7 Cheap Products That Catapulted My Learning and Productivity (With Links)
Little investments that made a big difference
I love to make life smoother.
That’s why I enjoy exploring digital and physical tools, particularly the cheap ones that can have a significant impact on someone’s life, whether this is for productivity or to start a healthy habit (writing or reading, for example).
So, I wrote an article recommending some products.
But before you read, please have in mind that:
I’m not trying to sell. I’m sharing things that worked for me.
What works for me may not work for you. Be critical! Don’t trust me blindly.
Enjoy!
☕️❤️ Support my work to continue writing by buying me a coffee.
1. Bookstand for Reading
Literally one of the best things I bought.
I love reading nonfiction. And to avoid forgetting the content (this happens normally because our brains are forgetting machines), I take notes on Obsidian while reading the physical book.
Now, imagine how annoying and slow this is.
Usually, I had to put something heavy, like a joystick or headphones, to keep the book open while I checked the highlights and took notes about them. What a terrible life!
A bookstand fixed all of this.
Link:
My bookstand: https://amzn.to/44Uc0LL (affiliate link)
2. Pomodoro Timer
Simple and effective.
Before a timer, I used apps to set up my Pomodoros. The problem was, as usual, my smartphone. Even turning off the notifications didn’t help with mind-wandering and thinking about possible emails, messages, or wanting to scroll on social media.
So I decided to get a Pomodoro timer.
It helped me focus more effectively and take my smartphone out of my attention.
Some Links:
My pomodoro timer: https://amzn.to/3Scwc3T (affiliate link)
Fancy one (there are many options): https://amzn.to/4ksR8j1 (affiliate link)
3. Clock
Underrated.
As with the Pomodoro, I was too dependent on my smartphone. I didn’t like this dependency. It created a bad habit: scrolling shortly after waking up, which happens automatically.
This is what usually happened:
I grab your phone to stop the alarm.
I check the time.
Instantly, or a bit later, I grab it and scroll.
A classic clock eliminated this.
By modifying the context of this bad habit, I force myself to get out of bed. I don’t need my smartphone anymore. I only need a clock. Now, my phone lies on the kitchen table every night.
There are cheap and expensive clocks.
I decided to get a cheap one because I just wanted an alarm clock.
But feel free to choose yours:
An example of a classic and cheap clock: https://amzn.to/4kw9Ypo (affiliate link)
An example of a fancy one: https://amzn.to/3SkxI3U (affiliate link)
4. Books
Of course, there are books in this list.
I love reading. It has changed my life. Books are one of the main reasons I’m pursuing a PhD. Many of them inspired me to learn more and become an expert in the field of animal behavior and cognition.
I encourage you to read more books and expand your knowledge.
And if you are interested in effective learning, psychology, and neuroscience, here are some recommendations:
Some of my top recommendations:
Uncommon Sense Teaching: Practical Insights in Brain Science to Help Students Learn by Barbara Oakley, Beth Rogowsky, and Terrence Sejnowski
Ultra-Learning: Accelerate Your Career, Master Hard Skills, And Outsmart The Competition by Scott Young
Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter Brown, Henry Roediger, Mark McDaniel
Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential by Tiago Forte
Procrastination: What It Is, Why It’s a Problem, and What You Can Do About It by Fuschia M. Sirois PhD
The Forgetting Machine by Rodrigo Quian Quiroga
Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert Sapolsky
Being You: a New Science of Consciousness by Anil Seth
5. Dry-Erase Board
This one is a lifesaver for my brain.
I used to keep all my ideas in my second brain, sticky notes, or worse, inside my head. You can imagine how chaotic that got. Now, this has changed. Whenever I’m planning my day, mapping a project, or trying to visualize experiments for my PhD, I write it out on the board.
Something about standing up, marker in hand, makes my thinking sharper. It’s like my brain decides, “Okay, fine, let´s be serious now and start visualizing things.”
And I can do this without wasting too much paper.
My dry-erase board: https://amzn.to/4m3Q4mU (affiliate link)
6. Journal
This is my mental gym.
As I said before, I used to keep and organize thoughts inside my head. This was terrible. And my forgetting machine (my brain) kept forgetting almost everything.
So in addition to Obsidian, I got a journal and sticky notes.
The magic isn’t in the product itself. It’s in the act. Writing forces me to slow down and think instead of letting my mind bounce around like a pinball. Sometimes I even talk to myself on paper (when I write about my day, random ideas and thoughts, etc.). It’s weird, but it enhances my creativity and balances my mental health.
Lastly, unlike typing, handwriting makes the ideas stick longer.
There are many journals. No need to put a link. But there are some fancy ones:
My journal: https://amzn.to/4mAVFB6 (affiliate link)
Another classic journal: https://amzn.to/41suXT2 (affiliate link)
7. Keyboard and Mouse
These aren’t cheap.
Sorry for that!
But my wrists and fingers thanked these products immediately (at least unconsciously). I used to work with the default keyboard and mouse that came with my MacBook Air M1 (now there are M4 models, like this one https://amzn.to/4m3gzca (affiliate link)).
However, my biggest issue was changing from iOS (my laptop) to Windows (my desktop computer at the university).
A colleague recommended that I get the Logitech MX Keys, as its keys are compatible with both Windows and Mac. So, I bought it and it was a complete life-changer.
Although I’m not sure whether a particular keyboard really boosts your typing speed, they definitely help to work more comfortably, which also leads to better focus. At least this is what I experienced after getting my current keyboard and mouse.
My keyboard: https://amzn.to/4lkrmgQ (affiliate link)
My mouse: https://amzn.to/3Hgin2v (affiliate link)
Which products do you recommend?
Which ones boosted your learning and productivity?
Let me know in the comments!
Ultra-learning saved my career.
It helped me learn anything without overstudying or overworking. But remember, each person has a different life. Perhaps you work full-time and also study. Or maybe you have a family, etc.
Be reasonable, and don’t fall into toxic productivity.
Here are some last recommendations:
Don’t compare yourself with others. Take your time.
This is not a competition. This is about you. Make it fun and healthy.
Please take care of yourself. That’s the most important thing!
Now it is your turn.
What are you going to learn next?
☕️❤️ Support my work to continue writing by buying me a coffee.
Thanks for sharing these productivity products 👏
I’d also recommend a laptop stand and a good chair — they really help with posture during long sessions. Your back will thank you later, haha!