The Magical Apps That Changed My Life

Summary

In this video, the creator shares their experience with the new iPhone 14 Pro, highlighting its sleek design and features like the dynamic island. They discuss their favorite productivity apps and how they've organized their phone to maximize efficiency, from using Trello for task management to the Done app for habit tracking. The video also features a sponsored segment on Pataka phone cases, emphasizing their slim profile and durability. The creator offers tips on using widgets, managing apps, and leveraging iOS 16 features to enhance productivity and make the phone work for you.

Takeaways

• 📱 The speaker has upgraded to an iPhone 14 Pro and appreciates its sleek design and the Dynamic Island feature.
• 💰 The speaker emphasizes the importance of managing distractions and using the phone to multiply productivity rather than letting it consume time.
• 📸 The speaker uses a Pataka case for their iPhone 14 Pro, highlighting its slim design, durability, and eco-friendly packaging.
• 📅 The speaker's lock screen setup includes a simple Apple font, a calendar widget for quick daily overview, and reminders for tasks.
• 🏠 The speaker mentions using the Home app to manage their smart home setup, controlled through Alexa.
• 📚 The speaker's main home screen includes apps for navigation, podcasts, news, project management (Trello), habit tracking (Done app), and finance.
• 🎧 The speaker enjoys listening to podcasts and audiobooks during commutes and workouts, highlighting the value of utilizing 'dead time' for learning.
• 📈 The speaker uses apps like Trello for task management and notes for jotting down ideas, emphasizing the seamless integration with the Dynamic Island feature.
• 🏃 The speaker tracks fitness and uses apps like RunKeeper and interval timer wrap for workout planning and tracking.
• 🌐 The speaker organizes apps into folders on the second home screen page, creating a barrier to entry that prompts reflection on app usage and time management.
• 🎵 The speaker mentions using the Endel app for focus-enhancing soundscapes, highlighting its ability to block out distractions and improve concentration.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?

The main purpose of the video is to share the creator's favorite apps and how they have set up their iPhone to maximize productivity and minimize distractions.

What new iPhone model does the creator have?

The creator has a new iPhone 14 Pro.

What is the significance of the 'Dynamic Island' feature on the iPhone 14 Pro?

The 'Dynamic Island' is a new feature on the iPhone 14 Pro that provides a seamless and visually appealing way to interact with notifications and app activities.

What case does the creator recommend for the iPhone 14 Pro?

The creator recommends the Pataka case for its slim profile, durability, and aesthetic appeal.

How does the creator use the lock screen on their iPhone?

The creator uses a simple Apple font for the lock screen, a calendar widget for quick daily overview, and has reminders at the bottom to keep track of tasks.

What is the creator's preferred map app?

The creator's preferred map app is Google Maps.

How does the creator use Trello to organize their tasks?

The creator uses Trello to maintain to-do lists, organize YouTube business tasks, and keep general high-level video ideas, categorizing them by importance.

What app does the creator use for habit tracking?

The creator uses the 'Done' app for habit tracking.

How does the creator utilize the 'Find My' feature on their iPhone?

The creator uses the 'Find My' feature to locate the whereabouts of friends, such as finding Beth's location, without having the app on their home screens.

What news apps does the creator have on their iPhone?

The creator has the BBC News app for general news and the Financial Times (FT) app for business and financial news.

What productivity app does the creator use for scripting videos and project management?

The creator uses ClickUp for scripting videos and project management.

How does the creator use the 'Adobe Lightroom' app?

The creator uses Adobe Lightroom as a photo editing app to edit all of their thumbnails, praising its capabilities.

What app does the creator use to power their business and record everything they do?

The creator uses Notion to power their business and record all activities.

What fitness apps does the creator mention using?

The creator mentions using RunKeeper for tracking running activities and Interval Timer for interval training.

What is the creator's new favorite app for focus and relaxation?

The creator's new favorite app is Endel, which creates soundscapes to match activities and help with focus and relaxation.

How does the creator use the 'Apple Mail' app's new feature?

The creator uses the 'send later' feature in the Apple Mail app to schedule emails for a specific time.

What changes did the creator make to their iPhone setup to improve productivity?

The creator made several changes, including using folders to organize apps, adding a photos widget for breaks, using the Done app widget for habit tracking, and utilizing Endel for focus.

What is the significance of the 'Pataka' case mentioned in the video?

The Pataka case is highlighted for its slim design, durability, and eco-friendly packaging, which aligns with the creator's aesthetic and practical preferences.

Outlines

00:00

📱 iPhone 14 Pro Unboxing and Setup

The speaker introduces their new iPhone 14 Pro, replacing their old iPhone 11. They discuss the device's sleek design, the dynamic island feature, and their appreciation for a protective case from Pataka. The speaker also mentions their concern about the increasing distractions from smartphones and their intention to share apps and phone setup strategies to maximize productivity and minimize time wasted. They show their lock screen setup with a simple Apple font, a calendar widget, and reminders at the bottom, and briefly mention the importance of a minimalistic approach to their phone layout.

05:02

📚 Productivity Apps and Habits

The speaker dives into their favorite productivity apps, including Google Maps, Apple Podcasts, Audible, BBC News, and the Financial Times for staying informed. They highlight the use of Trello for task management and the Done app for habit tracking, emphasizing the importance of these tools in organizing their life. The speaker also discusses their financial apps, such as Freetrade and Masterworks, for managing investments and savings. They mention the utility of the Notes app for jotting down ideas from audiobooks and podcasts, and the use of Apple Mail for email management with a focus on its delay sending feature.

10:03

🏠 Smart Home and Fitness Apps

The speaker shares their setup for a smart home, mentioning the Home app and various apps needed to connect different brands of smart home products. They discuss the use of RunKeeper for tracking fitness activities and Interval Timer for interval training. The speaker also mentions the use of ClickUp for project management, Adobe Lightroom for photo editing, and Notion for recording business activities. They highlight the benefits of these apps in enhancing their daily routines and maintaining a productive lifestyle.

15:05

🎧 Focus and Relaxation with Endel

The speaker introduces Endel, an app that creates soundscapes to match different activities, which has become one of their favorite and most used apps. They discuss how the app helps them focus in noisy environments and the various modes available, such as focus, relaxed, sleep, and move. The speaker also mentions the deep work timer feature of Endel and how it aids in maintaining concentration during work sessions. They conclude by recommending the Pataka case for its lightweight and protective qualities, emphasizing the importance of a good phone case in complementing the aesthetic and functionality of the iPhone 14 Pro.

Keywords

💡Snap photos

Snap photos refer to the act of quickly taking pictures, typically using a smartphone. In the video, the speaker mentions taking 'Snap photos' as part of their daily routine, emphasizing the ease and convenience of capturing moments with a smartphone. This relates to the theme of using technology to document and share life experiences.

💡Dynamic Island

Dynamic Island is a feature introduced in iOS 16 that provides a new way to interact with notifications and widgets on the iPhone 14 Pro. The speaker mentions the 'Dynamic Island' as a cool and attractive aspect of their new iPhone, highlighting how such features enhance the user experience and contribute to the aesthetic appeal of the device.

💡iOS iteration

iOS iteration refers to the updates and improvements made to the iOS operating system over time. The speaker discusses how each 'iOS iteration' and app update can lead to increased distractions, which is a central concern in the video as they explore how to use their phone more productively.

💡Productivity

Productivity in this context is about making the most effective use of time, especially in relation to managing tasks and distractions. The video's theme revolves around enhancing productivity by setting up the iPhone in a way that maximizes efficiency and minimizes distractions, as illustrated by the speaker's personal setup and app recommendations.

💡Widgets

Widgets are mini-applications that can be added to the home screen of an iPhone to provide quick access to information or functionality. The speaker uses 'widgets' like the calendar widget to quickly view their day's schedule, demonstrating how widgets can aid in daily organization and time management.

💡Pataka case

The Pataka case is a product mentioned as a sponsor in the video. It is described as a slim and light phone case that protects the iPhone 14 Pro without adding bulk. The speaker's endorsement of the 'Pataka case' ties into the broader theme of valuing both form and function in tech accessories.

💡Trello

Trello is a project management app that the speaker uses to organize tasks and to-do lists. It is highlighted as a key tool in their productivity setup, showing how digital tools can be integrated into daily routines to manage tasks and projects effectively.

💡Done app

The Done app is a habit tracking app used by the speaker to monitor and maintain personal goals and routines. Mentioning the 'Done app' and its widget emphasizes the importance of habit tracking in achieving productivity and personal development.

💡Endel

Endel is an app that creates soundscapes to match different activities, which the speaker uses to enhance focus and reduce distractions. The mention of 'Endel' in the context of productivity apps shows how audio environments can be tailored to improve concentration and work efficiency.

💡Smart Home

A smart home refers to a residence that uses technology to enhance home automation and security. The speaker mentions their smart home setup, indicating an interest in integrating technology into daily life for greater convenience and control, which aligns with the video's broader exploration of tech-enhanced lifestyles.

💡Folders

In the context of the video, 'folders' are used on the iPhone to organize apps into categories. The speaker discusses how organizing apps into folders on their iPhone has helped them manage their digital environment more effectively, reducing distractions and improving productivity.

Highlights

The speaker has a new iPhone 14 Pro and finds the dynamic island feature very cool.

They have dropped their iPhone 14 Pro 14 times but it's still in good condition thanks to a case from Pataka.

The speaker feels that iOS updates and app updates make it easier to get distracted by smartphones.

They aim to share their favorite apps and how they set up their phone to maximize productivity.

The speaker's lock screen is simple with an Apple font and a calendar widget.

They use the native Apple podcast app and Audible for listening to podcasts and audiobooks.

The speaker listens to about a book's worth of content per week through audiobooks and podcasts.

They use the BBC News app and the Financial Times app for staying updated with news.

Trello is the speaker's preferred app for managing tasks and to-do lists.

The Done app is used for habit tracking, and its widget serves as a visual reminder of habits.

The speaker has finance apps for managing savings, investments, and business finances.

The Notes app is used for jotting down ideas while listening to audiobooks or podcasts.

The speaker's iPhone setup is minimalist with three pages of apps, contrasting their previous 20-page setup.

They recommend the Pataka case for its slim design, durability, and eco-friendly packaging.

The speaker uses Google Maps, Find My (previously Find My Friends), and the native Apple Mail app.

The Apple Mail app has a feature to delay sending emails, which the speaker finds useful.

The speaker organizes apps into folders on the second page of their home screen to reduce distractions.

They use a Photos widget for a quick view of memories and to take short breaks from work.

ClickUp is used for project management, similar to Notion.

Adobe Lightroom is highly recommended by the speaker for photo editing.

Notion is used to record everything in their business.

The speaker uses the Home app for their smart home setup.

RunKeeper and Interval Timer are the speaker's fitness apps for tracking activities and workouts.

The speaker uses 1Password to store all passwords and appreciates the refreshed Reminders app in iOS.

Endel is a new favorite app for creating soundscapes to match activities and improve focus.

The speaker's top five highlights include using folders, the Photos widget, the Done app widget, Endel, and the Pataka case.

Transcripts

I take calls Snap photos and snap up

deals I make a bit of money read about

money make plans and remind myself of my

plans I edit videos and find my way all

at once track habits listen to wise

people watch highlights vacuum the house

get my groceries and tell Beth I love

her sometimes

[Music]

so I got a new iPhone 14 pro to replace

my old iPhone 11 and yes it is extremely

sexy yes the dynamic island is very very

cool and yes I am very glad that I got a

beautiful case from pataka because I've

dropped this thing literally 14 times

since I got it but here's the problem I

feel like with every iOS iteration with

every app update it becomes easier and

easier for us to get distracted by these

horrendously satisfying devices so in

this video I want to share some of my

favorite apps but also how I have my

overall phone set up to mean that I can

multiply the things I can do with my

time using my phone rather than have my

phone feel like it's sucking my already

kind of limited 16-ish waking hours a

day and I hope that you can take away a

few pointers a few things that you could

do with your own setup to enhance it and

just make overall your phone really work

for you rather than the other way around

alrighty so here is my shiny new iPhone

so shiny you can see me in it just about

uh yeah this is my lock screen currently

so in terms of font I've gone for this

really simple plain Apple font I like

the Simplicity of it and the minimalist

kind of look obviously with new iOS 16

you can customize your lock screens I

currently just have one really simple

lock screen I really like this effect

then in terms of widgets you'll see I

just have a calendar widget I like this

calendar widget just because it just

quickly and easily allows me to see okay

this is what's going on with my day and

then in terms of notifications you'll

see that I often have reminders at the

bottom I'll go into how I use reminders

when we actually get inside the phone

but yeah I need to buy my dad a birthday

card alrighty so let's go inside

Place ID you can instantly see the

dynamic item which is cool so I have

gone like on an overall layout

perspective for a combination of some

widgets as you'll see I have this sort

of General widget I then have the photos

widget and another widget here which

I'll talk about shortly I've gone for

like a very folded approach this time

and I'll go into why in just a second

and then some random apps and other

widgets on this last screen and that is

it so it's a three page iPhone setup

which is very different to my last

iphone which had about 20 pages of apps

it's gone for a way more kind of

minimalist clean look before running you

through

ah it's so good go pick a case on I want

to quickly tell you about today's

sponsor pataka who make these

beautifully slim and Light phone cases

my iPhone 14 pro is a stunningly

beautiful device that's why we spend so

much money on these pieces of Kit and so

I really hate like massive bulky phones

that ruin that aesthetic which is why

the pataka case is as thin as a credit

card you can literally feel the quality

when you run it through your hands but

best of all it's still strong enough to

protect my phone from the regular scarf

scrape scratches bumps that I put it

through on a very daily basis it has a

3D textured surface that makes it

amazing to hold made from lightweight

but durable aramid fiber and it also has

a raised lip right here that's just the

right size to protect my phone cameras

and its mag safe compatible so that

gives you super fast wireless charging

even through the case the button cutouts

are super sleek and the rounded Edge on

the front side looks and feels elegant I

personally went for the Rhapsody design

which has this subtle kind of detailing

on it but they have a number of

different designs all of which I think

look pretty sleek and minimalist and

last but not least when your phone case

arrives it comes in recyclable and

biodegradable packaging which a complete

Game Changer phone cases so often come

in loads of plastic so that is awesome

so yeah go through the link in the

description to get your own pataka case

now so what makes it on to kind of this

first screen when you unlock your phone

I would say I just basically have all of

my most used apps Google Maps is

absolutely my preferred map app although

find my friends like find my now as it's

known it's kind of handy as you'll see

like I don't actually have the find my

app on any of these screens I basically

always just go

where is Beth

he comes up with her location I still

use the native Apple podcast app I'm not

sure it's that great honestly but it's

the one I've always used and like I have

all of my shows saved in here and so I

think just changing to another one is

something I just kind of can't really be

bothered with so I'm pretty happy with

this for now honestly I listened to tons

of podcasts and along those lines I also

have Audible on here I have a bunch of

audio books in my library that I am

either part way or wholly through and

I've got to say maybe some people

disagree with me on this but I don't

really get why more people don't listen

to audio books and podcasts like way

more than they do for me on my way to

work I have maybe 45 minutes an hour a

few times a week when I'm in the gym or

on a run and that really allows me to

like listen to about a book's worth of

content a week that's like 52 books a

year that I'm able to read just by

listening to audiobooks and podcasts if

you take them as equivalent to

audiobooks it's a huge amount of

learning and reading that I'm able to do

and that is just otherwise kind of

wasted time yes I absolutely do think we

should be meditating with headphones out

enjoying the world soaking in the moment

that takes like 10 to 15 minutes but we

do have a whole load of dead time that I

think you can really utilize effectively

by listening to audiobooks and podcasts

then in terms of news apps I basically

have to the BBC News app and the Ft so

the BBC News app is kind of my go-to for

just general news what's going on in the

world the ft is also a huge news source

for me obviously in my job it's kind of

important that I have some sense of

what's going on so I really like that

they have this kind of like Story look

at the top so for me I'll often go into

the companies one have a bunch of stuff

like law that it's kind of easy for me

just to tap it into and have a quick

look through what's going on in the

world of law from a kind of financial

business perspective super helpful next

up we have Trello so as you will know if

you have watched any of my videos is

literally my baby where I keep all of

the stuff that I need to do so I have a

menos to-do list in here I have a

YouTube business to do this I also have

like rough YouTube video ideas that I'm

working on basically I keep like just

general kind of high-level YouTube video

ideas in here and general to-do lists in

the different compartments of my life if

you are interested in finding out more

about how I use Trello again just a

quick plug for my Trello course on

skillshare I think it's super helpful

introduction to how I use Trello and as

you can see the biggest thing I love

about Trello is just the ability to like

really quickly and easily create cards

for things that you want to do and then

categorize them by importance I just

find it super intuitive really easy to

see on a high level just like what is

going on in my life I have all of these

different cards all of these different

lists then onto my habit tracking app of

choice the done app I just decided to

strip this back really pair it back and

kind of make this something that I

actually use the done app also has this

really cool widget that I've added to

the second page I really love this

because whenever I go on my phone I just

sort of scroll to go here to one of my

apps this widget's just kind of a great

visual reminder of like okay I need to

be careful of how many takeaways I'm

eating this week or I need to make sure

that I do another workout tomorrow

okay and then I also have just like a

bunch of my finance apps in here these

are all my savings accounts free trade

which I use for investing also

Masterworks who have been a sponsor on

the channel I use that for art investing

have a savings account another savings

account this is my YouTube bank account

QuickBooks which I use for all of my

accounts stripe which is all the

payments I take through my personal

website a bunch of other accounts okay

final homepage app that I think does

Merit a mention is the notes app so the

notes app is basically what I use

whenever I'm like listening to an

audiobook or a podcast and there are

ideas I will just really quickly jot

down and this is where the dynamic

island is kind of cool you know if I'm

listening to this audiobook for example

I just pop it up there and then in the

notes app I can pause it just like very

quickly and easily flick between the two

apps and it's kind of seamless so that's

basically all of the apps on my homepage

and then the last thing is I just have

this widget here I then have this like

calendar view here a bit more fulsome so

I can see okay like what's going on

today let's find this widget is a really

easy kind of like quick view of what's

going on in my life and I do find it is

generally pretty good at suggesting

things that are probably going to be

helpful then along the bottom here I

have a pretty generic Suite of apps I

guess the only two things worth

mentioning is one I am a big Google

Chrome user and then second I have all

of my emails all of my email accounts

are synced into the Apple Mail app and

like one of my favorite features just to

highlight in case you didn't already

know when you are sending an email in

the new mail app you can delay sending

so if you press and hold on the send

icon it comes up with these options and

I can say okay let's send this at you

know 9pm tonight or send later and

choose a time really useful feature

especially when I'm at work on my work

phone I really love that so yeah on the

second page of my home screen I have

eight folders at the top for different

areas of my life like different types of

app and I've got to say like I have

found this a huge development I think

just having this like slight friction

that when I come to this second page

just having the barrier to entry of it

like being in my social older where I

have to then say okay I'm going to go

into socials okay trigger the mind to

say social media equals am I supposed to

be doing this right now or is it

actually going to be a drain on my time

having them in folders just really

forces me to reflect on that kind of

like decision of how I'm going to use my

time in the moment just that tiny bit

more and I have honestly found it's made

a huge difference to how I use my phone

then coming back to this screen I do

have this photos widget right here and I

absolutely like wholeheartedly recommend

this so as you know I am super keen on

productivity making sure you're not

being distracted throughout the day but

it might be a good idea just to take a

30 60 90 second break and I find that

coming onto my phone literally swiping

right and having like some kind of

wholesome photo or even one of these

like little videos that Apple puts

together it just kind of gives me like

something to do it takes my mind off

work I like watch this and think oh wow

that looks great like such a nice memory

it just cheers me up for the day and I

can just then come back put my phone

down and I can just get back to work

coming into like noteworthy apps content

creation I would probably mention click

up like it is a pretty good project

management app kind of like notion I use

this literally just for fully scripting

my videos my editors have access the

only other I think it's probably worth

mentioning that's new since my last

setup is Adobe Lightroom now I held off

getting Lightroom for ages because it is

pretty expensive now canva is an

incredible app for Designing things Beth

and I both still use it in our business

but as a pure photo editing app

Lightroom is an absolute Beast like I

really cannot recommend it highly enough

I edit all of my thumbnails in here it

is so worth it in terms of Menos Shopify

is the app that we use to power our

entire website and everything in our

business it's a pretty awesome app to

power a business and I would also

mention notion so notion is the tool

that Beth and I use to record like

everything we do in our business it's

just a super helpful place and the other

thing on here that's probably of

interest is the ho home app so creating

a smart home I think I might do an

updated Smart Home Video so let me know

if like you'd like to see what I've done

since my last one there are a ton of

apps in here which you basically need to

connect to the different brands of

products that we have but they all link

into Alexa Alexa turn on Beth's desktop

she even understands you when you speak

like an idiot but I know apps that I

want to mention on this page are my

fitness app so RunKeeper is the run app

that has like all of my data in here 376

activities tracked the other app is this

interval time wrap I find the interface

on this super clean and easy to use but

highly effective then coming on to this

last page just a few highlights like one

password is now the app that I use to

store all of my password then also have

this Big Apple reminders widget I just

find it super handy reminders also got

like a huge refresh in this iOS at least

I hadn't realized how good it was before

so now Beth and I for example have a

shared shopping list and then I also

have a to read list I think this is kind

of a cool place just to keep like little

list and I think the ability to share

them with other people is super cool and

then last but not least is a pretty

recent discovery for me in its endl so

this is like one of my new favorite and

probably most used apps it basically

creates like soundscapes to match

whatever you're doing so for me like I

really struggle to focus when there's

background noise so I put it on this

mode which is focus mode and it

basically plays like these Focus sort of

like Tunes noises and with my airpods

Pro like the noise canceling on those it

blocks out any sound of someone else

like talking and on a call when I'm in

the office and just makes me like

completely in the zone they also have

this other mode which is relaxed they

have sleep they have move which like

times the music to your movement so as

like the phone feels your movement it

times the soundscape that you're

listening to to your movement which is

pretty awesome they also have this

spatial orbit mode which is new to go

with like apple airpods Pro so you can

listen to a soundscape As you move and

as you move your head it kind of like

rotates the sound around you it's pretty

cool one of my other favorite features

about this app is the ability to create

like a deep work timer so you see they

have like scenarios here I'm going to

deep work which will then play some like

Focus tunes for me and I can go how long

do I want to do this for so I want a 60

Minute deep work session I press start

it puts me in the zone it plays this

tune for 30 minutes and I then put my

phone down and don't do anything with it

and I then do have a ton more apps on my

phone I just don't use that regularly so

I don't need them on my home screen this

has been a huge Improvement for iOS I

also absolutely love how easy it is now

to search for apps I don't need as much

on my home screen because if I can't

find something just quickly go in here

Admiral for example which is my

insurance provider bam and I am in I

think my top five highlights from my new

iPhone setup number one folders I

honestly think it has made a huge

difference to how I use my phone number

two I think the photos widget like this

photo is of me and my two techs and

friends I'm like oh that's so wholesome

and I then also like send it to the

person that it's of with me and it just

makes them think oh Liam like thought of

me today that's really cute number three

would be the done app widget just having

that visualization on how am I doing

this week with all of my habits four has

got to be Endo my new kind of favorite

like focus app just listen to endless

soundscapes and don't get distracted by

noises going on around me and number

five without a doubt pataka go to the

link in the description to get your own

pataka case honestly I cannot get over

how light and just good it feels in my

hand like satisfying as like how sleek

and beautiful this thing is so honestly

do really highly recommend so yeah that

is my productive iOS 16 iPhone 14 pro

setup and I really hope you've enjoyed

this let me know if you have again any

top tips for how I could improve my

setup further let me know what you

thought down in the comments of this

video I always read your comments I love

to hear from you and I will speak again

very very soon