It wasn't until I was discussing my new walking app followed by my new meditation app with a friend that I realised how 'app-y' my life had become. I'm a big advocate of the positive influence that modern technology has today but it's still crazy to think of how much has changed in such a short space of time.
Just think - pre 2007 there was no such thing as an iPhone and who'd believe that Facebook isn't even 10 years old? It celebrates the big 1-0 on Feb 4th (in case you were wondering) so not long to go but still, that's its real Harvard launch - just 10 years ago Facebook was a mere college campus website... Anyway, I digress. My point is that everything is so accessible today. It's all so very 'now'.
From the ease of the online shop and music that's downloadable at the click of a button/move of a mouse/tap of a screen - take your pick - to the infinite amount of questions we are able to ask Google everyday (Encyclopaedia Britannica anyone?) and the freedom that comes with WhatsApp and Skype (gone are the days of crazy landline telephone bills - and I should know, having lived in London but with family scattered across Europe, I've been shocked on more than one occasion after a visit from the postman.
Actually, the postman doesn't even bring my bills anymore, they're electronic too) we literally have the world at our fingertips. That's not to say I don't still relish the simple things. Family dinners are de rigueur in our house. We eat together. We talk - we have real conversations, not merely via text. We even visit the shops and that's with being the founders of an ecommerce business. We do not lead virtual lives by any stretch, but my goodness, the technology we do use is nothing if not amazing. Here are my current favourites:
The iPhone 6 Plus I love this phone. I really do. Why? Because so much of what I do is visual and the screen is beautifully large, while the phone is still slim and sleek. Perfect for looking and working with images.
Breeze I've become an avid walker and love this app to track how much I walk. I thought I did pretty ok until I realised that 10,000 steps is the healthy norm and now I'm walking everywhere to try to get to that daily target.
Sleep Cycle My 2015 obsession so far. Every night I pop it under my sheet and in the morning I see how I slept. So far it's pretty spot on. Family members and friends have found it intriguing and since mostly all have downloaded it (except for one family member who said he's already a bit of a hypochondriac and feels life is better without this info).
Mindfulness I love it when leisure activities are paired with an app as there's a much higher chance I'll do it. My cousin recommended this, and I still have to master the art of meditation, but the app so far has put me in the right direction. Now only to practice more.
Pinterest I've know I've said it before, but Pinterest is an incredible source of inspiration. To think a scrapbook or mood board was once only possible with a tube of Pritt Stick and a stack of magazines. I browse for hours at my desk, and on my my iPhone/iPad etc.
Netflix/iPlayer/Amazon Prime With literally thousands of TV shows and films at my fingertips I now have an inexhaustible watch list. They're really stacking up! This doesn't always mean I don't find myself mindlessly flicking through countless channels but I like to be safe in the knowledge it's all there ready and waiting for me. Now only to find some time to sit and watch...
Digital cameras This might sound like an oldie by comparison to some of the others, but as the founder of two fashion brands I cannot begin to articulate how amazing it is to finish a shoot and have so much choice with the imagery. Not to mention how equally incredible it is to see the images on screen while the shoot is happening. I can instantly see how a look is working and that fills me with confidence.
Future tech I'm looking forward to:
Car Management it's cold at the moment. Some days very cold. I'd love to be able to warm up the car 10 minutes before we head off so the ice is easy to remove and the inside of the car is nice and warm.
Kitchen appliance management I've been reading about a future app that will allow me to start the washing machine from my phone as well as updating me on out-of-date food in the fridge. A-mazing.