Naomi’s Playlist is an eclectic collection of tools that help me approach my work as play. My hope is that they’ll do the same for you!
Object: Taking note of the small joyful moments in each day.
What Didn’t Work: Rushing through every day. Feeling like I should be paying attention or keeping track, somehow, but not quite succeeding. Making it to the end of the day and wondering where all the small moments had gone.
My Aha! Moment: On vacation in December, I was poking around with my Day One journaling app, which simplifies keeping a virtual journal. But truth be told, I like writing on paper more than I like typing on my phone. My thoughts seem to flow more freely from hand to paper. Yet, I’m conflicted about this because a digital tool can add images and is more likely to be with me all the time. Some days I have time to thoughtfully sit down with paper and pen, and other times, I just don’t.
So, my aha! moment came in two parts.
First, I gave myself permission to use more than one tool. A paper journal? Permission granted. Day One, because I was already using it? Also allowed. And exploring a new tool? Exploring was allowed, too.
Second, while exploring, I stumbled across HeyDay, a journaling app for the iPhone that takes your pictures and automatically turns them into collages. The app even pulls past photos from your stream and captures past memories. It’s like waving a magic wand and presto–A visual journal!
How I Play:
- Having HeyDay on my phone gives me a reason to stop and take photos at random times of the day. They doesn’t have to be a special photo-worthy moments. The point is remembering the small things. Who was I with today? Where did we go? What did we do? The more photos the better.
- HeyDay can use your GPS to keep track of where you go through your day. I like this feature because it helps me track beyond my pictures. Also, when I’m in an unusual location that I’ve been to before, the app prompts me to check out memories from that place in the past.
- Sometimes I caption my photos and other times I let the photos do all the work. Either way, I’ve paid the moment specific attention. No longer is life a blurry flow of moments I haven’t noticed. Little memories are captured in my phone and in my mental slideshow, too.
Player’s Notes:
- Using the GPS feature can burn up battery, so if you have battery difficulty with your phone, I’d turn this feature off. Or, be ready to charge your phone a little more often.
- I worried about security at first. I didn’t want to be sharing photos I hadn’t meant to share. From all I’ve read, everything is kept private … as private as something stored on an internet server can be. If you’re concerned about security, read up on the FAQ’s.
- You can delete images if you have pictures you take on your phone for other purposes (receipts, etc) that aren’t memory-worthy.
Take it to the Next Level:
- I realized after a few weeks that I only had pictures of everyone else. So, even if you’re camera shy, don’t be afraid to take selfies. That way, you’re present in the collages along with your family and friends.
- HeyDay allows you to add events in the past, so if you want, you can import old pictures and create older memories, too.
