Unless you鈥檙e Alex Honnold or some other famous pro athlete, you probably spend a lot of time during the week in front of a desk. It鈥檚 the cold reality of modern life. And it鈥檚 true for us, too. We might work for an outdoor magazine, but most 国产吃瓜黑料 editors and writers spend their days typing away. As a result, we鈥檙e always trying to find better ways to be more productive so we can get our work done a little faster and then jump out for a lunch or a postwork ski, hike, or run. Here鈥檚 a list of what I鈥檝e been using lately.
Rhodia Goalbook and Undated Calendar ($26)
I use digital applications聽like Trello and Asana to organize聽and track larger editorial projects, but for my day-to-day tasks, I鈥檓 still a fan of pen and paper. Each morning I take great satisfaction in writing down my to-dos, and I love crossing items out as my day goes by. There are lots of beautiful planners to choose from, but I always go back to a Rhodia like this, because it comes with an undated calendar that I fill in as a go聽and because the 90-gram聽ivory-vellum聽acid-free paper is an absolute pleasure to write on.
Rustico Sidekick Leather Cord Wrap ($36)
Did you know there鈥檚 actually a field of study called聽 that tries to explain why knots almost inevitably form when you toss your headphones in your backpack? I don鈥檛 understand that theory聽but instead will point you to this leather organizer, which keeps your charging cord, headphones, and other cords wonderfully organized and knot-free during your commute and on your desk. I can鈥檛 explain how nice it is to never have to fight a knot.
Ugmonk Gather Modular Organizer ($170)
I鈥檝e found that it鈥檚 the little things that can make my desk unlivable. Pens, papers, stickies, paper clips, etc., start to clutter open spaces and make me feel crazy. That鈥檚 why I was excited to come across this organizer, because it聽keeps all the small shit in its place. Yes, the thing is pricey, but it鈥檚 made out of beautiful maple or walnut, and I聽found myself willing to pay the extra price for extra head space. I also dig the headphone stand and coaster, which聽keep my music and coffee always in reach.
Craighill Desk Knife ($70)
Commence eye rolls. I get it. Seventy bucks for a piece of steel that opens boxes seems absurd. And in some worlds it is, but not for those of us at 国产吃瓜黑料. One of the perks of being a writer here is that you frequently聽test a lot of gear. And all that gear comes in cardboard boxes that you have to open and then break down and recycle. I鈥檝e already used this simple聽bomber of a carbon-steel knife to deal with hundreds of boxes and will use it for hundreds more. It鈥檚 sharp, easy to grip, tears right through, and will be one of the tools that has utility for decades to come.
Bose Home Speaker 500 ($350)
If you work in an open-air office around other folks, you鈥檒l want something like the . But if you have your own office, or work from a home office like me, I鈥檝e found it鈥檚 much nicer to ditch the all-encompassing headphones and use a speaker like the 500. Like all Bose products, the 500鈥檚 sound is crisper, clearer, and fuller than you thought possible, which makes music that much more enjoyable. I also dig that Alexa is built in and that the speaker connects via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.