Issue 86
  1. A clickety keyboard
  2. A calendar app by Moleskine
  3. A Scandinavian desk
  4. The productivity stamp
  5. A compact daypack
  6. Extend your screen space

Hello there!

I've long been a fan of Jocelyn K. Glei's writing, which is why I'm keen to check out her newest book Unsubscribe. After generously contributing a wonderful essay to Offscreen Issue 14, I'm proud to have her guest-edit this week's issue of The Modern Desk!

Have a great week, everyone.

Kai

 
 

Our Guest Editor

Jocelyn K. Glei

Jocelyn is a writer who’s obsessed with how we can find more creativity and meaning in our daily work. Her latest book is Unsubscribe: How to Kill Email Anxiety, Avoid Distraction, and Get Real Work Done. Previously, she was the founding editor of 99U and the creator of the Amazon bestseller Manage Your Day-to-Day. She lives in Los Angeles and online at jkglei.com.

 

This Weekʼs Line-Up

A clickety keyboard
01

Using some new-fangled technology called “Mecha Membrane,” the Razer Ornata clicks with every down and every upstroke on the keyboard. I haven’t got my hands on one yet, but I’m wondering: Would the extra-clicky sound effects make me feel even more productive? It also comes in a nifty rainbow colorway.

 
A calendar app by Moleskine
02

Timepage is a great calendar app for creatives: You can personalize the color palette, “heat map” functionality shows you how busy certain days are at a glance, built-in time estimates project how long it will take you to get to an event, and baked-in weather details help you plan your day around what’s happening outside.

 
A Scandinavian desk
03

This desk, which I work at every day, is probably my favorite object I own. The clean lines make it work equally well in an office, dining, or conference room setting. And because it’s over six meters long, there’s tons of room for various paper stacks and tools without it ever feeling cluttered.

 
The productivity stamp
04

The key to Gutentag’s appeal is its DIY simplicity. Every morning you take it out, stamp a 24-hour clock on a piece of paper, and sketch out what tasks you will do when. It makes planning your day visual and time-based, so you can’t get too over-ambitious with your to-do list.

 
A compact daypack
05

I’m in love with most everything Colorado-based TOPO designs makes. In addition to always boasting beautiful color palettes, their bags have thoughtful details for the tech-savvy wanderer. This particular pack has a nice slim profile, ideal for city roaming, and a special iPad/laptop pocket.

 
Extend your screen space
06

I’m a big advocate of minimizing distractions, and the Duet app lets you do that by turning your iPad or iPhone into a second monitor. All you need is the app and a Lightning cable, and you can vanquish all those email and Slack notifications to a separate monitor.

 
Nothing important comes with instructions.
— James Richardson