TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
OUR DEVICES SHOULD REALLY BE HELPING US LIVE MORE FREELY, NOT TYING US DOWN. HERE ARE FIVE WAYS TO USE TECH TO FEEL GOOD
GET SERIOUS ABOUT SLEEP
If you only do one thing this year, be sure to prioritise a good night’s rest — it’ll create a monumental domino effect and everything else (mood, weight, sex drive, digestion…) will reap the benefits. Bose’s noise-masking sleepbuds are designed for a singular thing: delivering soothing sounds to help you fall and stay asleep. Trade music and podcasts for gentle waterfalls or the hypnotic buzz of white noise, which can be controlled (volume, duration, etc) from a simple phone app. 1. Noise-masking Sleepbuds, $380, BOSE, bose.com.au
OWN YOUR DIGITAL DEPENDENCY
Track when and how you’re using your phone with Apple’s Screen Time function and Google’s Android Dashboard. The iphone and Pixel 3 also help cut back on mindless scrolling. Want to only devote an hour to Instagram? Set that up using Apple’s App Limits or with Google’s Digital Wellbeing app timer. You’ll get a warning to say it’s time for a break. 2. iphone XS Max, $1,799, APPLE, apple.com/au 3. Pixel 3, from $1,199, GOOGLE, store.google.com.au
IGNORE DISTRACTIONS
Google’s created features that eliminate the buzzing we’ve come to expect from our phones. Placing the screen face down will put it in quiet mode, and you can set the device so it slips into Do Not Disturb when in the charging Pixel Stand. 4. Pixel Stand, $119, GOOGLE, store.google.com.au
WORK OUT WITH A BUDDY (even when you’re alone)
Besides being a fitness tracker, the Apple Watch Series 4 is now a legit lifesaver. The new model can monitor heart rate, alerting you if it exceeds or falls below a threshold. It also has fall detection, so if it thinks you’ve fallen and are immobile for 60 seconds, it will call emergency services. It gives a little piece of mind for solo runs. Apple Watch Series 4, $599, APPLE, apple.com/au
GO CORDLESS
Stop wasting the first five minutes of your workout detangling cords. Try Audiofly wireless headphones, which fit comfortably in the ear and stay secure while you’re moving and jumping about. They’re affordable too, at less than $100. AF33W MK2 in-ear headphones, $59.99, AUDIOFLY, audiofly.com