Apps, tools, and devices I use to stay happy and effective.

I'm often asked about the things that have earned a place in my system. Here's that list, with the caveat that the way you think about your work is ten times more impactful than the apps or machine you use.

Apps

  • OmniFocus

    My favorite task manager, and the one I've been using for over a decade now. I've tried switching to other apps when a new and sexy tool hits the internet, but I always come crawling back.

  • macOS Widgets

    After playing around with it for a while, I've found a widget setup that I'm really happy with.My macOS Sonoma widget setup

  • Superhuman

    A shortcut-first app that allows me to fly through email at a pace I haven't been able to achieve with any other app. A few well-placed macros with Keyboard Maestro (detailed below) makes this an indispensible part of my toolkit.

  • Keyboard Maestro

    When an app doesn't have the integrations or shortcuts I need, Keyboard Maestro lets me make them myself.

  • Obsidian

    I'm still leveling up my notetaking game, but Obsidian (like OmniFocus) seems to be where I always end up. It's extensible, decently-pretty, and markdown-first.

  • Raycast

    Because the built-in Spotlight app just doesn't live up to the potential of a keyboard-first app launcher.

Coffee

  • Rancilio Silvia

    I've had this machine for two years now, and the ritual of creating my morning (and afternoon) coffee is just as important as the resulting beverage to my productivity and state of mind.

  • Izpresso JX-PRO Manual Grinder

    Highly adjustable, consistent grind quality, and a satisfying manual effort to undertake each day.

  • Beans

    I like a good dark roast, and have catalogued my favorites at bestdarkroast.coffee.

Devices

  • MacBook Air

    I don't need anything too powerful for my day-to-day, but I do need macOS for OmniFocus.

  • iPhone

    I'm happy trapped in the macOS ecosystem, so naturally I've got an iPhone where I can access my notes, tasks, and calendar in the same way.