Six mobile apps that earn their home-screen slot. Not a list of fifty — the actual minimal stack.

1. A task manager

Things 3 (iOS) or Todoist (cross-platform). One place for everything you'll forget otherwise.

2. A notes app

Obsidian or Notion. Captured ideas compound; uncaptured ones evaporate.

3. A calendar

Fantastical (iOS) or Google Calendar. Natural-language input saves meaningful daily time.

4. A focus blocker

ScreenZen or Opal. The counter-intuitive app that makes your phone more productive by making other apps harder to open.

5. A password manager

1Password or Bitwarden. Autofill on mobile is genuinely convenient in 2026.

6. A read-later + highlights app

Readwise Reader. Turns articles and books into searchable, reviewable knowledge.

What to NOT install

Every additional "productivity" app taxes attention more than it saves. If you can't articulate the specific friction a new app solves, don't install it. Six is plenty.