Software I use, gadgets I love, and other things I recommend.
I think a lot about my workflow and how I most efficiently get things done. Ironically, I'm probably less efficient from all the thinking about that that I do. In any case, maybe my workflow can inspire someone elses' as well.
Workstation
16” MacBook Pro, Core i7, 16GB RAM (2019)
This has been my work horse for the past 3 years. The 16" screen allows me to use it as a desktop so I don't have to switch from laptop to desktop. I am planning on upgrading in the near future to a MacBook Air M2, since I need to be more mobile and also find that the added screen space of the 16" isn't all that necessary. In fact, a smaller screen helps me focus on the task at hand.
Coffee Shops and Librairies
My setup is extremely minimal because I'm working from a variety of coffee shops and librairies. They have everything I need and are completely free except for my coffee fee which I would pay for anyway.
Soundcore by Anker Life Q30 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
I wouldn't be able to concentrate in most coffee shops sometimes without some good noise cancelling headphones. These do the trick. Sometimes I even put them on without any music as a sort of "Do Not Disturb" signal.
Development tools
VS Code
I've been using VS Code for awhile now and it's been satisfactory. The extension ecosystem has been the best part about it. Although recently I'm encoutering a lot of CPU hogging and am considering switching to something more efficient.
iTerm2
It's a terminal a step up from the built in MacOS terminal. I've dabbled with Warp as well but it doesn't seem super stable yet.
TablePlus
Great software for working with databases. Has saved me from building about a thousand admin interfaces for my various projects over the years.
Design
Figma
We started using Figma as just a design tool but now it’s become our virtual whiteboard for the entire company. Never would have expected the collaboration features to be the real hook.
Writing
iPhone with Portable BlueTooth Keyboard
Most of my writing is done on the go, at random times and in random outdoor places. I used to carry around a notebook but I'm just way too slow writing without a keyboard. Since I always have my phone on me, I also carry a foldable pocket bluetooth keyboard that I connect to my phone and write.
Organization / Productivity
Apple Reminders
This is my dumping grounds. I filter through it at the end of the day, but every thought gets indiscrimately dumped here while I'm moving through my day.
Obsidian
Once I start going through my reminders, I copy what I can over to a folder of markdown files I have hosted on the iCloud. I use Obsidian to edit them. I've always found myself defaulting to text files as my way of self-organizing, so I just doubled down on that method.