#simplicity

With some MASIVE holes in time.

I think I’ve found a way to write more.

Not only in my journal, but tor my online blog and getting my thoughts out of my head.

Not everything needs to be shared.

But having a single place where I can write will help me pick what should go where.

It’s for every piece of tech you have. Especially the ones that you interact with every single day.

This is my iPhone. I still have an iPhone XS Max and I’m happy with it. It does everything I need.

But what I don’t ‘need’ is a screen filled with a bunch of notifications, distractions and app bloat whenever I need to use it.

Keep IT Simple. Isn’t just a simple tagline. It’s a statement to help you understand the fundamental reason why you should simplify.

I’m hosting an online Mac Productivity Workshop so signup and get started!

Life is full of chapters. And it’s up to you to understand when they cross your path and embrace them with vigorous happiness.

This past week it’s been quiet on the blog as I was working on a few things to move forward into the next chapter of my life.

And after being in tech for over 35 years and running various tech-related businesses successfully, I’ve realised I need to move on.

For me, the main point of a blog is to share your thoughts, ideas, world view of life and the things around you.

Everything else is fluff.

So why have a bunch of links in a header that can distract the reader?

At the Tech Minimalist, and MacJunky, my job to help coaches and consultants simplify their tech stack, so that they’re not swimming is ‘friction frustration’.

However, that is easier said than done.

Not because they don’t need it but because the current system they’ve used has become a habit they can’t be changed easily.

I too had that problem. Just take a look at the picture above…

The last time I had a Linux OS on a computer was back in 2010, so this’ll be interesting.

Why am I doing this?

I’ve been thinking about moving away from MacOS for a while, but all the data I have has been ‘stuck’ within the Apple ecosystem and I didn’t want to force myself to go somewhere else.

However, when I saw Omarchy last week, I so geeked out over it that I thought…

Why the hell not test it out and see!

I’ve already tested Apple equivalent apps for Linux I can move to, and so far I’ve managed to port a bunch of my data out of some Apple apps already.

The test are working out so far, but there’s more to do.

I’ll be spinning up an old MacBook I have laying around in the studio and see how it goes. It’s like being a kid again with a new computer!

Who knows, I may even move permanently if my tests works out and all my data can be ported into other open source apps.

I’m really looking forward to share my journey.

Watch this space!

If you think about it, there aren’t that many apps you need to do your work. And may of us has specific apps we need for our craft.

However, there is one app that every single one of us use. And that’s is… Email.

Email is by far the most logical, simple and oldest app that we’ve all used to communicate with the outside world.

It’s used for sending responses, transactions, sales, newsletters etc. Oh, and even love letters!

I won’t go too much in to that last one ;-)

Now that we agree that email is great, why is it everyone struggles with it?

Why does it have to be so messy, annoying and damn right complicated!

aaaaggggghhhh!!!

Well, there is a way to simplify your email so that you can do you actual work rather than get annoyed with the mess, the notifications the (dis)organisation of it all!

…And I can help.

Using a Mac should be as easy as pie. Even though we have every intention of staying organised, it gets messy over time. So how can we keep it organised so we know where our files are?

The best way is to Keep IT Simple!

How’s your Mac right now? Want some help getting it organised?

Let me know…

Kia.

The more you have, the more distraction that will take away the most precious commodity you own… your time.

Spend the time on what truly matters by removing tech friction and you’ll get way more done throughout your day and lifetime.

Above is the only screen I have. This gives me the ability to look at one screen and see what needs to be done at any given moment.

The only notifications I have enabled are all the apps you see on the screen, except Notes and Safari.

There’s no need to be alerted about every single thing every single minute of every single day.

So what does each app do for me. Well that’s simple…

• Apple Calendar – Gives me a quick overview of my month
• Things – My personal unpaid assistant, It reminds me of things I need to do
• HEY calendar – Is my main calendar where I add my appointments
• Basecamp – For client projects, collaborations and other business activities
• HEY – Is the email service I use, but does WAY more than just email

My workflow has been honed over many years. It’s the workflow that works the way my brain works and keeps me organised.

Once you have a workflow, and the tools to help with that workflow, you never feel lost, annoyed or frustrated.

You just need to Make IT Simple and Keep IT Simple!

If you want to simplify the technology running your life and business, let’s talk!

Bells and whistles are great, but do we really need them in the apps and services we use daily? The answer to that question is… no!

So when I find an app that can remove distractions and let me use said tool or app without being annoyed, I use it.

Minimal LinkedIn is a browser extension that has option to remove the distractions and features you don’t want with a click of a button.

This sounds like an ad, it’s not, I just LOVE apps that help remove distractions and friction, you should know this by now!

And please for the love of all that is holy, use Brave browser and not Chrome!

Let’s connect via LinkedIn

I was an audio engineer back in the day, and this video popped up in my feed so I had to watch it, as I’m always interest in this topic.

However, the end of the video intrigued me more than the title and the thumbnail, so I just had to share it.

It’s a great video with a well thought-out topic twist.

I know I keep changing my mind about the apps I use to run my life and business. But sometimes you need to step back and look at what you really need.

Not only have I moved over to the stock Apple apps on my Mac, I am the MacJunky after all, but I have completely moved over to them on my iPhone also.

It’s nice to have a third-part app that ‘can do more’ but does ‘more’ really mean more when all you do it ‘play’ with the apps to get what you want it to do?

For years I moved, hopped, skipped and jumped form one app to another, and I might still be doing that in the future, but when it comes to it, you only need the basics.

That way you can focus on what needs to be done, and spend the precious time we’re given in our lives to do the things we want to do for ourself and others.

You really don’t need to complicate your workflow or get a 3rd party app to get work done. Just use Apple Reminders and you’ll be happy enough.

“The tidier the desk, the more you can get done” isn’t alway true, but it works for me.

Here’s my desktop, it’s my ‘virtual’ desk. It’s not cluttered because I don’t want to be distracted when I sit to share my thoughts or get some work done.

It has the exact tools I need at an arms reach. So there’s no friction of looking for the right app.

I’ve recently moved back to using HEY, and I’m now using Basecamp more of my personal projects and not just for client work. So far it’s going great.

What you see in the Dock are the main tools and apps I need to run m business and life.

Keep IT Simple.

I love to have the least possible apps on my iPhone screen as possible. While without impeding what needs to be done during the day.

I love to have the least possible apps on my iPhone screen as possible. While without impeding what needs to be done during the day.

I’ve been thinking about how I ‘dynamically’ could have more on my screen without using up more space.

So I’ve come up with a way to use Widgets to have what I need at my fingertips depending on the time of the day.

Although this is a manual thing, I have a feeling it will make me more productive. And help me focus more.

Let me know what you think, and if you’re a patron, comment below with how you’ve set up your iPhone screen.

Work mode

Play mode

My latest iPhone home screen is an extension of how I feel. Currently, the theme is less work and more practical and social.

You don’t have to have all the apps in the world at your figure tips. You just need the ones you often use that help you progress throughout the day.

The idea of having all the apps and tools at your fingertips is a lost cause.

I’ve been an Apple/Tech guy for over 30 years, and in those years, the one thing I’ve learned is to use the simplest, easiest and most powerful tools possible.

It’s not been perfect. I’ve been swayed by the marketing of these companies and dove head-first into the rabbit hole of SaaS products and apps.

But I’ve somehow managed to keep my head above water and understand that the grass isn’t in any way greener on the other side.

Just… Keep IT Simple!

When a complex issue needs to be addressed, the simpler the solution, the better it would be.

However, many don’t apply this method, so somehow, the solution becomes a convoluted, complicated and diabolical mess.

Want to remove complexity? Check out Tech Minimalism

Here’s a very short guide for others who want to digital detox. I say DON’T. Just be mindful of the tech you use…

Just watched a video where two Vanlifers went on a 72-hour’ digital detox’, but things turned bad and annoying when their van broke down.

I get it, they wanted to see how far they got without tech, and I commend them for it. However, if you chose tech for good and not ’evil’ (harsh), you’ll be fine.

Here’s a very short guide for others who want to digital detox. I say DON’T. Just be mindful of the tech you use…

• Delete all social media apps from your phone

• Only have one screen with a minimal amount of apps

• Only have the essential notifications turned on

All this equals a happy and more fulfilling life without the constant ’nag’ for people and things diverting you away from what you really want to do…

…and that’s to enjoy YOUR life.

Make technology work for you. Don’t become a slave to IT.

Doing something that doesn’t bring you joy is no fun. Doing work with tools you don’t like is no different. There’s nothing worse than doing your work with apps that suck and are challenging to use.

Lets talk about finding the right tools for you!

The more tool you have, the less work you’ll do.

That might sound counterintuitive.

But the more you bounce from one tool, app or service to another just doing something simple can take more time and effort than you realise.

What to Keep IT Simple? Let’s talk!

Inbox-zero is one of the best ways to focus on your business. Being constantly distracted by notifications can remove that ability fast!

Click here for help getting to inbox-zero

We all know wasting time in our business can cost us money. So why waste time on things that could be simplified? Email is such a powerful tool that we forget it’s a time suck if we’re not using it in the best possible way.

Fix your email

Busyness is nothing to be proud of. If you’re too busy, there must be a friction point that needs to be fixed. No one should be too busy not to have time to do things they truly need to do. Fix your ‘busyness’. You’ll be happier for it.

Book a discovery call to fix your ‘busyness’

In today’s world, your online security is vitally important to your privacy. So having everything, from your online accounts to your Mac, iPhone, and other Apple devices, safe and secure should be vitally important to you too!

Minimalist Password: minimalistpassword.com
Bitwarden: bitwarden.com

We all want to do many things, but often we don’t have the time to do those things. What if we made things easier and simpler so we can create, or better still, not waste time on silly things to be able to do them?

Click here to learn more…

Humans have a great way of making things easier, simpler, and more comfortable.

That shouldn’t just stop because you’re at work. Making your work and life easier should be on top of your list.

Not knowing what you need is annoying. But even worse is to get something you want. Why? Mainly because it’s probably not going to work for you.

Just because you see someone with something you ‘want’, doesn’t mean it will be right for you.

We don’t wake up one day to declare we want to complicate our lives. It’s a gradual thing that happens.

And it happens while we’re busy working or living our lives. But once we feel burnout coming, we seek a solution to fix it.

The only app, or service, you will never be able to be without is email.

And on the Apple Mac, the only app that works best is Apple Mail due to its power of simplicity and the ‘it just works’ ethos.

MacJunky

It’s not hard to have a clean and clutter-free workspace. You just need to de-clutter and squash bad habits. This is my desktop and Spaces.

As you know, I don’t use a conventional CRM for my business. Yeah, sacrilege if you’re running a business! Yet, I’ve always been able to keep up with my clients and leads with no issues.

I find CRMs to be bloated and have no place in the way I work, and being a Tech Minimalist, that piece of software isn’t needed.

‍But last year when looking to see what was around at the time I found an app called Mogul. I even had a conversation with Chris, the founder to talk a little about it.

‍’If it made it to my dock ‘it’s awesome’ – Quote from Nicki in The Masters group where I’m a member.

Here’s my Mac dock. Simple. On point. And very, very versatile. What’s in your dock? I’d be interested to know.

With the work that I do, I have to go and find software solutions, basically, any kind of solutions, for my clients.

And what that entails is me using that software for a particular amount of time to make sure that I’m happy with how they work, how they function and whether it would work for any of my clients.

I frequently discuss simplicity, Tech Minimalism, and all things that streamline life. However, one topic I rarely touch upon is happiness and its meaning.

Want to simplify?

Time is the most valuable asset you have. So why make yourself busy for mundane tasks when you could spend that time to do the things you love.

Want to be the master of your time? Click here!

I’m not too fond of slides. they take away from the story you’re trying to convey, and they often don’t look right. So for the past week, I was thinking of using slides. But in a way, that didn’t take away from my story.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to talk at the KREW Community of Creative Entrepreneurs.

Even though I’ve been asked before, and in fact, I make videos and podcasts, this was my first actual talk.

Yet, I was being asked by Marc for slides. He wasn’t pushing for it, but with every message, there was a friendly prompt.

I’m not too fond of slides. they take away from the story you’re trying to convey, and they often don’t look right. So for the past week, I was thinking of using slides. But in a way, that didn’t take away from my story.

Today, the day of the talk, I came up with a lo-fi version. I have been thinking about it in the past and used it in my videos when demoing apps on my phone.

Why not share my iPhone screen, and point it to my website? After all, my website has all the information in the headings.

Simple.

This was my first ‘slide’…‍

And, this was my last ‘slide’…‍

See, you don’t have to go full-on slide deck. People remember moments and stories. More than they will ever remember slide desks with text, images and god forbid you to use them… GIFs!

What do you think? Am I crazy, or does this work?