Gear Not Stuff: 16 Apps That Actually Help
Phones aren't evil. We just have to use them smarter.
Post Summary
We’re covering 16 apps that will enhance your life.
Housekeeping
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The post
Today is the second Friday of the month—which means it’s time for Gear Not Stuff.
Read more about the idea behind Gear Not Stuff here.
In short: Gear Not Stuff is a framework that helps us make smarter purchasing decisions.
Stuff is a possession for the sake of it. Stuff clutters. We buy stuff impulsively to alleviate boredom or stress, or to solve problems we could have tackled creatively with what we already have.
Gear, on the other hand, has a clear purpose of helping us achieve a higher purpose. Gear a tool we can use to have better experiences.
Earlier this week, we spoke to Henry Shukman, Zen master and founder of The Way meditation app. And yesterday, I was out of town recording a podcast conversation that I think you’ll all enjoy (more on Monday).
The host and I chatted a bit about technology. On one hand, smartphones are a miraculous invention. On the other hand, they’re driving us all bananas.
And yet … they’re driving us bananas because we suck at using them. We load them with apps that divert our brain into a swamp of bullshit and make us stressed and neurotic.
Your phone isn’t inherently evil. It’s just a tool. If you can use the tool wisely, you can get some truly life-giving stuff out of it.
Enter these 16 apps. I’ve used them all. They’ll help you live better, think wisely, get healthier, or just exit the swamp of bullshit.
1. Gaia GPS
For off-grid explorers.
I want to thank this application for helping me not die on the Hayduke Trail—it was our go-to mapping application. It lets you upload GPS tracks from past hikers and create your own.
It’s simple to use and read and works every time you open it (lots of GPS apps are finicky and have slow load times).
2. DailyArt
An on-hand art museum and scholar.
DailyArt gives you a new piece of art to look at and learn about each day.
You get an image of the painting and a detailed write-up about the work—its history, inspiration, artist, and why it matters.
Of course, seeing art in person is always better, so the app also tells you the museum housing the piece.
3. Clearspace
Ozempic for screen time.
Clearspace is the best app I’ve found to reduce mindless app use. It forces you to get intentional and breaks the Scarcity Loop embedded in habit-forming apps.
You select which apps you want to limit. Then, once you want to get into one of those apps, you do a centering exercise and decide how long you want to use the app.
Trust me. It works—my time on B.S. apps plummeted after I started using Clearspace. If you have kids, make them download it.