One thing I like about devices today is how versatile they could be. Take your smart phone, for example, it's a multi-purpose gadget that fulfills many roles. Sometimes, I don't even know how often people use its primary phone function.
One of the major functions of my phone is to serve as an alarm clock. Over time, I found myself becoming habituated to the different ringtones. In most cases, sleeping through an alarm doesn't cause me to be late for work or miss an appointment. I usually give myself ample time to prepare.
What annoys me is losing the extra time when I could be doing something else useful. This is especially true during my work week when I wake up in the early afternoon to do errands, or even chores. Losing an hour or two because I couldn't wake up throws a monkey wrench into my schedule.
After trying out a few different gadgets, I threw in the towel. In a bit of desperation, I decided to go for a low tech option. I went to Walmart and grabbed a basic, $10, twin-bell analog alarm clock.
There's nothing special about. It runs on battery. No fancy digital nonsense and functions beyond a clock. Turned out, it was exactly what I needed. I didn't sleep through the sheer noise it generated. And thus, resolving my issue with sleeping through alarms.
Sometimes, a low-tech solution can be the answer to your problems. It's like the duct tape and WD-40 meme. Finding the cheapest and most efficient way isn't always exclusive to businesses. Some may call these solutions "life hacks".
What are some of your low-tech solutions?