I try to post an update on my home screen at least once a year, but admittedly it has remained fairly stable… at least up until now. This year, I actually have a few new apps to show you! So without further adieu, here’s my home screen for 2017.
The top row still serves as a gauge for my day, but this time around all of the apps are new. I’ve switched back to the stock calendar app (read more about why here). Carrot Weather has replaced Dark Sky, due to it’s superb Apple Watch complication. My Ulla obnoxiously blinking at me is still my biggest motivator to stay hydrated throughout the day, but because it lacks any sort of tracking capability, I use Waterminder to track what I’m drinking throughout the day. I like it because it includes other types of fluids (even soup). Streaks is in the last spot, and I use it to keep track of well… streaks… It’s nice to keep tabs on various habits I’m working on (mindfulness, daily exercise, steps taken, hydration, etc) over time. Streaks and Waterminder are both rare apps that are deemed important enough to break my no notification badges rule.
The next row is my row of folders which serves as a nice visual barrier on the screen. Following a tip from CGP Grey to relocate any lesser used apps to the second page of a folder, I keep only the essentials here and rely on search for getting to the others.
The third row, my Media row, has remained relatively unchanged over the years. These apps seem to be here to stay.
The last two rows are a collection of miscellaneous utilities and things I like to incorporate into my life. 1Password and Waze always get a spot on the home screen. Notes is primarily used for quick access to carry out menus. Given that I still haven’t officially started classes yet, I’m still working my way through some TV shows so Television Time is being used fairly heavily at the moment. To balance it out and serve as a reminder to meditate, I also have Meditation Studio on my homescreen.
My home row, like my media row, hasn’t changed at all. Messages, Airmail, Safari, and Omnifocus are definitely her to stay as well.
Stay tuned for an iPad Pro version coming soon.
According to Andrea 
I notice that you recommend Exist in an earlier post, but I don’t see the iOS app (maybe I missed it?). I assume you are only using the web app?
With regards to Streaks, how is that? I have used Habit List and Productive, and neither has really grabbed me. Does it integrate with Exist? Have you tried Exist for streak/habit tracking?
Thanks, your posts are very informative and insightful 🙂
Hi Jason! Thanks for stopping by. I do use Exist, and it is on my phone. It’s just tucked away on a second page of the Health folder. Following a tip from CGP Grey, I tuck apps I don’t want to have on my homescreen into second or third pages of folders so that they don’t distract me.
Streaks is currently my app of choice only because it syncs with Apple Health data. I still prefer the layout of Habit List and Productive, but the automatic tracking of my steps, sleep, mindfulness keep me using Streaks.
I don’t believe any of the three apps mentioned have any sort of integration with Exist, but I tend to use Streaks and Exist for different reasons. Streaks is a motivational tool to keep me doing things. Exist is more informational giving me insight into why I do things or fail at them. That being said, Exist does track a lot of what I’m using Streaks for (steps, activity, sleep, etc).
Hope that helps!
-Andrea
Thanks for the info!
I might check into Streaks for that reason. I ask about Exist because some things I’d like to develop habits for… it would be really cool to see how that information correlates with good days, bad days, etc. I see how to accomplish that with user-defined tags in Exist, but it’s just not the same as an actual habit tracker.
Being a developer though, I suppose I should just stop being lazy and write the app that I really want 🙂
Thanks again!
I’ve been using Exist’s custom tags in this way for a while now. It is really insightful when it comes to mood tracking along with places I go, people I see, how I feel, and things I eat. The fact that it also captures activity, sleep, weight, and even things like weather is handy as well.