Every Friday, you get one email. It takes about 5 minutes to read.
Inside, you'll find a practical skill explained in plain English—no jargon, no hassle—plus a quick activity you can try right away. That's it.
No lengthy courses. No overwhelming dashboards. No guilt about falling behind.
Just one useful thing each week that makes your digital life a little smoother.
These aren't skills for "techies." They're skills for people who want their technology to work for them.
Your brain learns best when information comes in small, focused chunks—and when you actually do something with what you've learned.
That's why every Friday newsletter includes a brief activity. Not homework. Just a simple action that helps the skill stick.
Five minutes with your morning coffee. Five minutes during lunch. Five minutes before bed.
You can find five minutes.
Don Hamilton founded UsefulWriter LLC in 2012 and created ActiveLessons.com.
After 25 years as a classical musician in Los Angeles, Don moved his family to Virginia and built a second career in technology—as a developer, technical writer, and instructional designer. He holds a master's degree in Educational Technology and Media Studies.
Since 2022, Don has worked daily with AI as a writer, designer, and developer. His philosophy is simple: technology should adapt to how people naturally think and live, not the other way around.
That human-centered approach shapes everything at ActiveLessons.
ActiveLessons is just getting started. The Friday newsletter launched in late 2025.
In 2026, an interactive learning platform will offer deeper 15-minute lessons on a wide variety of digital topics. Same practical focus. Same human-centered design. More in-depth skill building.
If you enjoy the newsletter, you'll love what's coming.
Join thousands of curious people who are making technology work for them—5 minutes at a time.
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