The Case for Purpose

I'm always connected to my phone. It use it as a camera, as a music player, to capture ideas, to read the news, for messaging, and so much more. That you can do all of that on a single device is amazing. But, and maybe this is a function of age, I've found myself frustrated with all the choices, with all the notifications. If I throw my Apple Watch in that magnifies even more.

So I've decided to try and simplify by trying to incorporate things that do one job well, and nothing else. It's still a work in progress, but the pattern is becoming clear.

A dedicated music player. I got a digital audio player (DAP) specifically to listen to music without the constant distraction of notifications and doom scrolling. All it does is play music. The music gets my full attention. It's a different experience. And the sound is great

A mechanical watch. I stopped wearing my Apple Watch day-to-day (it still comes out for workouts) and replaced it with a simple field watch. No notifications (still can't believe how much that reduces my stress levels). Just the time and a second hand (and the date). I find myself drawn to the simplicity of it. As an aside, I am increasingly drawn into the world of watches in general. This might become a thing. Uh oh!

Cameras. I have a cinema camera that doesn't take photos and my Leica Q3 that doesn't really shoot video. I keep these separate on purpose. One tool, one job, one mindset. I always have my Canon R5 Mk2 camera which does everything

Maybe this has always been my preference and I'm only now recognizing it. I like listening to full albums start to finish. It's one of the actual advantages of vinyl. I like analog synths that don't have 2000 presets. I like constraints.

I'm not sure where else this goes. What other parts of my life could benefit from fewer options and more intention? I don't have the answer yet, but I'm curious to find out.