Some books tell you to stop living on autopilot. I’m here to tell you that your autopilot is good. You could try to remove it, but it’s better to keep and update it instead.
Your autopilot are the decisions you’ve made a long time ago that are still affecting you – like how you save money, how you sleep, and how much water you drink every day. My favorite thing about them? One-time changes to your defaults create continuous value over time. Here are 21 default settings you should consider updating in 2021:
| NEW DEFAULT SETTING | NEXT STEP |
|
1
Set a recurring “do not disturb” time on your phone to avoid morning and evening interruptions
|
Set the scheduled silent time from 10 PM – 8 AM (or longer!) by going to Settings > “Do Not Disturb” > “Scheduled” (this works on both iPhones and Android phones) |
|
2
Create email filters to reduce the number of emails in your inbox
|
Set up email filters on your Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo Mail. All non-urgent emails (such as monthly statements, order confirmations, and newsletter subscriptions) should go to subfolders. |
|
3
Uninstall phone apps that aren’t giving you lasting fulfillment (games, social media, and apps)
|
Check which apps you open most frequently by going to “Settings” > “Screen Time” (or “Settings” > “Digital Wellbeing” on Android). Then uninstall the top time-suckers. |
| NEW DEFAULT SETTING | NEXT STEP |
|
4
Get an electric toothbrush to improve your smile
|
Example toothbrush: Sonicare
(Bonus: while brushing your teeth for 2 minutes, stretch, take deep breaths, think about what you’re grateful for, or another activity you make to make progress on)
|
|
5
Go for a dermatologist consultation to learn what are the right products for your skin type (dry, oily, acne-prone, etc.)
|
Google search for “dermatologists near me”. If you don’t need this, I’m jealous. |
|
6
Schedule an analysis of your running gait to have fewer injuries from running and other sports
|
Google search for “physical therapy near me”. A one-time analysis can give you lasting benefits. |
|
7
Learn the correct form of push-ups, pull-ups, bicep curls, squats, or other exercises you do frequently
|
Record a video of yourself doing the exercise and see if you can spot obvious mistakes. If not: Visit a physical therapist (combine this with the previous step!), talk to a personal trainer, or ask an experienced friend |
| NEW DEFAULT SETTING | NEXT STEP |
|
8
Get a smart water bottle that reminds and rewards you for drinking enough water every day
|
I recommend Hidrate Spark. It has helped me drink 88 oz. of water daily. |
|
9
Buy a water filter to clean your drinking water
|
Example filter: Brita filter |
|
10
Replace chocolate, chips, and queso dip with “healthy snacks” in your pantry
|
Put a physical sign for “healthy snacks” in your pantry/cupboard to allocate dedicated space for healthy snacks – nuts, protein bars, oats, dried vegetables, etc. |
| NEW DEFAULT SETTING | NEXT STEP |
|
11
Get blackout curtains and/or a white noise machine
|
Example products: Blackout curtains, blackout shades, and white noise machine |
|
12
Remove a TV from your bedroom
|
<– 🙂 |
|
13
Replace the phone by your bed with a reading tablet
|
It helps when the tablet doesn’t have email, social media, or Netflix to minimize distractions. Also, remember to create a new dedicated charging spot for your phone outside of your arm’s reach. |
|
14
Get a wake-up light that mimics sunrise for more pleasant mornings
|
Example: Sunrise simulation alarm clock |
| NEW DEFAULT SETTING | NEXT STEP |
|
15
Enroll in an automatic savings plan – Even if it means “$1”, deposit some money into a savings account, a stock market fund, and a retirement account
|
Savings: In the US, I recommend using Marcus Savings by Goldman Sachs, a high-interest rate account
Stock market and retirement: VOO by Vanguard is an excellent low-fee fund
|
|
16
Join a local “Buy nothing” group in your neighborhood to get (and donate) quality items for free
|
Check out this website to find a Buy nothing group near you |
|
17
Cancel subscriptions you rarely use
|
Check your bank account for recurring monthly or annual charges. These may include music services, gym memberships, mediation apps, or overly large cloud storage plans |
|
18
Switch to a cheaper insurance plan
|
Send your current auto, renter, homeowner, or life insurance policy PDF to another insurance company and ask if they can beat your current cost (and/or offer better coverage).
I recently did this and ended up switching from Statefarm to Allstate to save $150 per year with accident and claim forgiveness and lower deductibles (here’s an Allstate contact who you can email directly to ask for a side-by-side comparison of your current and new insurance: robpfarr@allstate.com) |
| NEW DEFAULT SETTING | NEXT STEP |
|
19
Start every remote meeting by sharing an online doc to improve the quantity and diversity of contributions
|
Include this in every meeting invite:
1. Here’s a document where you can add your comments: [link to a Google Document, Quip, or another tool]
2. Designate meeting time for everyone contribute quietly, before having a discussion
|
|
20
Sign up for newsletters that help you take inclusive, diverse, and anti-racist actions
|
Example newsletters: “One anti-racist action a day” Deloitte’s “Diversity, Inclusion and Leadership” newsletter |
|
21
Follow cultural awareness educators and activists on social media
|
Examples of great Instagram profiles: @wearyourvoice @emmanuelacho @the_female_lead(+ unfollow people posting inappropriate content) |
What’s next
- Your autopilot deserves an upgrade in 2021! Pick a handful of changes to make in the coming weeks. The sooner you make the updates, the sooner you get the benefits.
- Get in touch if you’d like to suggest any additions to the list above, or just to say hi!
- Suggest Your Default Settings – The Book to a friend to help them kick off 2021 with the right autopilot
- Sign up for occassional future newsletters