The other day I was watching an insightful video on YouTube, by one of my favourite creators, Ali Abdaal.

Check it out here.

In the video, Ali talks about 10 rules that he follows every day as a way of managing mental fatigue.

As a creator who uses technology on a professional level, one of the rules which resonated with me was what he called 'The Three Cs'.

Namely; Consume, Create, and Connect.

The rules are very simple.

Most products which are used by creative people, are designed to add value to our lives, either through Consumption, Creativity, or Connection/Communication.

Depending on the category of product or paradigm, these products should offer a better experience in at least one, if not all of the three criteria.

Consumption

The original paradigm for consumption of information was the spoken word. For millennia this was the only way information could be passed from one generation to the next.

Later this evolved into drawings, pictographs, and eventually, the written word.

Today, information and knowledge are everywhere, and access to this information is easier and faster than ever before.

So before you buy that new laptop, tablet, or 8K television, ask yourself whether this purchase would help you consume content better; and if so, will it provide you with a more productive experience.

For example, if you're thinking about buying a new tablet so that you can consume more books without the hassle of carrying them around, then it's probably a good purchase, as digital books are more convenient than their paper counterparts.

The same goes for a new computer or laptop, especially if your current setup is so old and slow that it has trouble performing the simplest tasks, such as connecting to the internet.

As for that bigger television; unless you're upgrading from a tiny CRT or small HD model, there really is very little that a jump from 4K to 8K will offer in terms of a better viewing experience.

Creativity

Does the new product allow you to become more creative, and make it easier in the process?

If your current laptop is too slow for photo or video editing, then an upgrade is probably worth it, as long as you're not lying to yourself about how much more you can do in that extra two seconds that you'd be saving.

If you feel that a new camera will make you more creative, but your only reasoning is that your current model is two years old and no longer 'cool' or current, then your money would be better spent elsewhere, like a photography course or a better quality lens.

Connection & Communication

This point is often overlooked, but in this day and age, if you're a creator in any field, you need to be able to make connections with other creators, as well as clients.

Investing in a faster internet connection is a good starting point.

Buying a new iPhone when your one year-old model is still working fine, is probably a bad investment.

In conclusion

The technology space is one of the fastest growing and evolving areas in the world.

It is often very difficult to tell whether you really need that latest and greatest upgrade, or if your current setup will do for a while longer.

Hopefully these three 'rules' can help you decide which way to go on your next purchase.

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Happy shooting!