Free with tech is not about quitting technology. It is about changing the order of the relationship: paper first, technology second.
Paper First Life is the what. A paper journal stays close to the center of thinking, reflection, and meaning-making. Journal Companions are the how. Digital tools can help with capture, review, reminders, storage, and coordination, but they should stay secondary.
This page is an evolving knowledge base of practices I use or actively maintain. Treat them as patterns to adapt, not as a required stack to copy.
36 practices. One Markdown source.
Find a practice
Showing 36 of 36 practices.
Practices
Paper journal as life OS
paper + reflection / need a reset
Pattern
Put the slowest, most owned tool at the center.
Practice
Use a paper journal as the place where thinking, reflection, decisions, and life direction become clear.
Start small
Keep one notebook nearby and write one daily page about what matters today.
Samuel's current form
Paper is the life OS and source of truth; digital tools are allowed only as support around it.
Watch out
Paper can become decorative if decisions still happen inside apps and chats.
AI-safe prompt
Help me design a paper-first life system using generic examples only. Keep paper as the source of truth and use digital tools only for support.
Regular reflection
paper + reflection / need a reset
Pattern
A calmer digital life needs recurring self-awareness, not only better settings.
Practice
Build a regular reflection rhythm that helps you notice what is working, what is drifting, and what needs to change.
Start small
Set one weekly reflection session and answer: what gave energy, what drained it, and what needs attention next.
Samuel's current form
Reflection is part of the paper-based system and keeps the broader practice honest.
Watch out
Reflection should not become another productivity performance loop.
AI-safe prompt
Help me create a simple weekly reflection routine using generic examples. Do not ask for private journal content.
Daily mood tracking
paper + reflection / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Track a small emotional signal without turning life into analytics.
Practice
Record mood daily so patterns become visible across time.
Start small
Use one number or word per day and review it weekly on paper.
Samuel's current form
Daily mood tracking supports awareness alongside the paper journal and balanced habits.
Watch out
Mood data should guide reflection, not replace it.
AI-safe prompt
Help me add lightweight mood tracking to my routine using generic examples only. Keep the review process simple and paper-first.
Six-axis habit check
paper + reflection / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Track a small fixed set of habits that represents balanced living.
Practice
Choose a limited set of habits and review them consistently.
Start small
Pick six areas of life and mark each one once per day.
Samuel's current form
I use six Axis habits for balanced living, supported by `fwt. axis`.
Watch out
Habit tracking becomes unhealthy when the tracker becomes the center instead of the life it supports.
AI-safe prompt
Help me define six balanced life habits using generic categories. Keep the tracking lightweight and secondary to paper reflection.
Portable Markdown notes
paper + reflection / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Digital notes are safer when they stay portable and readable.
Practice
Use Markdown for notes that need to live digitally.
Start small
Keep important digital notes as plain Markdown files instead of locking them into a proprietary format.
Samuel's current form
I use Markdown for note-taking in Obsidian.
Watch out
Digital notes can quietly become the real source of truth if paper stops leading.
AI-safe prompt
Help me design a portable Markdown note setup using generic examples. Keep paper as the primary thinking system.
Journal Companions as secondary tools
paper + reflection / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Good digital tools support the paper loop and then get out of the way.
Practice
Use small companion tools for capture, light tracking, reminders, or review without letting them become a life-management center.
Start small
Pick one narrow digital job that paper handles poorly in the moment, then return the important result to paper.
Samuel's current form
Journal Companions help maintain a paper-based life OS; `fwt. axis` and `fwt. joex` are first-party examples.
Watch out
A companion stops being a companion when it becomes the place where life is planned and interpreted.
AI-safe prompt
Help me identify one narrow digital companion role using generic examples. Keep the tool secondary to a paper journal.
Offload without staying in the screen
paper + reflection / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Capture is useful when it protects presence.
Practice
Offload thoughts quickly when paper is unavailable, then return to the moment and migrate only what still matters back into paper.
Start small
Create one capture path for quick notes, review it later, rewrite what matters into paper, and discard the rest.
Samuel's current form
I use `fwt. joex` on Apple Watch to offload quickly without staying in the phone.
Watch out
Capture becomes a trap when every thought turns into screen time or when captured items never migrate back into the trusted system.
AI-safe prompt
Help me design a quick capture and migration workflow using generic examples. The goal is to return to the moment and move only useful items back to paper.
No default social media
phone + feeds / need a reset
Pattern
Remove default feeds from daily life before optimizing anything else.
Practice
Do not keep social media as an ambient place to live.
Start small
Remove one feed from your phone and decide what real job, if any, it still serves.
Samuel's current form
I do not use social media by default, with Strava as a bounded exception for movement motivation and inspiration.
Watch out
A justified exception can become a default feed again if the purpose is not explicit.
AI-safe prompt
Help me audit social media use with generic examples. Focus on purpose, boundaries, and what can be removed without needing private details.
Feed inbox instead of endless scrolling
phone + feeds / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Feeds become safer when browsing and consuming are separated.
Practice
Timebox feed browsing, save only points of interest into an inbox or Watch Later queue, then either walk away or intentionally empty that queue.
Start small
Set a five-minute timer, save interesting items instead of opening them immediately, and stop when the timer ends.
Samuel's current form
I keep zero Watch Later lists as an intentional done state and avoid letting saved content become another endless feed.
Watch out
The inbox can become a second feed if it is never emptied.
AI-safe prompt
Help me design a feed-inbox routine using generic examples. Do not ask for my subscriptions, watch history, or private interests.
Browser blocking for trackers and distracting elements
phone + feeds / need a reset
Pattern
Reduce manipulation before it reaches attention.
Practice
Use a browser and blocker setup that limits tracking and distracting web elements.
Start small
Install a reputable content blocker and block the web elements that most often pull you off course.
Samuel's current form
I use `uBlock Origin` in the Firefox-based `Zen` browser, partly because it still supports this style of blocking well.
Watch out
Blocking tools should support intentional browsing, not become another configuration hobby.
AI-safe prompt
Help me set up distraction and tracker blocking using generic browsing habits. Do not ask for my private browsing history.
Keep infinite-content apps hard to reach
phone + feeds / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Apps with infinite content should not be one tap away.
Practice
Keep infinite-content apps desktop-only where possible. If they must stay installed, remove notifications, turn off background refresh, hide them from the home screen, and add authentication friction.
Start small
Pick one app with an endless feed and either remove it from the phone or hide it behind friction.
Samuel's current form
I keep distracting tools bounded and make the phone less inviting through restrictions, disabled notifications, and intentional friction.
Watch out
Friction only works when the app still has a clear purpose; otherwise removal is cleaner.
AI-safe prompt
Help me add friction around infinite-content apps using generic app categories. Do not ask for my private app list or usage history.
Low-stimulation phone
phone + feeds / need a reset
Pattern
Make the phone less rewarding by default.
Practice
Reduce visual stimulation and easy entry points on the phone.
Start small
Turn icons grayscale, remove unused apps, and put distracting apps away from the first screen.
Samuel's current form
My phone uses gray icons and intentional friction.
Watch out
Cosmetic minimalism is not enough if the same compulsive loops remain one tap away.
AI-safe prompt
Help me make a phone less stimulating using generic examples. Focus on friction, fewer triggers, and practical access.
Notifications off by default
phone + feeds / need a reset
Pattern
Interruption should be earned.
Practice
Turn app notifications off by default and allow only rare high-signal exceptions.
Start small
Disable notifications for every non-human or non-urgent app.
Samuel's current form
App notifications are turned off.
Watch out
Badges, unread counts, and quiet notifications can still create pressure if they remain visible.
AI-safe prompt
Help me create a notification policy using generic app categories. Do not ask for personal contact names or private app content.
Low mobile data and offline-first apps
phone + feeds / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Useful scarcity creates boundaries.
Practice
Use low mobile data and offline-first tools to prevent endless connection from becoming the default.
Start small
Lower one always-online dependency and make one essential workflow available offline.
Samuel's current form
I use a low mobile data plan and offline-first apps as boundaries.
Watch out
Offline-first should reduce pull, not create fragility when you actually need something.
AI-safe prompt
Help me design a low-data, offline-first setup using generic use cases. Keep essential access reliable.
Wrist-first phone detachment
phone + feeds / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
A smaller device can satisfy essentials without opening the full phone.
Practice
Use a restricted watch or similar device for essential communication and capture so the phone can stay away more often.
Start small
Try one phone-free block where only essential communication remains available.
Samuel's current form
I use an Apple Watch with eSIM as a mini phone with restrictions and intentional friction.
Watch out
A watch can become a smaller version of the same distraction if it receives too much.
AI-safe prompt
Help me test a wrist-first setup using generic constraints. Keep the goal phone detachment, not more notifications.
Dedicated entertainment devices
phone + feeds / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Entertainment becomes easier to bound when it has a place.
Practice
Keep gaming, watching, and reading on dedicated devices where possible.
Start small
Move one entertainment activity away from the phone.
Samuel's current form
I use Steam Deck and PC for gaming, and a tablet for watching and reading.
Watch out
Dedicated devices still need boundaries; separation is not permission for endless sessions.
AI-safe prompt
Help me separate entertainment from daily phone use using generic device categories and time boundaries.
Zero queues
phone + feeds / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Open loops should close or move into a trusted system.
Practice
Keep inboxes, browser tabs, Watch Later lists, and similar queues near zero.
Start small
Clear one queue and define what counts as done.
Samuel's current form
I archive mail, delete resolved chats, keep Watch Later empty, and close browser tabs intentionally.
Watch out
Zero can become theater if the important thing is merely hidden elsewhere.
AI-safe prompt
Help me create done states for digital queues using generic examples. Do not ask for private message or email contents.
Operational chats only
chats + relationships / need a reset
Pattern
Digital communication should support real life, not become the place where life happens.
Practice
Use chat apps for coordination and necessary information; keep deeper relationship work in person when possible.
Start small
Define chats as tools for time, place, logistics, and practical details.
Samuel's current form
Online communication is mainly for operative use, such as agreeing on time and place.
Watch out
Long-running chat intimacy can quietly replace presence and direct connection.
AI-safe prompt
Help me define chat boundaries using generic examples. Do not ask for private conversations or relationship details.
Delete resolved chats
chats + relationships / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Chat threads should not become an accidental archive of life.
Practice
Delete resolved chats after the exchange is finished and move anything important to a system you own.
Start small
Delete one finished thread after extracting any needed action or note.
Samuel's current form
Resolved chats get deleted; anything important gets moved to paper that I own.
Watch out
Do not delete material you still need for legal, financial, work, or safety reasons.
AI-safe prompt
Help me design a chat cleanup habit using generic examples. Do not ask me to paste chat content.
Encrypted communication
chats + relationships / tightening setup
Pattern
Private communication deserves private channels.
Practice
Prefer end-to-end encrypted communication for email or chat when the content matters.
Start small
Move one sensitive communication path to an encrypted option.
Samuel's current form
I use encrypted online communication where possible.
Watch out
Encryption does not solve attention, retention, or bad sharing habits by itself.
AI-safe prompt
Help me identify which communication categories should use encryption using generic examples. Do not ask for message contents.
Email aliases
privacy + ownership / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Your main email should not be handed to every service.
Practice
Use aliases for websites that want to target you or do not need your primary address.
Start small
Use aliases for ecommerce and new accounts.
Samuel's current form
I use email aliases to keep my main email private.
Watch out
Aliases need a naming and management pattern or they become clutter.
AI-safe prompt
Help me design an email alias system using generic account categories. Do not ask for my real email addresses.
Personal/work account separation
privacy + ownership / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Personal privacy and business visibility have different needs.
Practice
Separate personal and work services so convenience in one area does not weaken control in the other.
Start small
Identify which accounts are personal, work, public, or mixed.
Samuel's current form
I keep strict separation between personal and business services: privacy and control for personal, convenience and visibility for business.
Watch out
Mixed accounts create messy boundaries, especially around identity, data, and public presence.
AI-safe prompt
Help me map account categories using generic examples. Do not ask for usernames, emails, or client details.
Password manager as footprint map
privacy + ownership / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
A password manager can show what your digital life depends on.
Practice
Use it not only for passwords, but also as a map of accounts, services, and cleanup targets.
Start small
Review one folder or category and remove accounts you no longer need.
Samuel's current form
I use a multi-platform password manager and keep a digital footprint overview through it.
Watch out
Do not turn the password manager into the only place where critical recovery knowledge exists.
AI-safe prompt
Help me plan a password-manager review using generic account categories. Do not ask for passwords, domains tied to private identity, or recovery details.
Delete unused accounts
privacy + ownership / tightening setup
Pattern
Exit is part of ownership.
Practice
Review digital dependencies, export anything worth keeping, and delete accounts that no longer serve a clear purpose.
Start small
Pick one category in the password manager, export needed data from unused services, then close the accounts you no longer need.
Samuel's current form
Account deletion belongs inside my recurring digital dependency review.
Watch out
Do not delete accounts that hold legal, financial, warranty, recovery, or work information before preserving what matters.
AI-safe prompt
Help me create an account-deletion checklist using generic service categories. Do not ask for account names, emails, passwords, or recovery details.
Own your photo library
privacy + ownership / tightening setup
Pattern
Personal photos should not depend only on a default cloud platform.
Practice
Store photos on storage you control, with backups and a sharing path that does not force everything through large platforms.
Start small
Export recent photos and create one local backup before changing the whole system.
Samuel's current form
Photos live on my own disk instead of only in the cloud, backed by a self-hosted instance such as Immich; my phone stays low-storage with only recent photos local.
Watch out
Self-hosting photos is only better if backup, recovery, and maintenance are realistic.
AI-safe prompt
Help me design a photo ownership workflow using generic requirements. Do not ask for personal photos, locations, or family details.
Encrypted cloud storage and stronger account protection
privacy + ownership / tightening setup
Pattern
Cloud can be useful when control and protection are part of the setup.
Practice
Use encrypted cloud storage, privacy-oriented two-factor authentication, and stronger account protection for files and accounts that need sync, backup, or remote access.
Start small
Turn on stronger protection for one account, review 2FA, and move sensitive files into an encrypted storage path.
Samuel's current form
I use encrypted cloud storage, Apple Enhanced Data Protection, and privacy-oriented account-protection choices where possible.
Watch out
Encryption does not remove the need for exports, backups, and recovery planning.
AI-safe prompt
Help me review cloud storage and account protection using generic file categories. Do not ask for filenames or private document contents.
Provider diversification
privacy + ownership / tightening setup
Pattern
Too much dependence on one provider weakens exit.
Practice
Avoid stacking too many critical tools from a single company.
Start small
List your top five digital dependencies by provider and find one unnecessary concentration.
Samuel's current form
I avoid stacking too many apps from one provider to reduce lock-in.
Watch out
Diversification can become complexity if every tool is split for theoretical purity.
AI-safe prompt
Help me map provider dependence using generic service categories. Do not ask for account identifiers or private data.
Subscription rule
privacy + ownership / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Recurring payments should be reserved for recurring value.
Practice
Keep subscriptions mainly for content services; prefer lifetime licenses or durable ownership for other tools when reasonable.
Start small
Review subscriptions and mark each as content, utility, business, or unnecessary.
Samuel's current form
I keep subscriptions mostly to content-based apps, with Spotify and YouTube as current exceptions.
Watch out
Lifetime licenses are not automatically better if the tool is bad, unmaintained, or hard to exit.
AI-safe prompt
Help me audit subscriptions using generic categories and decision rules. Do not ask for billing details.
AI privacy boundary
privacy + ownership / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
AI can help with implementation without becoming a container for private life.
Practice
Keep personal material out of mainstream AI systems by default.
Start small
Define what counts as public, business, personal, and private before using AI.
Samuel's current form
I do not talk to mainstream AI about personal stuff; private AI may be used for personal topics only with intentional boundaries.
Watch out
Convenience makes it easy to turn AI into a diary, therapist, or private archive.
AI-safe prompt
Help me define AI-sharing boundaries using generic examples. Do not ask for private journal entries, relationship details, or sensitive identifiers.
Opt out of AI training
privacy + ownership / tightening setup
Pattern
AI settings are part of privacy maintenance.
Practice
Opt out of model training or data retention where the option exists.
Start small
Review the settings of one AI tool you use.
Samuel's current form
I opt out of AI training when I use AI.
Watch out
Opt-out settings vary and can change; this needs periodic review.
AI-safe prompt
Help me create a generic checklist for AI privacy settings. Do not ask which private prompts I have used.
Keep agentic AI off sensitive systems
privacy + ownership / tightening setup
Pattern
Agentic AI with broad app, browser, file, or system-control access should be treated like an operator inside that environment.
Practice
Do not run agentic AI on a system, user account, browser profile, or device where sensitive personal apps and data are available.
Start small
Use a separate browser profile, user account, device, or sandbox for agentic AI work, with no personal sessions, private files, or sensitive apps signed in.
Samuel's current form
I do not use agentic AI on systems where I use apps with sensitive personal information.
Watch out
YOLO modes, broad permissions, screen access, clipboard access, browser sessions, local files, and app automation can turn an AI tool into an OS-level backdoor even when the request sounds harmless.
AI-safe prompt
Help me design an agentic AI separation policy using generic device, account, browser, and app categories. Do not ask for app names, files, account details, screenshots, or sensitive personal information.
GPS only while using apps
privacy + ownership / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Location access should be contextual, not ambient.
Practice
Allow GPS only while actively using an app unless there is a clear reason for background access.
Start small
Review location settings and remove background access from non-essential apps.
Samuel's current form
GPS is allowed only when inside an app, with no background activity by default.
Watch out
Some safety, navigation, or device-finding features may need careful exceptions.
AI-safe prompt
Help me review location permissions using generic app categories. Do not ask for places I visit.
Car privacy mode
privacy + ownership / tightening setup
Pattern
Connected devices outside the phone also collect data.
Practice
Use privacy mode or reduced-data settings in car infotainment systems when available.
Start small
Open the car privacy settings and turn off optional sharing.
Samuel's current form
My car has privacy mode enabled for limited data collection.
Watch out
Car settings can reset after service, updates, or account changes.
AI-safe prompt
Help me create a generic car privacy settings checklist. Do not ask for vehicle identifiers or travel history.
Quarterly digital audit
cleanup + review / tightening setup
Pattern
A healthier setup is maintained on purpose.
Practice
Review dependencies, export data, reassess tools, and refresh backups on a recurring schedule.
Start small
Schedule one review every four months and cover accounts, backups, subscriptions, and tools.
Samuel's current form
Every four months I map digital dependencies, export data, reassess tools, and refresh cloud backups.
Watch out
Maintenance should catch drift, not become a complicated ceremony.
AI-safe prompt
Help me plan a quarterly digital audit using generic categories. Do not ask for account names, private files, or recovery secrets.
Cookie rejection
cleanup + review / rebuilding defaults
Pattern
Small tracking defaults compound across the web.
Practice
Reject optional cookies when visiting websites.
Start small
Deny optional cookies and keep only what is required for the site to work.
Samuel's current form
I deny cookies when visiting websites.
Watch out
Cookie banners can train automatic clicking; stay aware without overthinking every visit.
AI-safe prompt
Help me create a simple cookie policy for everyday browsing using generic website types.
Avoid default lock-in ecosystems
privacy + ownership / tightening setup
Pattern
Default ecosystems often trade convenience for lock-in, tracking, or weak exit.
Practice
Avoid platforms that create bloat, ad-tech dependence, weak ownership, or locked purchases when a reasonable alternative exists.
Start small
Pick one ecosystem dependency and decide whether to keep, constrain, replace, or accept as a visible compromise.
Samuel's current form
I avoid Windows because of bloatware, Google and Meta where practical because of ad-tech dependence, and Kindle because of lock-in around digital purchases.
Watch out
Purity can backfire; keep practical exceptions visible instead of pretending they do not exist.
AI-safe prompt
Help me evaluate ecosystem lock-in using generic categories. Do not ask for private account details or purchase history.
Current compromises
Living free with tech is a practice, not a purity badge.
Private contacts
Private calendar
WhatsApp
Spotify
YouTube
Apple Notes sketches
Maps
Remaining Google or Meta dependency caused by practical constraints