How I use my phone for good, not evil

Phones get a lot of bad press these days, and many people feel addicted to them. But it seems pretty clear to me that the phones aren't the problem; it's social media.

It's perfectly possible to have a phone and use non-harmful software on it. For me, my phone is an extremely useful tool, as well as a source of entertainment and enrichment.

Here are a few ways I use my phone to improve my life.

1. Reading independent writing

I'm trying to be a more active participant in the "IndieWeb". To this end, I use my phone to read blogs, primarily using RSS and the NetNewsWire app. I also use Obsidian to write posts, although I much prefer typing on my laptop.

To me, independent websites are the best of the internet. I love connecting with other bloggers, and having a place to share my thoughts which is not beholden to any algorithms or advertising.

A bunch of exciting tools and services are cropping up around this (such as Bubbles). I really do think blogs are back.

2. Tracking nutrition

I struggle to manage my weight (thanks to Crohn's disease), but my current thesis is that if I arm myself with as much information as possible, I can attempt to make informed changes. That's where nutrition tracking comes in.

I want to be very clear here — nutrition tracking is not for everyone, and I can absolutely see how it could lead to disordered eating or eating disorders (different things, a fact I recently learned from Victoria Song at The Verge). 

But deployed with the right mindset, I am starting to see the benefits of tracking my nutrition after only a few weeks. My goals are to eat more mindfully, to develop a better intuition of how the food I eat impacts my health, and to learn how I can make better choices.

I've used a bunch of different services for this over the years including FoodNoms and Lifesum, but the one I'm using right now is Alma. This works great for me for the simple reason that it has the fastest data input method: I can literally take a photo of my food, and provide a very brief description, then let Alma's AI figure out the rest.

Clearly this isn't going to be as accurate as other methods but, for me at least, anything that reduces friction is worth the tradeoff here so I can maintain the habit. Alma also has an AI diet coach which has provided some useful insights (but should be taken with a pinch of salt).

Alma is pretty expensive, but I've signed up for an annual subscription as an extra incentive to give it a really thorough try.

3. Doing puzzles

I love doing the daily New York Times crosswords, and other puzzles. It's a great way to fill time, and it's impossible to get addicted because you can stop when you've completed the day's puzzles.

On it's face, my screen time has increased considerably since I started doing the crossword, but I do believe that not all screen time is created equal. I'm pretty confident that 45-60 minutes a day spent doing brain puzzles is much better than the same amount of time mindlessly doomscrolling.

4. Podcasts

I thought I'd throw this one in here, partly as a shameless plug for my podcast app Crest, but also as a plug for podcasting in general. Although if you're reading this, it's unlikely that you need me to sell you on how awesome podcasts are (or you've already decided they're not for you). If you want recommendations, my subscriptions are available on my Podroll.

5. Meditation

One of my quests for the Spring is to develop a consistent meditation habit. Previously, I think I've been scuppered by the apps and services I've been using. I've tried all the usual suspects — Headspace, Apple Fitness+, Balance, (10 Percent) Happier etc. — but I've found them all to be too burdensome. They're expensive, and they provide you with way too many options.

I just want to open the app and start a session without having to make any decisions. I don't want sponsored content or brand deals, and I'm not super interested in following a prescribed course.

The app I've found recently which works great is Medito. I like it for a few reasons:

  1. It's non-profit, ad-free, supported by donations

  2. You can open it, and tap a couple of buttons to start your daily session, without having to rifle through a massive catalog

  3. You can customise the duration of each session, select from 3 excellent speakers, and customise the background sounds

Overall, it's just as solid as any of the usual suspects, and you don't have to pay a penny.

If you've read this, I'd love it if you emailed me with more "phone for good, not evil" ideas and suggestions.