Mac Power Users

833: Chris Bailey and His Battle-Scarred M1

114 snips
Jan 25, 2026
Chris Bailey, author and productivity researcher who experiments with attention and tech habits. He describes a battered M1 Pro and why he loves simple tools like TextEdit, SimpleNote and printed research. He explains using an iPad mini as a phone to add friction and shares rituals for ideation, email sprints, and task repurposing.
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ADVICE

Use Email Sprints

  • Do email in timed sprints several times per day instead of constant checking.
  • Use those sprints to force shorter, faster responses and reduce mental bandwidth drain.
ANECDOTE

Printing Research And Annotating By Hand

  • Chris prints and annotates hundreds of research articles on paper rather than relying on digital tools.
  • He finds analog reading and pen marks help him integrate research into manuscripts better.
ANECDOTE

iPad Mini As Phone Experiment

  • Chris spent a month using an iPad mini as his phone to create friction and reduce distraction.
  • He kept his iPhone nearby for connectivity but left it in his bag so gaps in his day opened up for thought.
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