Continuing our trip through Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky’s brilliant brains and equally brilliant book Make Time, Today we’re going to have fun with a little history lesson combined with a super-simple way to start chipping away at all those twitchy smartphone touches. (I still can’t believe the average person touches their phones 2,617 times per day!!!) Jake and JZ give us a ton of great tactics to rock their four-step process. (Recall: Highlight + Laser + Energize + Reflect! btw: You know YOUR Highlight for Today?) In fact, they share 87 tips and tricks to Optimize! In the “Laser” section, after teaching us how to create a “distraction-free phone” (hint: clear your home screen, remove email apps, social media and unnecessary notifications) they encourage us to consider getting a simple watch—you know, those things that just tell time. Here’s the little history lesson. They tell us: “In 1714, the British government offered a £20,000 prize (that’s $5 million in 2018 money), to anyone who could invent a portable clock that could be used aboard ships. It took nearly fifty years and dozens of prototypes until finally, in 1761, John Harrison created the first ‘chronometer.’ It was a technological marvel that changed the world even though it was barely portable—the clock had to be mounted in a special cabinet and stowed belowdecks for its maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean aboard the HMS Deptford.” Isn’t that awesome?! They continue: “Today you can buy a portable clock—that is, a digital quartz wristwatch—for ten bucks. It’s always accurate. It’s lightweight and waterproof. It can wake you up after a nap or remind you to take dinner out of the oven. It’s an amazing piece of technology.” That’s Today’s +1. Want a super-simple and equally powerful way to reduce our compulsive smartphone usage? Consider getting a portable clock. And… Let’s salute the crew of the HMS Deptford on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic as we appreciate that miraculous moving time piece we can put on our wrist as we remember to appreciate just how awesome our modern lives are—ESPECIALLY when we Optimize how we choose to use all the amazing technology!
