I really like using "reading mode" on mobile
At this day and age we usually think of smartphones as multimedia devices first. However, recently I've been really appreciative of how my phone can be used more as a reading (and not scrolling!) machine.
Utilizing "Reading mode" for blogs
As I have discovered and started following more blogs, I've been really enjoying using reading mode in the Brave browser on mobile. You open the blog post, choose "Show Reading mode" option in the dropdown and the page gets a simple, readable style applied to it. All posts, no matter which blog they come from, will look the same with this adjustment.
It might sound boring to some. But it allows me to focus on the reading experience and the ideas presented on the page. And interestingly enough, some authors have a more or less distinctive writing style that comes through, no matter how the page is displayed.
I can compare using reading mode for blog posts in Brave to reading books on my electronic ink e-reader - all books look the same on it, but it usually does not take anything away from the reading.
Treating emails as notifications and not messages
I remember times when to check your email you had to go to the internet café or the library. There was no checking your email messages on the go and there was no responding to them on the go either. And I really liked it that way.
So when I receive longer emails or the ones that require some thinking, my mind tells me that it is physically impossible to respond to them right now. I need a comfy place, and preferably a desktop computer to do so. It is a bit silly, I know. But for me it takes some of the pressure off. I also usually disable the pop-up notifications for new email messages on my phone and only have them on when waiting for some important news. And if those news require a thoughtful response - I get to my computer to type it.
Using a text-based launcher
Shiny app icons, those that look like a hard candy, make me anxious.
So when I discovered the minimalist phone launcher and used it for a month, I felt how much having text-based interface (instead of graphic-based) takes the edge off things for me. This and other similar launchers give your smartphone a Minimal or Light phone look without actually taking away the functionality (apart from home page widgets but I am not big on those).
Eventually, I switched from milimalist phone launcher to Olauncher that I am using to this day.
With a text-based launcher, nothing jumps at me when I unlock my phone, and I feel much more grounded.
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Sometime around 2010 I was thinking that it would be amazing if everyone had a blog. Then I would be able to go, read some of the posts and understand that person better. Now, in 2026, I am less convinced that this is necessary. But I still like achieving information in text form.