A Few of My Favorite Things - 2021 Edition

As we say goodbye to 2021, I wanted to share a few of my favorite things that brought value to my life over the last 365 days. Here is a list of the things [physical & digital] that I loved using in 2021. 

Physical Things

Hario V60 Coffee Server

I love coffee and make myself a cup almost every morning. I have many different ways to make coffee, but I usually brew via pour-over most of the time. With this method, you need a container to hold the coffee once it passes through the dripper. Although you could use a large cup [which I did for a while] I decided to get the V60 Coffee Server. It's a simple device, but it completely changed how I enjoy coffee. Not only does it keep my coffee warm longer, but its wide top allows for many different styles of drippers to sit on it. I currently use the beehouse dripper with it, and it fits great.

Affinity Keyboard Shortcut Cheat Sheet

I use Affinity designer almost every day, but I still have trouble remembering some of the seldom-used shortcuts. So instead of digging into the program to find the shortcut, I decided to make a cheat sheet. This sheet lives on my desk so I have quick access to the information when I need it. If you work in Affinity Designer and would like a copy, you can download the cheat sheet for yourself via the link above.

Polar H10 Heart Rate Monitor

I run regularly and record just about every activity I do. Over the last couple of years, I have been paying closer attention to my heart rate zones during workouts. Traditionally, I've been capturing my heart rate through an apple watch, but it has its limitations. For example, when doing intervals during a workout, the HR reading would be non-existent. So after some research, I decided to supplement my watch with the Polar H10 Chest Strap. Let me tell you, it rocks. When I connect the monitor to my Apple Watch the reading is super fast. Not only that, it can handle intervals like a champ. My only gripe is the strap does take some getting used to, which is not really a fault of the product itself.

Vibram Fivefingers KSO EVO

You can’t talk about minimal shoes without having Vibram Fivefingers come up. Although they have been around for a while now, it has only been the last couple of years since I started wearing them. The first pair of Vibrams I bought were the Fivefinger EL-X’s. They are great shoes but are super thin, which had me longing for more cushion after a while. Enter the KSO Evo. These shoes are the perfect blend of ground feel & protection. They have now become my go-to shoe for running pavement or trail. 

Digital Things

Flow App

Studies are showing that sitting or standing for long periods of time could be bad for our health. This is especially true if you work at a desk for long stretches. There is no easy fix for this problem, but studies have shown that moving around every 20-30 minutes could help to prevent long-term harm. I’m pretty notorious for getting so focused on a project that I forget to move throughout the day. That is why I love this app called flow. It’s basically a glorified timer but allows you to block websites, apps, and other great features all in one easy-to-use program. Some may remember I had this app in my favorites list last year, but I included it again because flow has added support for mobile devices. This is a real game-changer and has allowed me to use it much more than before and on more devices.

Balance App

I’ve been practicing meditation for the last couple of years and have found, at least for now, the best way to keep my habit consistent is through an app. I’ve used a few meditation apps over the last year, but I keep coming back to Balance. I really like this app because it tailors its courses to you based on the feedback you give. Not only that, the app is clean, simple, and easy to use, which is a must for me.

Vellum App

I love changing my phone wallpaper, but I spend way to much looking for the right one. This year, I decided to make things easier and find a dedicated wallpaper app. There are a plethora of wallpaper apps out there, but I landed on Vellum because of its high-quality, curated image collections, test mode, and ease of use. What used to take minutes to change wallpaper now takes seconds. My only regret was not using it earlier.

So there you have it, my favorite things from 2021. Wishing everyone all the best in 2022, and remember to "keep things simple." 

Disclaimer ~ I have no affiliation with any of these companies, nor am I using affiliate links. I just like these products and wanted to share my personal experience with them. All thoughts are my own.