Every year I re-evaluate my tech stack. Tools come and go. Habits shift. Work evolves. Life gets messy. And the apps that used to feel essential… don’t.
This is the 2026 lineup that actually earns its keep. The stuff that helps me with work, keeps me sharp, keeps me sane, and keeps life moving without drowning in noise.
Productivity
Clay (Personal CRM)
Clay is the only “people tool” I’ve ever stuck with. It’s clean, fast, and keeps the important relationships top of mind without feeling like Salesforce invaded my personal life. If you want a calmer, smarter way to remember the humans who matter, this is it.
Todoist
Still the simplest task app that doesn’t try to become your second brain. It’s fast, everywhere, and makes it impossible to pretend you forgot something. A perfect daily driver for staying organized.
Superhuman
Email, but finally not painful. Keyboard shortcuts, split inboxes, lightning-fast everything. If you live in email like I do, Superhuman is a cheat code for time.
Reflect Notes
The fastest journaling and thinking app out there. No clutter. No “second brain” theatrics. Just a clean tool that helps you think clearly.
Notion + Notion Calendar
Notion is where big ideas grow. Notion Calendar is where they get scheduled. The combo feels like your entire digital workflow finally snapped into place.
Spotify (The books are what’s up)
Spotify cornered my workouts and commutes with audiobooks. It’s basically Audible minus the headache. Throw on a good business book during a ride and it’s like stacking XP.
Buffer
Easy social scheduling that doesn’t overcomplicate anything. Great for repurposing content, spreading ideas, and keeping your brand active while you actually live your life.
Tools for AI Marketing
ChatGPT
This is the engine. Writing, planning, brainstorming, coding, outlining, iterating. If you don’t use ChatGPT as a co-pilot, you’re working too hard.
Grok
Fast, blunt, and plugged straight into X. Perfect for trend-spotting, rapid drafts, and pulse checks on what’s happening right now.
Claude
The poet of the bunch. Claude is incredible for long-form thinking, rewriting, and producing clean, elegant copy. It’s the calm counterweight to GPT’s raw horsepower.
VS Code
Still the go-to editor for scripts, landing pages, or anything lightweight I’m hacking together. Extensions make it feel like a superpower.
SuperWhisper
Voice transcription that doesn’t suck. Great for capturing ideas on the fly, talking to AI agents for commands, and turning voice notes into clean text.
Life & Wellness
Calm
Keeps me grounded when my brain starts sprinting. Sleep tracks, breathing sessions, and quick resets that don’t feel corny.
Journal App
Nothing fancy. Just a consistent place to slow down, reflect, and recalibrate. Daily journaling fixes more problems than people admit. What I use this most for is daily gratitude. I start each morning writing down three things I’m thankful for then chug coffee and head to the gym.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/journal/id6498623075
Strong
My go-to workout log. Clean UI, quick tracking, and great progress history. Perfect for staying consistent without overthinking your routine.
Streaks
If habit-building was a game, Streaks is the scoreboard. Simple. Motivating. Brutal when you fall off. Perfect when you don’t.
Apple Fitness+ (Yoga is what’s up)
I started using it as a filler workout. Now I’m hooked on the yoga and mobility sessions. Zero friction. Massive upside for energy and recovery.
https://www.apple.com/apple-fitness-plus
Bitwarden
A password manager that doesn’t over-engineer anything. Secure, open-source, and reliable. Set it up once and stop thinking about passwords forever.
Cash App (Buy Bitcoin)
Simple, clean, instant. Buying bitcoin through Cash App is frictionless and lets you stay disciplined without getting lost in the crypto casino. I also started using it for daily spending to unlock more benefits (like discounts at Whole Foods and Starbucks)