Jeff Bezos featured in this article | Image: Blinkist
Thursday, August 7, 2025
by The Blinkist Team
Let’s start with a question: How does one actually become an intellectual?
For Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, it starts with a concept he calls the 1-Hour Rule—a low-stimulation morning routine that gives the mind space to wander, think, and reset. His “puttering time,” as he calls it, includes coffee, reading, and learning—but never scrolling on his phone.
New neuroscience backs him up: The first hour of the day is when your brain is at its most alert and plastic. Wasting it on doom-scrolling can lead to decision fatigue, decreased productivity, and even poor long-term memory formation.
That’s why more and more curious minds—from top thinkers to lifelong learners—are turning to Blinkist during that all-important first hour.
Even Apple recommends Blinkist for those who are lifelong learners, naming it one of the best apps in the world. Blinkist also appears to be one of the most important apps for everyday use with the new iPhone 16. With iPhone 16’s new features, Blinkist is now an even better experience for curious minds.
This App Gives You A Head Start on the 1-Hour Rule
Blinkist helps busy people incorporate an hour of learning into their daily life by distilling the most powerful nonfiction books into 15-minute text and audio explainers. With over 7,500 titles across 27 categories, you get instant access to insights on everything from entrepreneurship and leadership to science and self-improvement.
More than 37 million people, among them Apple CEO Tim Cook, are now expanding their horizons with Blinkist. Tim Cook even stopped by the Blinkist office to get a glimpse of the hype, and the app is loved by everyone from The New York Times to Forbes.
“Blinkist encourages you to read more nonfiction books. The app contains cleverly written digests — called blinks — where books are broken down into their main arguments.” – The New York Times
o, what exactly is it that top thinkers like about Blinkist? And how does it help you with your new morning routine?
1. A Book Explained in 15 Minutes
Bezos’s 1-Hour Rule encourages slowing down—but that doesn’t mean you waste time.
Blinkist helps you absorb the most powerful ideas from nonfiction books in just 15 minutes. Whether you’re listening while you sip your morning coffee or reading during your commute, it’s a perfect fit for that sacred “no screen, no chaos” hour.
Plus, there are 40 new titles added to the app every month, so even the most voracious reader will never run out of great content.
2. It’s Backed By Science
At Blinkist, there’s a dedicated team of experts who sift through the millions of books published each year to find the best ones out there. We don’t just want bestsellers—we want the hidden gems, the timeless classics, the books written for intellectuals, by intellectuals.
‘When we started most apps were for social media or gaming. We wanted to do something different and build an app that would add genuine value to someone’s life’ — Holger Seim, Blinkist co-founder.
Once the books are selected, our specialist editors identify the key insights in each book and turn them into bite-sized explainers. The best part? All of the content is created using neuroscientific principles making all the information easy to understand and remember.
Take a look—here’s the explainer to international bestseller Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.
3. It Transforms Their Mindless Scrolling Routine – And Replaces It With A Good Habit
You know those moments when you catch yourself endlessly swiping through social media? It’s something an alarmingly high amount of people suffer from and it’s called “doom-scrolling”, a phenomenon that leaves people feeling tired and angry.
One of the many reasons, intellectuals love Blinkist is because it turns those wasted minutes into valuable learning opportunities. Instead of diving straight into newsfeeds, they’re using Blinkist to engage with smarter content. Whether it’s while walking the dog or before opening your inbox, users say it feels like a mental reset.
t’s a game-changer! 80% of the Blinkist users say that they are more likely to spend time on Blinkist than scroll through social media. Here’s what some of them are saying:
"This app should be in the Essentials category: one of the best apps I've ever purchased. I've been a member for over 6 years and I don't think I'll stop. This is a learning experience that truly improves my life." – 5-star review on the Apple Store
So, say goodbye to mindless scrolling and hello to a new habit that’ll feed your curiosity, spark intellectual growth, and help you become a better you. No wonder Apple and many of its users recommend it:
"This has been the biggest boost to my productivity/lifelong learning. Honestly, I can't think of a better habit to start than Blinkist." – 5-star review on the Apple Store
4. Intellectuals Love to Learn by Listening
The app became particularly popular with intellectuals when the audio feature was introduced. It made it possible for big thinkers to listen to every title in the app, which means learning never has to wait until you have time to sit down.
Today, listening is the most popular way to consume the packs of actionable insights with around 70% of users opting to listen to Blinkist. This is no surprise as over 30% of people learn and retain information better when it’s heard as opposed to reading.
5. Over 94 Thousand 5-Star Ratings
Blinkist isn’t just loved by intellectuals, but by everyone who is eager to learn more. Today, there are over 94K five-star ratings across iTunes and Google Play stores.
What some users enjoy most about Blinkist is how the learning experience can fit around their lives. Just take a look at what some users are saying:
"Perfect for populating your mind with smart thoughts and the latest research. I use the audio format while in transportation." – 5-star review
“Very informative and insightful. I can cook dinner and enjoy the knowledge over audio.” – 5-star review
6. Buy Only the Books You’ll Love
The 1-Hour Rule isn’t about cramming—it’s about being intentional. Blinkist helps you do just that.
With 15-minute explainers, busy people can take books for a test drive. If they like what they hear in those 15 minutes, they can buy the full thing to learn more.
“I’ve found that if a book is still interesting after reading the highlights I end up buying the book anyway. I now buy half as many, the ones I do buy are higher quality and more impactful.”– @DaleyErvin
Not only does this save people money buying books they never read, but it saves them time, too, as every book they do buy is one they know they’ll get a lot out of.
“Blinkist has helped me read more—period. I love that I can get the key learnings from 10+ books a week, and immediately implement them in my own life. Blinkist has also helped me filter the books I purchase—if I couldn’t get enough of the Book-in-Blinks, I buy it.” – Hitha Palepu, entrepreneur, author, and Blinkist user
7. One of the Best Apps in the World
“Blinkist is one of the world’s best apps.” – Apple
Blinkist has won numerous major awards from Apple, Google, and even the United Nations. It’s loved by everyone from The New York Times to Forbes, along with its millions of users.
What’s more, Apple recommends Blinkist for those who love to learn. The tech giant named Blinkist one of the top 20 apps for lifelong learners.
The app is a favorite among book lovers who use Blinkist to keep their minds young and discover new titles.
8. The Right Knowledge at the Perfect Time
Like Bezos’s approach to the day, Blinkist is all about intention. Curious people are drawn to Blinkist because they know they can quickly access the knowledge they want—exactly when they need it. This no-fuss, no-stress approach to learning removes the time and strain that might otherwise go into research.
This way, intellectual thinkers can keep up-to-date on the latest ideas, fill gaps in their knowledge, and easily integrate learning into their everyday lives.
“Blinkist is a lens to kick off thinking, a surveying tool. I can, for example, quickly review a few of the best books on negotiation.” – Adam Gries, Founder of OKpanda
9. Blinkist Treats its Employees Well
Many people find out about Blinkist by hearing about the inner workings of the company itself. It’s proven itself a great place to work with a unique company culture. LinkedIn named Blinkist the best startup employer in Germany and 95% of its employees on Glassdoor would recommend the company to a friend.
Employees love the startup’s culture and feel like they’re taken care of. This has led to a low attrition rate where staff has stuck around for the long run to help make the app even better.
"I moved to Berlin after living in New York for ten years to work at Blinkist. I knew I would be working alongside incredible people, building a revolutionary product. This, combined with the exciting new culture and lifestyle Berlin offers, made the move an easy decision." – Carlos Alvarado, Country Manager at Blinkist
10. Global Success and the Stamp of Approval
We’re proud of what we do—we believe in our product because it has meaning, purpose, and intention. Our aim is to help people learn, to allow them to grow, and to better themselves in whatever way they would like.
This was recognized and praised by the United Nations, who acknowledged Blinkist as a Global Leader in Learning and Education.
“With Blinkist you can boost your knowledge and gain new perspectives so that you can be a better professional, a better partner, or a better you—and finally get through your book list or make sense of the increasingly big and busy world of ideas.” – United Nations
With a community of 37 million people located across the world—from tech entrepreneurs to full-time moms to top CEOs—Blinkist has a loyal fanbase of users who are all discovering powerful ideas in nonfiction books on the app.
So what are you doing with your first hour of the day?
Jeff Bezos uses it to get smarter. Thousands of others do, too. And with Blinkist, so can you.
Join the 37 million curious thinkers who are replacing their morning scroll with a smarter, screen-free routine.
👉 Download the Blinkist app now and turn your 1-Hour Rule into a lifelong habit.
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