reeder: My RSS reading app of choice, with Feedbin running in the background. Classic, I don't like the new one.
- Readwise: My read-it-later and highlights manager of choice. It’s fantastic. I could write a whole love letter to Readwise, but maybe that’s for another day.
- 1Password: Password manager that works across systems. It’s good enough, though they’re slowly becoming a business-first company.
- Web services: Ghost for overkill, Kirby for my blog, Beehiiv for my personal newsletter, Fastmail for email, and Plausible for stats.
Life
- Quiche: My browser of choice on iPhone. Built by a single dev, and I love it. Greg is also a subscriber, so hi Greg.
- Arc: The browser I use on macOS. It’s basically on life support by now, and I think The Browser Company is heading for a wall with Dia. The CEO seems high on his own Kool-Aid. Waiting for Quiche on macOS, but might have to explore other options.
- CleanShotX: Much better screenshot tool than what macOS ships with.
- Lightroom & Photomator: I hate Adobe and hate paying monthly, but Lightroom has no real competitors. I also like Photomator, but Apple bought the company, so I fear for its future.
- Hevy: My weightlifting app of choice. Only using it because it’s free. Still better than Excel.
- MacroFactor: I’ve been tracking my food religiously for two years.
- bunq: My bank. I wrote more about it here.
- Runna: Just started using it to improve my running. One run in so far, too early to say if I like it. (Use my code when you sign up: RUNNAS8BTV58.)
- The Way: A meditation app I’m giving a spin. I have a bet with a friend and this helps me stay ahead.
- Overcast: Podcast client. It’s nice. It works. That’s all I got.
Hardware
Work
- MacBook Pro 14” M1 Max: Bought it years ago with 64 GB of memory and 32 GPU cores. Still a beast. It's four years old by now, and I have zero need to upgrade it.
- reMarkable Paper Pro: Shared thoughts here.
- AirPods Pro (Gen 1): Apple’s best product. Waiting for Gen 3. The battery barely holds up now.
- AirPods Max: Absolute garbage. I can’t wait to switch to Sony WH-1000XMR6.
- iPhone 15 Pro: Love-hate relationship. I shared more here.
- Sony a7c II (& a7 IV): The Sony a7c II + SEL35F18F is my facecam (meetings, A-Roll for YouTube) and EDC-camera of choice. The a7 IV + SEL2470GMII is for b-roll, photography, and reviews.
- Elgato Teleprompter: If you need one, get this. Requires a computer, but better than any iPad app.
- Elgato Lights: Great, but they make my desk ugly.
- Stream Deck+ with XLR dock: I don’t stream. I use it to mute, hang up Teams, and control lights.
- Rode Procaster: I refuse to buy an SM7B. This is good enough.
Life
- Oura Ring: Reviewed it here. I'm now using a working one, with a non-broken battery..
- Apple Watch Ultra: I don't really like wearing it, but I need it for runs (it's clunky). Might switch to a Whoop 5.0 MG + analog watch (or this one).
- Kindle Scribe II: Home reader. Reviewed here.
- Boox Go Color 7: Travel reader. Review here.
- Mode Envoy: The endgame of keyboards. I don't think I need anything else for writing anymore (maybe something different for gaming). I went for the Obscura Linear Switches, which I pen-lubed, Durock stabilizers, the foam kit, and paired them with GMK Firefly r2 caps. Pure joy.
Miscellaneous things
- GoRuck GR1: My go-to daily carry. Built like a tank. I use a GR2 for travel.
- Peak Design Everyday Backpack: I carry this when I bring my cameras and my lenses.
- Anker 737 battery: Review here. It's a battery. It charges.
- Bellroy Sling: EDC sling. It holds AirPods Pro, wallet, phone, and sometimes the Boox.
- Pulsar Superglide XXL Mouse Pad: I first saw this at Gamescom and immediately fell in love with it. It’s a 980x420 mm glass mouse pad from Pulsar, and it’s a dream for smooth tracking. My different mouses (mice?) just glide over the surface.
- Logitech MX Master 3s, Razer DeathAdder: One for work, one for games.
- Apple TV 4K: Hooked up to two HomePods (soon to be replaced by Sonos). I use it for YouTube, Crunchyroll, and Plex.
- LG C2 (65”): 4K120 OLED TV. Connected: PS5, Apple TV, first-gen Switch (but not for long), and my Gaming PC.
- Monitors: These are old and getting replaced later this year by this (probably).
- Gaming PC: RTX 4090, 32 GB memory, 5700X3D, 4 TB SSD, in a Fractal Define R5.
- Handhelds: I have a ton of them, but I’ll be honest. Right now, I don’t use any. I have no clue when I last turned on my Steam Deck.
I think that’s most of the stuff I use. There’s obviously more, but not all of it is tech. We’re working on a /setups page where all this will be shared soon, so stay tuned.