While I am not a minimalist at all, I reflect deeply on the products I buy, trying to find the best products for what I need, and I am also very intentional about my buying habits. I will only buy something if I really need it, and if at some point I stop using that item I will sell it.
I really love quality products of any type, and will splurge without hesitation on getting top-quality items. For consumer-grade items, I usually spend a lot of time researching with the aim of finding the best product out there. Usually, there are clear market leaders. For more expensive purchases (e.g. buying a car) things become a lot more subjective and it’s not easy to find a clear leader, except for specific niches, like Tesla in the electric car space.
I also tend to buy products that will push me to do something new. I absolutely hate owning products that I don’t use, so I will feel a lot of pressure to make use of something once I acquire it. So if I know my body needs daily massage, but I’ve been procrastinating on it, I’ll go out and buy an expensive Theragun. If I want to explore Barcelona and surroundings by bike, I’ll buy one or more expensive bikes and a nice car. That’s my self-hack that always works.
- Theragun Elite – I’ve long struggled with feeling stiff and tired in the mornings, especially since I am usually training pretty hard during most of the year. And as any sportsman knows, there’s nothing better after an arduous workout than a massage session. Unfortunately, a massage therapist is not always on hand for that. This solves both issues in a convenient package that is easy to travel with and perfect for daily use. I have used it daily and it’s probably my best investment of the year. I also own a few foam rollers that help with self-massage and I use them frequently. One of them is also by Theragun and vibrates to enhance the effect.
- Herman Miller Aeron – There’s not much to say about this chair that hasn’t been said already. It’s the world’s most famous office chair, and most probably the best one. While I still get uncomfortable sitting for long periods, this chair makes it better and I love the mesh material that keeps me cool in summer.
- Brompton Electric – After much dilly-dallying, I finally pulled the trigger on this purchase and it’s been absolutely awesome. I already felt that Barcelona was a big playground that I could run around with my non-electric Bromptons at will, but this took Electric Brompton took things to a different level. I can now go up the mountains around Barcelona with ease as well as go much further to explore other towns in the vicinity. Given the lockdown and restrictions on movement in place, this has been a godsend as it gives me the impetus to go out and spend time in nature.
- Icebreaker clothing – This year I’ve taken a closer look at my wardrobe and decided that I would focus on wearing comfortable, sporty and stylish clothes. The material that fit the best for my active lifestyle is merino wool, which is very breathable and supremely comfortable. Icebreaker is one of the best brands in this space and I’ve stocked up on underwear, t-shirts etc. from this brand. The change from other materials is pretty massive.
- Airpods Pro – These earphones are absolutely top-notch and I carry them everywhere with me. Noise-canceling is excellent as is sound quality. I use them for working in public spaces, at home and while training.
- Balance Surfer – I’ve been slowly assembling a home gym made up of portable exercise material, and this one was one of my latest additions. I love exercising with my son at home and teaching him new tricks, and this has served well. Turns out my biggest use for this, however, is to stand on while I’m working at my standing desk. I usually put on some electronic music mix while working and I naturally start moving about while I type. Being on the balance surfer feels really good and does some help with strengthening my ankles.
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