Chapter 65

Recommended Apps and Tools

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Note: The irony of recommending apps in a digital minimalism book isn't lost on me. Use these intentionally to support your practice, not as another source of distraction.

Focus Enhancement

- Forest - Gamifies phone-free time by growing virtual trees - Freedom - Blocks distracting websites and apps across devices - Brain.fm - Scientifically designed music for focus - Be Focused - Simple, elegant Pomodoro timer

Time Tracking

- RescueTime - Automatic time tracking with detailed reports - Toggl - Manual time tracking for specific projects - Screen Time (iOS) / Digital Wellbeing (Android) - Built-in usage monitoring

Mindfulness & Restoration

- Headspace or Calm - Guided meditation (use sparingly) - Oak - Simple meditation timer - Insight Timer - Free meditation resources

Communication Management

- Spark or Hey - Email clients designed for batch processing - Calendly - Eliminates back-and-forth scheduling - Loom - Quick video messages to replace long email chains

Analog Alternatives

- Kindle - Replace phone scrolling with reading - Moleskine Notebooks - For journaling and planning - Time Timer - Visual analog timer for focus sessions - Light Phone - Minimalist phone for essential communication only

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