 |
|
|
|||||
This article is republished with permission from Wonder Tools, a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps. We sleep with our phones. Were tied to these devices for work, at homeeven on vacation. 43% of Americans feel addicted I was intrigued when writer Daniel Parris offered to share tips and tools he relies on to weaken the distracting pull of his phone. Daniel is a data scientist and data journalist who writes Stat Significant, a weekly newsletter with more than 23,000 readers. Its a lively read, with data-centric essays about movies, music, TV, and more. Between his consulting projects, pop culture data analyses, and weekly writing, Daniel juggles a lot. He relies on a curated toolkit to minimize distraction. In this guest post, he shares his favorite new tools for managing time and sharpening focus. A return to focus Daniel Explains: A year ago, I read Cal Newport’s Deep Work. It led me to rethink time management and reassess the distractions affecting my focus. Like most people, my smartphone makes daily life easierI text, get directions, send memes, and answer emails. In return for that convenience, my device quietly siphons away hours of free time. Since I first got an iPhone, I’ve found more and more of my time sliding toward social media and other escapist apps. Millions of others face similar challenges. Inspired by Deep Work, I wanted to see if I could retain the best aspects of modern tech without surrendering more time than necessary. Through trial and error, I’ve found a set of tools that help curb aimless tech use. I’m far from perfect, but these approaches have given me a foundation to build on. Blank spacessimplify your home screen If youd like to cut back on aimlessly scrolling through apps in search of a distractionBlank Spaces is worth a try. The app replaces your home screen with a minimalist launcher that displays essential tools in a simplified layout. You can still access all your apps through your phone’s search bar, but the interface eliminates habitual app tapping. Choosing five to eight essential apps may sound limiting, but you’ll gradually realize how little you actually need from your phone. Price: Free for 7 days, then $4/month; $18/year; $24/lifetime Brickblock distracting apps Brick is a small near-field communication (NFC) puck that pairs with an app. Its been the biggest breakthrough in how I use my phone. It lets me retain the fundamental utility of a smartphone (Google Maps, Yelp, Spotify) while blocking the apps that steal my time, including social media. You select the apps or websites you want to block, then tap your phone against the Brick to enter Brick Mode. It blocks distractions and notifications from your disabled apps, and everything else stays. To re-enable access to your restricted apps, you have to physically tap your Brick again. Brick may sound like a glorified app blocker. But the added friction makes all the difference. I usually place my Brick somewhere mildly inconvenient, far enough away to remind me I don’t really need to open Instagram right now. Repeatedly bricking and unbricking my phone usually sparks some healthy introspection. Why am I working this hard just to check my email? After my first few days, I got used to having my device bricked. Thats since become my phone’s default setting. Price: $59; students get a 20% discount. Yondr Boxput phones away Yondr may be most attractive to families or groups who want to collectively limit phone time. Phone boxes like this one allow you to store devices in a safe-like receptacle for a predetermined period. The features associated with these contraptions vary. Some prevent your phone from receiving a cell signal. With most of them, you set a timer and cant access your device until after the time has elapsed. Yondr and other tools like it work well for family game nigt or movie marathons. Price: $249 [Cheaper options include the $40 Mindsight Timed Lock Box – JC] Light Phoneget a simpler device When I was in middle school, I had a Motorola Razr. It could do very little beyond calls and texts. It broke constantly, but I loved my silly little Razr phone. For a 13 year old in the early 2000s, it was the best phone you could get. Then I got an iPhone. Overnight my Razr seemed like it was made of Play-Doh. Flash forward two decades, and a small but growing group of consumers is retreating to dumbphonesdevices with stripped-down functionality. (See a chart illustrating growth in interest) Some of these devices are extremely dumb. They work only for calling and texting. Others embrace a more intentional kind of minimalism. The Light Phone offers only essential functions: calling, texting, alarms, and directions. This streamlined design reduces screen time and digital distraction. It intentionally excludes social media, email, and web browsing, encouraging users to disconnect from their smartphones without going off the grid completely. Ive long flirted with buying a Light Phone, but have yet to pull the trigger. I have a friend who owns one and swears by it. In 2025, buying a dumbphone is a radical act. In 2002, you’d have been just like everyone else. It’s amazing how 20 years of technological progress can completely recalibrate how we live. Price: $699 for version 3 or $299 for version 2. Time-Block Plannermake time to focus This physical notebook helps me plan my day in 30-minute increments. Each task gets a defined start and end time. Time blocks are allocated between work, meetings, breaks, and admin taskswith the aim of minimizing idle time, avoiding the mental drag of context switching, and carving out uninterrupted stretches for deep work. When I first started time-blocking, it felt borderline draconianlike I was robbing my day of spontaneity. Over time, I’ve found it frees me up to focus on doing higher-quality work, instead of constantly thinking about what I should be thinking about. The scheduler helps me frontload my planning into one intentional session at the start of the day, instead of reconfiguring priorities every hour. I get that an analog journal isn’t the sexiest recommendation. Still, I like being able to plan my day without digital distraction, and I appreciate being able to see my schedule without staring at a screen. Price: $27.90 at Amazon Daniel was one of DoorDashs first 150 employees and data science hires. After working there for nearly six years, Daniel moved into consulting and data writing. Over the past year, hes taken on some of pop cultures greatest conundrums: At What Age Do We Stop Looking for New Music? Which Movies Popularized (or Tarnished) Baby Names? Which Shows Got Their Finale Right, and Which Didnt? Check out Stat Significant Check out Stat Significant to read more of Daniel’s work: Why Did Hollywood Stop Making Comedies? How Many Episodes Should You Watch Before Quitting a TV Show? Is Rotten Tomatoes Still Reliable? Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn or at daniel@statsignificant.com This article is republished with permission from Wonder Tools, a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps.
Category:
E-Commerce
A Thanksgiving tradition since 1924, the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade has not quite turned 100 years-old yet. How is this possible you might wonder? Because it was skipped for three years1942, 1943, and 1944during World War II. Nevertheless, its 99th anniversary is shaping up to be spectacular. Heres everything you need to know about the (mostly) annual event in New York City, including how to tune in. The Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade by the numbers It takes many people to pull off the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade. (Some even do the pulling literally.) There will be more than 5,000 volunteers working hard to make magic happen. This spectacle includes 34 balloons and 28 floats. There are also four “ballonicles,” which are essentially balloons on wheels. Lets not forget the 14 specialty units, 33 clown groups, 11 marching bands, and the one and only Santa Claus. The parade route begins on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and ends on 34th Street in Midtown. Whos performing at the 2025 Macy’s parade? Theres a little something for everyone this year. Elphaba Thropp herself, Cynthia Erivo, will kick things off with an opening number performance. Much to the delight of hip children everywhere, the singing voices of HUNTR/X from KPop Demon Hunters will also have a golden moment to shine. Broadway fans can look forward to numbers from Buena Vista Social Club, Just in Time, and Ragtime. Country fans will look forward to Lainey Wilsons vocal talents, and the Radio City Rockettes will high kick their hearts out. Thats just the beginning. There are also performances by Drew Baldridge, Matteo Bocelli, Colbie Caillat, Ciara, Gavin DeGraw, Meg Donnelly, Mr. Fantasy, Foreigner, Debbie Gibson, Mickey Guyton, Christopher Jackson, Jewel, Lil Jon, Kool & the Gang, Darlene Love, Roman Mejia, Taylor Momsen, Tiler Peck, Busta Rhymes, Calum Scott, Shaggy, Lauren Spencer Smith, Luísa Sonza, and Teyana Taylor. Its a jammed-packed event. What other celebrities are appearing? Beyond the performances, the parade will be a star-studded event, filled with athletes such as U.S. Olympian Ilia Malinin and U.S Paralympian Jack Wallace. Actors Kristoffer Polaha and Nikki DeLoach will also dazzle the parade route. Sean Evans will serve as a special correspondent What new floats will join the parade? There are six new floats this year making their way down the parade route. Science fiction fans look out for Upside Down Invasion: Stranger Things by Netflix. Travel lovers can look forward to The Land of Ice & Wonder by Holland America Line. Parade lovers young and young at heart will be excited for Brick-tastic Winter Mountain by the Lego Group. Rounding out the new floats are Master Chocolatier Ballroom by Lindt, Friends-giving in Pop City by Pop Mart, and The Counting Sheeps Dream Generator by Serta. What new balloons will join the 2025 parade? There are four new additions full of hot air to dazzle onlookers. Buzz Lightyear and Pac-Man will have their time to float, as will Shreks Onion Carriage and Mario. Additionally, KPop Demon Hunters fans should keep their eyes peeled for Derpy Tiger and Sussie, who will appear in midsized balloon and ballonicle form. How can I watch or stream the parade live this year? The parade airs today (Thursday, November 27), which is Thanksgiving. No matter your time zone, the action starts at 8:30 a.m. on NBC. NBC’s telecast covers those with traditional cable subscriptions and those with an over-the-air antenna with good reception. If you have the latter, you can watch the parade for free. The event will also be available on Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming platform. If Peacock is not in your streaming arsenal, you can turn to a live-TV streaming platform that includes NBC in its bundle. Those include: Hulu + Live TV YouTube TV Sling TV Unfortunately, due to a carriage dispute between NBCUniversal and Fubo, NBC had been removed from that streaming service as of press time. Be sure to check regional differences before you commit to yet another monthly charge.
Category:
E-Commerce
Black Friday isn’t what it used to be. Less than 15 years ago, it was fairly common for people to wake up at ridiculously early hours to drive to a store, where they would stand in line, waiting for the doors to open in order to grab the best deals. Those people still exist, but not in the numbers they used to, thanks to the convenience of online shopping (and the early start to holiday deals). But as artificial intelligence becomes more entrenched, it could play an outsized role in Black Friday (and Cyber Monday)and 2025 could be something of a test case for the technology. The average consumer is expected to spend $1,595 on holiday gifts this year, according to Deloitte. That’s 10% less than 2024 and highlights the importance shoppers will place on bargains this year. And a growing number of consumers will be relying on AI to help them find those deals. Some 33% of the people Deloitte spoke to in its 2025 Holiday Retail Survey said they plan to use AI as part of their holiday shoppingdouble the number who did last year. Many say the tech could assist them with inspiration and product discovery. That could benefit retailers who have already embraced AI in their recommendation engines, as well as those planning to roll it out. “Consumer adoption of gen AI shows that expectations are shifting toward personalization and efficiency,” Deloitte’s report states. “Shoppers now expect instant recommendations tailored to their preferences, budgets, and recipients, raising the bar for retailers digital experiences. To meet holiday shoppers expectations, retailers could consider embedding AI-powered gift finders, style assistants, or deal copilots directly into their sites or apps.” A separate study from marketing automation platform Klaviyo found that 56% of consumers say theyll use AI tools during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. AI can do a lot more than just help people think of creative gifts, of course. Gen AI models like ChatGPT can research prices and recommend the best deal, in some cases even making the purchase for you, a feature used by a growing number of people. Traffic from AI platforms to retail sites during Prime Days and other sales in July was up by 4,700%, according to Adobe Analytics. And the company is predicting an increase in AI usage of between 515% and 550% this holiday season, compared to 2024. Thinking of enlisting a Gen AI to help you find deals? Here’s how to go about it. Make your list. Check it twice Chatbots dont work so well without specifics. You’ll need to know exactly what you’re looking to buy if you’re planning to use AI for price comparisons. Using the broadest example, telling ChatGPT you’re looking for the best price on, say, a Barbie or a blender is akin to calling a Best Buy or Gamestop and saying you want to know their best price for a game console. The $60 no-name brand that has a Tetris clone might technically be the correct answer, but that does you no good if you really wanted a PlayStation 5. Set the AI loose Ask your chatbot to find the best deals for your specific product. Again, details matter, so be sure to offer as much granularity as you can about the product. (To go back to the PS5 example, do you want the PS5 with a disc drive? What amount of internal storage do you want? Do you want a PS5 Slim or Pro or some other model?) It’s also worth asking the chatbot to suggest additional ways to save, such as applicable cash-back apps (like Rakuten), promo codes, or coupons. Fact check the results Prices change all the time during the holiday season, so just because ChatGPT says Store X has the best deal, you’ll still want to check that store’s website to verify the amount your AI assistant quoted is still valid. At the very least, using AI to help you shop will quickly eliminate some options and, ideally, free up some of your time, letting you spend less of November and December hunting for deals and more time enjoying the season.
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||