Gifts for life hackers

This list is for the practical people who are terribly difficult to buy for because they're far too busy for your silly leisure trinkets. So here are the perfect tools to eat, sleep, work, exercise, and even meditate more efficiently, for the most productive life possible. —Susannah Locke

Anker 2nd Gen Astro 6700 battery

Running out of power is the worst. This pocket-size, Wirecutter-approved external battery pack can connect to any device by USB and has so much juice that it can recharge an iPhone 5s three times over.

Blue Apron for two

For people who want to cook both healthy and fast, Blue Apron delivers a box of ingredients for three recipes of your choice (from a list that includes several vegetarian options).

TSA PreCheck

Make out a check for $85 and write a lovely note explaining it's to cover the fee for the TSA's expedited screening program. That's the one that lets people skip the long security line — and keep their shoes on.

The best way to read

(1) On a Kindle or (2) with Instapaper Premium, which allows unlimited highlights. (Plus, you can send highlights and notes from both of them to Evernote, as Ezra Klein explains in this story.)

Varidesk Pro Plus 30

A Varidesk retrofits any old desk into an adjustable one so you can burn some calories by standing. Just plop this on top of your work surface and slide up or down to your preferred height at any time.

Philips wake-up light

Light sends a signal directly through your eyes that tells your brain to stop making melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. So a bright light alarm clock is the biologically sound way to wake up — and feel awake.

Bose QuietComfort 25 headphones

Be more productive in an open office by blocking external sounds while piping in tunes. This pair is "universally recognized as the best noise-canceling headphones," according to our friends at The Verge.

The Five-Minute Journal

This simple fill-in-the-blank book provides a quick way to squeeze in some positive thinking. It focuses on gratitude and areas for improvement each day — and is way faster than most guided meditations.

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