The Apple Watch is a Game Changer!

I swore to myself I couldn't own a watch because I couldn't get used to having anything on my wrist. I relied heavily on my cell phone or the people around me for knowing what time it was. It wasn't until Apple took the concept of a watch and exaggerated all of the functions a watch can do that I noticed. 

The Apple Watch Series 4 was my first foray into owning this device. I jumped on buying it because I liked the idea of being able to play music without having to take my giant iPhone with me on long bike rides. I could answer phone calls using my watch's speakerphone or the Airpods I have paired with it. I could remain connected at all times, and I did not have to be tethered to my phone. 

The gym is another experience altogether. Now I have a device to monitor my heart rate, record my workout and tell me if I am taking it too easy. My watch has become the ultimate babysitter and motivator all in one. Now I have goals, and closing out my rings has become the ultimate mission. I now know how active I have been throughout the day and how much more activity I need to reach my daily goals. 

Apple released the Series 6 line of watches, and I needed to upgrade. "Needed" may be too strong of a word. I "wanted" to upgrade for one reason, the always-on capability was something that appealed to me. It became cumbersome to look at the watch and notice it was not available for a quick read. It might have required a down/up motion to get the watch face to turn on. At times the watch seemed to be temperamental. Apple did this to conserve battery time. Series 6 resolved this without sacrificing battery time. 

Sure, Apple made other improvements, but the always-on feature was the number one upgrade driver. Now I had a watch, which functioned as a watch. I wouldn't have to flap my wings to get it to show me the information at a glance. I can honestly say it was well worth the upgrade. With the introduction of the new Solo loop wristband, the watch quickly became more appealing. 

So do I fully utilize my watch? The simple answer is no, given the multitude of possibilities it possesses. How can anyone fully use this beast of a machine? Looking at the complications in the picture, I can tell you I don't use 75% of them. Here are the functions I do use in no particular order:

Rings- Apple has stand, exercise, and move rings designated by the colors red, green, and blue. My goal is to close out these circles by day's end. Available as a complication on my home screen. 

Time telling. It's a watch, and its primary function should be to tell time and give me the date-the date drills down to a calendar with a schedule from the main screen. 

Timer function. I use this frequently throughout the day, and it is available as a complication on my main screen. 

Temperature/Weather- I love to see this daily right on my main screen as a complication. 

Activity- I log my walks, workouts, bike rides, hockey time….etc- All from the main screen.

Simple phone calls- Again, as a complication on the main screen

Music- Again on the main screen.

The last complication on the main screen advises battery strength. I can get a total of 24+ hours without recharging, provided I don't overly tax the watch. 

Looking at the above list, I can see how extensive it is. The watch will undoubtedly do more, and I have used it to unlock car doors, house locks, thermostat settings, and the like. For the time being, I will continue with my routine until something better comes along!