On the phone:
- Delete marketing emails. Better yet, unsubscribe! So what if you miss a deal for $30 off a sweater? You’ll free up storage in your iPhone or on the cloud, delaying the time when you’ll get that dreaded request to buy more storage.
- Change notification settings in your apps. Do you really need to see all those little red bubbles?
- Delete unwanted photos. (I personally have a habit of photographing where I’ve parked in a parking garage, so this is an easy if time-consuming activity.) This will also free up storage in the cloud. - Make a shopping list or an errands list.
- Get rid of apps. That app that promised to build your new wardrobe using A.I. and immediately hit you up for a subscription? Dump it. Don’t forget to actually delete the app, not just remove it from your home screen.
Do exercises:
- Pure Barre “tucks” are good if you’re wearing loose clothing. (Tight clothing will make it seem as if you’re practicing twerking: not recommended in public.)
- The yoga “tree” pose is great if you’re waiting for a Walk light to change. (Stand far back enough from the street so you don’t startle drivers. Ask me how I know.)
- Progressive relaxation. (It’s fun to scare people with “resting bitch face”!)
With your amazing brain, talent, or powers of observation:
- People-watch. If you’re riding the subway, count how many colors of headphones or pairs of Hoka sneakers you see. Or try to “spot the loony” and maybe switch to another car at the next stop.
- Knit. I never learned to knit, but I know at least one person who never travels without knitting needles and yarn. Be careful to have your mic off if you’re mumbling “Knit one, purl one” during a Zoom call. Also, knitting while driving is not recommended (here come the emails from the knit-while-driving crowd).
- Talk to other people in line. (“How’s your day going?”) But not too much…
- Remember stuff. Stave off dementia by counting in a foreign language, thinking of cities in Brazil, etc. Eins, zwei, drei, Fortaleza!