When my phone isn't ruining my life
3 apps that actually take care of my head, heart, and wallet
I’ve probably tried 500+ apps over my lifetime, and I uninstalled almost every single one.
So quick life update: I’m currently in the season of saying no to stuff instead of saying yes all the time. And I’m very particular about it when it comes to my phone.
Social media apps? All gone.
Productivity apps? Actually didn’t need most of them.
Games? Yeah, I don’t play games on my phone anymore… Genshin Impact can’t profit from me anymore.
But sometimes, I come across apps that fit so well into my lifestyle that I eventually decide to keep them. At the moment, there are three that I simply can’t live without anymore.
There’s one for my head. One for heart. And one for my wallet.
🔖 Heads App: Readwise
Ever since I decided to live a more intentional life, I’ve been pulling myself away from social media.
I stopped mindlessly consuming content, no matter how educational or entertaining they might be (well, unless they’re cute cat videos). What I do instead is I save these posts for later and block out time to read them by then.
It’s a habit in progress, but I’ve been incorporating it into my life with the help of Readwise.
(I know it sounds like it, but I promise this isn’t a promotion)
So I’ve been using Readwise for about two months now, and it’s currently serving me in three major ways:
It allows me to save articles, posts, newsletters, and Twitter threads to read later.
It enables me to make highlights and notes on my saved posts.
It sends regular emails with past highlights, helping me remember quotes and passages from previously read material, including books on my Kindle.
I’ve read books from 2 years ago whose lessons I’ve already forgotten. And when I think about it, what’s the point of all my reading if I’ll eventually just forget about it anyway?
And that’s where Readwise comes in.
The reason why I believe in the app is because it’s designed to accommodate how our brain works.
This method of resurfacing knowledge is a science-backed learning technique called Spaced Repetition. In a nutshell, it means information will stick to us better if we remember it again after forgetting it for a while.
It’s kind of like when you forget someone’s name the first time you meet them, then when you remember it again, you just can’t forget anymore. It tells your brain that this information must be important because it came up again, and that’s why it sticks better.
Being the type of guy who forgets his own passwords, there isn’t an app that’s a better fit for me than Readwise.
✒️ The Heart of Art: Substack
Substack is my personal home on the Internet.
It’s a place where I can freely express who I am and who I wish to become. It’s also here where I share lessons and stories from my journey towards betterment.
What I love about Substack is that it’s built to be a community, and not just a place where writers write and readers read. I like to think of it as a cozy cafe by the corner of the street where both writers and readers mingle with one another.
To me, it’s a great place for writing because it moves away from the generic content we see online. Substack writers aren't just sharing stories; they're opening up their worlds to us.
I've crossed paths with some incredible people on Substack. And their essays have not only entertained me, but also transformed the way I think of my own life.
Here are some of my all-time favorites.
1. The New Workday by
Nobody processes ideas and emotions quite like Harrison does.
I wish more people would think like him. I wish I would think more like him.
His witty takes on everyday stuff is a pleasure to read (he once wrote about a life lesson he got from ketchup packets). And when his writing becomes deeply personal, it becomes impossible to forget.
His words have the power to make you feel exactly what he is feeling—a trait most admirable for any writer.
Even today, I still tear up thinking about his thoughts on losing his best friend:
Tom’s transition was never about me or our friendship. I just happen to be someone who, in his reshuffling of values, has ended up on the other side of an impermeable boundary.
I would prefer to live in a world where people with different beliefs can be friends. But I also find myself admiring Tom and aspiring to have the same level of conviction in my own beliefs.
In his particular case, remembering Tom and the spirit he embodies is, I think, a better outcome than having him as my mate but knowing he's compromising.
—Harrison Moore
2. Tommy Dickson’s Substack
When you see a new post from , you can’t not read it.
His words will have you placing your hand on your chest every time.
As a writer, I admire him. But as a reader, I thank the world everyday that I get to read his writing.
His love for lighted windows is something I’m still thinking about to this day:
Lighted windows are untold stories.
I can paint a portrait. I can project an image of what I wish would be going on. What I’d be doing if it were me inside, bathed in that warm light instead of out in the chattering cold.
I can envision an evening that emanates fullness, wholeness, balance.
Each window, my heart aches a little. Like I’m longing for a lost lover. Looking for something I can’t find.
—Tommy Dixon
3. Beck At It by
I treasure every conversation I've had with my best friends. They’re authentic, transparent, and honest. They provide a unique kind of comfort and safety that allows me to be my truest self. I don't need to pretend; I can simply be who I am.
If you've experienced a similar feeling, that's what Becky's writing feels like. I get to know her better through each of her essays, but at the same time, I get to know myself a little better, too.
Her honest stories make me self-reflect every time. On one occasion, she inspired me to create a new routine just to let someone else break it:
So on Monday morning, I canceled my Pilates class and stayed in bed to snuggle with my new fiancée on the cold fall day, to start the new week as a newly engaged couple, to take it all in. Because how often do I get to wake up with a new diamond ring on my finger?
But ugh it was a thorn in my well-oiled routine. I clinked my Kirby mug against Jin’s Zelda mug and we sipped our warm coffee and instead of doing planks and ab crunches we just sat with smiles maneuvering their ways back onto our faces, calling each other “fiancée”, knowing that there’s no one on earth we’d rather ruin our routines than one another, just like this, every day, forever.
—Becky Isjwara
Sharing what I love about these Substacks, I'm reminded that writing should be something I enjoy, not stress about.
While writing this essay, I discovered that reading one of Harrison's, Tommy's, or Becky's pieces is a good reminder of how nice it feels to write something from the heart. I think I’ll do that more often.
And that’s exactly why I love Substack. It’s the place where I write, but it's also the place where I rediscover what it means to be a writer.
💸 Money Matters: Money Manager
While Readwise gets the right stuff in my head and Substack gives nourishment for the heart, my Money Manager app keeps everything together.
Ever since my final year at university, I've been logging every peso that comes in and out of my wallets—whether they’re physical or digital. It took some work to build this habit, but it’s one that has served me well.
The cool thing about Money Manager is that it shows me neat charts that break down my spending habits. This helps me see how my money is moving through various phases of my life, which is pretty interesting.
From mostly food and clothes in my college days, my spending has evolved to more grown-up stuff like household bills and expenses for my family. Talk about adulting.
I will admit, however, that managing money isn't easy.
Being the breadwinner in my family, I have a lot of weight on my shoulders. But after facing all the struggles and having open conversations with my parents, I’m in a more stable place now.
I definitely have a lot to work on, but with my money manager app keeping track of everything, I can tell myself I’ll be just fine.
Fun fact: This essay started with 5000 words and honestly, idk how I cut it down to 1500. Welp, I won’t be doing that again for a while (lol). So here’s to writing shorter essays! And you, my friend, are a witness to hold me accountable. Let’s see each other next week.
📌 But before you go:
1 - If you enjoyed this essay, you might also want to read how I tackled the subtle risk of sticking to a routine. Also feel free to give this post a ❤️ as a gift (the year went by fast, but hey, merry christmas to us!!).
2 - If you’d like to receive my future posts straight to your inbox, subscribe for free here:
3 - Reflection Prompt: Is your phone serving you right now, or is it the other way around?
See ya next week.
Thank you for being here,
Nice one Linart! It takes a lot to tell people how you feel about them and their work—especially publicly—and I appreciate you very much. Great piece by the way. Is it your end of year reflection-type piece?
Aw thanks for the shout, Linart! I love chatting with you every week on ideas that keep our writing habits going :)