When you hear the same thing from three very different people, there’s usually something to it.

Especially when those people are a friend, an elderly lady, and the Pope.

This morning, my friend and I talked about the value of spending time together in person. We agreed that connecting face-to-face feels much more rewarding than endless digital messaging.

Later, biking home from a fitness class, I saw an elderly lady lying on the road by a tram stop. She’d fallen, so I helped her up, moved her to a bench, called the paramedics, and waited with her.

Thankfully, she wasn’t seriously hurt—just a rash on her cheek, a dislocated finger, and a broken watch.

But I was struck by our meaningful conversation. She has 45 years of experience on me and was born during World War 2. We got to talking about how life is different “these days” than it used to be.

“People can get so absorbed in their devices”, she said. “People aren’t as good anymore at just talking with each other, face to face.”

I left her in the capable hands of the paramedics headed home for lunch—and jumped right into one of my own devices.

And what did I find, browsing social media? A tweet from Pope Leo:

I’m not religious, but wisdom comes from many sources, and I think the pontifex is on to something here.

My career revolves around productivity apps design to help us stay organized, clean mental clutter, and get stuff done.

Used wisely, these tools can empower us to be even more present in the moment—in real life. Misused, though, they can become masters of our attention, making us feel trapped by our to-do lists and constant notifications.

Do you have a healthy relationship with your digital tools and devices?

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Speaking of digital tools…

This past week, Apple announced iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 26. And one app that is getting some fantastic new features is Reminders.

One feature in particular is super handy for remembering everything: