A weekly newsletter where I help people apply values-based productivity principles and systems for personal growth, primarily using Obsidian. Subscribe if you want to make more of your notes and ideas.
π The 2025 Practical PKM Holiday Gift Guide
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Prefer to read (or listen to) this newsletter in your browser? Click here.β π‘ The Big Idea: Some Great Gift Ideas for Tough-to-Shop-for Nerds.Every year, I get invited by Chuck Joiner to be a guest on one of his MacVoices Holiday Gift Guide episodes. He does several rounds each year, and each round has four guests who each make four picks. By the end, there is a long list of great tech gift ideas. But I always feel a little out of place since I always end up picking at least one analog item. When everyone else is picking gizmos and gadgets, I lean more towards pens and paper. Guess I'm a hybrid nerd π€ Yes, I love my tech. But I love being intentional with my time, energy, and attention even more.
Over time, I've found a balance between shiny new objects and time-tested tools. So now, whenever I add something new, I make sure it serves a specific purpose in my PKM workflows. Which I admit makes me a little bit tricky to shop for π In this newsletter, I want to share some of my gift recommendations for the PKM nerd in your life - whether that's someone you know who's impossible to shop for or you're simply looking to treat yourself, no judgment here π I've broken my picks down into the following categories:
Each category has five picks. For each pick, I've also included why I think a productivity nerd would like it, how much it currently costs, and a link for where to find it. Disclaimer: I do use affiliate links where appropriate. Tech GadgetsThese are tech gifts that don't just look cool but can actually make your day-to-day life just a little better. HidrateSpark PRO Water Bottle
Cost: $30-$80 (depending on version & capacity) Most of us know we should drink more water but need a little help to actually do it. This smart water bottle automatically logs your water consumption to the Apple Health app and the LED light on the bottom lights up if you start to fall behind. Kind of like an IRL notification that you need to drink more water. I have an older version of this water bottle and I absolutely LOVE it! You do need to charge the puck in the bottom every couple of weeks, but no other purchase has a bigger positive impact on my physical health. βLinkβ Stream Deck Neo
Cost: $90-$100 Stream Deck is an entire automation platform created by Elgato, and there are lots of Stream Deck devices out there that you can customize to automate your tech. For example, I have programmed Stream Deck buttons to customize the lighting in my office. So when it's time to record a YouTube video, I just walk in and push a button. Even though there are lots of options here, I picked the Neo because it's a rather small device with just a couple of buttons. That makes it the ideal way for someone to get started with Stream Deck automation, but even if they have a bunch of Stream Deck devices already, it still has a handy display and I guarantee you will find a use for those buttons. βLinkβ Soundcore A30 Sleep Headphones
Cost: $180-$230 These are tiny earbuds that play white noise to help you fall asleep. What I love about these is that they are designed to be flat so they won't hurt your ears if you fall asleep with them in. Even if you're a side sleeper like me, you can wear these all night without any discomfort. I have multiple versions of these headphones, and they're all great. I bring them with me to block out the noise every time I travel. βLinkβ Anker MagGo Wireless Charger
Cost: $70-$90 Speaking of travel, this is an essential tool for someone who travels with their Apple gear. This little UFO-looking gadget is about the size of an AirPods case and unfolds to charge your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch at the same time from a single USB-C cable. I keep this thing in my backpack at all times so I always have it with me when I need it. Whenever I travel, this is what I use to charge my devices as it doesn't take up much room on the nightstand. βLinkβ Fellow Aiden Coffee Maker
Cost: $400 This is an automated coffee maker from people who are passionate about coffee. It absolutely nails the temperature and the flow of the water when making coffee, resulting in an incredible cup every single time. It also lets you customize every part of the process via the app, so coffee snobs can really dial in their perfect brew without having to do a manual pour over. I frequently mention my "coffee robot," but this is the thing I will instantly buy the minute that it breaks. βLinkβ Productivity ToolsThese are all gift ideas for someone who wants to do a little bit more of what really matters. Full disclosure, some of these are tools I made because I couldn't find exactly what I wanted π SetApp Gift Card
Cost: $107.78 (+ tax) for 1 year of SetApp access If you do an Internet search for "best productivity tools," you will find 99% of the recommendations are apps. So if you're looking for the best apps on the Mac, you need to check out the SetApp service. It's basically the Netflix of quality Mac Apps. For $10/month, you can get access to apps like MindNode, Ulysses, CleanShot X, Timing, CleanMyMac, and a bunch of others. It's the easiest (and cheapest) way to add some serious productivity tools to your Mac. Whenever I hear about a new app now, my first response is to go check SetApp to see if it's available there. Many times it is. βLinkβ The Personal Retreat Planner
Cost: $29 I'm a big fan of multi-scale planning (where you align your quarterly, weekly, and daily intentions), and this year I created a planner to help me do all of my planning in a single analog notebook. It's wire-bound so it lays flat, is printed on fountain pen friendly paper, and walks you through my entire Personal Retreat process. I created it for myself, but have heard lots of positive feedback from others who have given it go. Each notebook lasts an entire quarter, and you can purchase them individually or in bulk to save 15%. And if you want more info on my Personal Retreat process, check out this YouTube video first. βLinkβ Focused NeuYear Calendar
Cost: $30 The same person I've partnered with for my Personal Retreat Planner has also been making a custom NeuYear calendar for the Focused podcast for the last 6 years. This dry-erase wall calendar shows the whole year at a glance, but all of the weeks and months run together so it gives you a better view of what's actually going on. Our version also has a habit tracker built-in, week numbers for the year and day numbers for the quarter, and both portrait and landscape orientations in the same calendar. I've used NeuYear calendars forever. This calendar is consistently one of my most important productivity tools. Pro Tip: I recommend mounting it on foam-core at your local FedEx store and using fine tip wet-erase markers to write on it. βLinkβ Baron Fig Confidant Notebook
Cost: $28 If you just want a nice dot-grid notebook, I highly recommend the Baron Fig Confidant. There are nicer notebooks with nicer paper options, but it's hard to beat the value of this hardcover notebook. They offer some custom versions of this, but I prefer the blank notebook with the cloth ribbon. If you need something to just throw in your bag and carry with you for taking notes, this is a great option. βLinkβ Time Timer
Cost: $25-$35 I know a lot of people who use this visual timer to help them focus. Once you set the timer, there's a visual disc that slowly disappears as the timer progresses, giving you a visual indication of how much time is left. The website says that it helps kids and adults with ADHD help see time passing more clearly, but there are lots of ways that this tool can be beneficial for anyone who wants to better manage their time. For example, you could get the 30-minute version if you want to use it as a pomodoro timer, or you could get the 120-minute one if you want something to help keep long meetings at work on track. We have several of these at my house, and we absolutely love them. βLinkβ Reading & BooksThese are gifts (mostly books) the curious sensemakers in your life will love. The Pathless Path by Paul Millerd, Special Hardcover Edition
Cost: $95 The Pathless Path is one of my favorite books. Reading it gave me the confidence I needed to go out on my own almost two years ago. Recently, Paul Millerd released an absolutely beautiful hardcover edition of this book with a woven cover and matching slip box. It's not cheap, but it's a gift any bookworm will love. If you know anyone who is trying to make a big life decision, I highly recommend you get them this book. It's a great resource for finding and considering alternatives to the default path. βLinkβ Tiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le Cunff
Cost: $15-$30 I've never been a big fan of the arbitrary nature of goals, and starting a new habit feels like you're making a lifelong commitment. This book does a great job of balancing these two extremes through the framing of running experiments. You don't need to commit forever, and you don't need to pressure yourself to get a specific outcome. Just run an experiment for a little while, see what the results are, and decide what to do from there. One of my favorite books of all time. βLinkβ The 5 Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom
Cost: $15-$30 Sahil does a great job of explaining the different types of wealth we can accumulate in our lives and showing us when each type is most necessary. A great resource for thinking about what's really important and optimizing your life in a way to help you get more of it. What I love about this book is that it's not prescriptive. It just gives you a bunch of scenarios to think about and tactics you can use to help you do more of what really matters to you. βLinkβ Glouscent Book Light
Cost: $20-$30 It's no secret that I'm a big fan of physical books. But one of the problems with physical books is that they are hard to read when you are in a dark place with someone else (i.e., you want to read before bed but you don't want to wake your partner). This flexible device wraps around your neck and shines two small lights on what you're reading, letting you clearly see what's on the page without bothering anyone else who might be trying to sleep. It looks kind of goofy, but it's incredible. A great quality-of-life improvement for any reader. βLinkβ Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick
Cost: $15-$30 Like it or not, AI is here to stay. And the LLMs that we use every day are likely just the beginning of the most radical technological change many of us will ever see in our lifetimes. Unfortunately, most AI books tend to be near-sighted or try to teach you how to use the current tools (which, by the time those books are actually published, are obsolete). This book does a great job of explaining how we should be thinking about AI if we want to navigate the uncertain future successfully, and teaches us the mindsets we need to use AI in positive, constructive ways. βLinkβ Fun & GamesPart of being productive is knowing when to take a break. So these gifts are great for anyone who wants to inject a little fun into their daily routine. Knody Cribbage Board
Cost: $70-$75 We play a lot of cribbage. We have a very nice wood board that we use at home, but this year I also picked up this handmade leather travel board so we can play on the go. These boards are handmade, lay flat, and are incredibly well designed. The board folds around a standard deck of cards, making this leather wrap-around travel board easy to throw in your bag or backpack. βLinkβ Ravine
Cost: $35 Here's the scenario: you and a group of fellow travelers have crash-landed on a deserted island. You have to work together to survive as a group long enough to be rescued. Each player has a certain amount of health, and you have to decide as a group about foraging for food and finding shelter, but things get interesting when your character gets down to a single health point and has to draw a madness card. These madness cards have random effects on the game, and usually introduce some hilarious elements (like making people call you "Captain" or not being able to use your arms). A great collaborative game that's easy to pick up and play with just about any group. βLinkβ Fiction
Cost: $19 If you've ever played Wordle, you'll be familiar with the premise of Fiction. One player (or team) is trying to guess the word, and each round gets feedback on which letters are in the right place, which letters are in the word but in the wrong place, and which letters are not in the word at all. The catch? The other team (the "Lie-brarian") has to pick ONE clue each round to lie about. The guesser has to figure where the lies are and correctly guess the word before the tenth guess. If you like word games, you'll like this one. It's pretty easy to pick up and a full game only takes about 20 minutes. βFictionβ Root
Cost: $60 Root is described on the website as "the cutest little war game you'll ever play." It's asymmetrical where each player picks a different faction and then battle it out for control of the forest. All of the visual are very cute, making this a great entry-level strategy game for younger players who have a long enough attention span, but it has enough depth that even serious board gamers will enjoy this one for years to come. If you like board games, this one should be in your collection. As an added bonus, there are a TON of expansions for this to keep the gameplay fresh and interesting. βLinkβ Fuego
Cost: $25 This fire-themed trick-taking card game can be picked up pretty quick, but there's enough variety here to keep it interesting for a very long time. The whole game comes in a box that looks like a matchbox, and the goal of the game is to take the tricks and the other player's fire tokens. The person with the most fire tokens at the end of the game wins. This is a pretty simple game, but incredibly well-designed and a lot of fun to play. βLinkβ β Mike |
Practical PKM
A weekly newsletter where I help people apply values-based productivity principles and systems for personal growth, primarily using Obsidian. Subscribe if you want to make more of your notes and ideas.
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