I’m continuing my hit series¹ of three things you should buy and use.

Alarm Clock

No, I don’t mean the app on your phone. Breakthroughs in technology have allowed for an alarm to be built in to a device that physically sits on your bedside table. The technology we have access to nowadays is truly a marvel.

Putting the sarcasm aside, spending $10 on a cheap alarm clock can make a drastic difference in your digital health by helping to keep your smartphone out of your bedroom. You no longer have the excuse of “needing it in there to be your alarm” and then next thing you know you just binged an hour of YouTube before trying to fall asleep. Take things one step further and move your phone charger from where it likely is — your bedside table — and move it to a spot in your home you rarely visit.

Buying an alarm clock and removing my charger from the room have had a massive impact on my productivity and mental health. I typically don’t look at my phone until after 10 a.m. which is big progress for me. Now I spend my mornings doing things other than looking at my phone.

Bidet

I must confess it feels a bit taboo to be talking about bidets on my blog — like I’m breaking some kind of rule. But, I’ve been so happy with my purchase of a bidet that I just have to tell you about it.

After my first year of university I spent two months backpacking across Europe with a friend of mine. I still remember being baffled every time I came across a bidet. I held a lot of Western stigma towards bidets. It wasn’t until years later that my brother purchased one that I started to consider getting one myself.

I won’t go into too much detail so here are the main reasons I think they’re great:

• It’s way cleaner.
• You save by using way less toilet paper.
• Modern bidet attachments are very reasonably priced and easy to install.

If you’re on the fence I think it’s time for you to get off it and try out a bidet. This is doubly true if you work from home!

Salt Cellar and Olive Oil Squeeze Bottle

Okay fine, you caught me, I’ve actually listed two things bringing the total to four. How perceptive of you. I simply couldn’t help myself though because these two things go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Some readers may not be familiar with these items. A salt cellar (also sometimes known as a salt pig) is a small ceramic dish meant to hold salt for cooking. They’re typically covered or angled so as to keep things out of the salt. An olive oil squeeze bottle is a little more self explanatory. Picture one of those clear bottles used for holding ketchup, but full of olive oil.

Typically you will fill a salt cellar with kosher salt rather than table salt. Kosher salt is easier to pinch with your fingers and measure out. I’ve become much better at salting my meals since I started using kosher salt and stopped using salt shakers. Putting your olive oil in a squeeze bottle saves you the hassle of taking the cap off your bottle of olive oil.

These may sound like trivial improvements to you, but they really matter. I use salt and oil in almost every single meal that I cook. They are essential. Thus making the experience of using them slightly nicer is worth it.