I always find it fascinating how others set up their iPhones. Do they use widgets? Are they minimalist, or do they just have a springboard of icons in no discernable pattern? Do they use wallpaper from Apple or one of their pictures? Do they use a third-party app to change icons?

A simple Google search can yield thousands of ideas. Many of them use third-party applications to make specialized edits. For a time, I changed my icons using a Shortcuts instance and tried to create the most aesthetically pleasing screen. It didn’t last because I simply got bored with the icons and the hassle of changing them.

For the most part of 2022 and into 2023, I have decided to stick with the original app icons and make stronger use of widgets and, specifically, a single large widget stack to quickly roll through information. Additionally, I increased my use of the left-side pane for a stack of widgets at the ready. My home screen widget stack has Weather, Calendar, Inoreader, Google News, Spark, Overcast, Audible, Notes (for Family Food Orders), Reminders (This Week), and Photowidget. On the left is where I have Google Search and Apple Fitness, as well as specialized square widgets for my Reminders List for Shopping and Inbox for quick access. I also have squares for my work Notion page and Day One, which I restarted my use of in 2023.

When I upgraded to the new iOS 14, I was afforded the lock screen widgets. This is a pretty cool idea, even though all I’m really using it for is Calendar and Weather. I love having these on the lock screen, but they aren’t dealbreakers or anything.

At the bottom, I have Phone, Messages, Sleep Cycle, and Life360. I use Sleep Cycle every night to track my sleeping and Life360 to be able to track the people in my household.

Overall, this works for me. Inoreader is my RSS reader of choice, and I’m thinking I might upgrade to the paid tier. Overcast remains the single best podcast app. I’ve grown really accustomed to using Spark for email, but I could drop back into Mail.

While I’ve tried other third-party apps, I inevitably find myself going back to Weather, Calendar, Notes, and Reminders. The native apps work for me, and they are getting better with each iteration.

It will be interesting to see how my iPhone looks at the end of the year. I don’t anticipate big changes, but who knows?

Jason Kottke pointed me to Yung Pueblo’s list of life lessons from 2022 that he’s bringing into the new year.

So good.

The most difficult part of life isn’t getting what you want, it’s wanting what you already have.

Shawn Blanc on decision fatigue:

You and I only have so much willpower, decision-making ability, and/or creative imagination throughout the day. Try to reserve that energy for things like deep work, deep conversations, and big decisions.

The more you can automate the inconsequential areas of your life, the the more energy and strength you have for doing your most important work and building your most important relationships.

Lean on your daily habits to let things run “automatically” and thus giving yourself more energy for thinking, creating, and decision making.