It’s kinda old.. But I just ran across this blog today..
There are 2 types of people here from what I have noticed..
Those that want to automate and those that want a bunch of controls..
I am on the automation side.. I like my house to just do things for me.. the only thing I “manually” control is mode change to/from night via an alexa command.. Everything else is completely automated and hands off..
It’s a good read:
I’m a moderate. Some things are manually controlled with buttons, some things are auto. Almost all can be controlled both ways. Some are auto or manual at certain hours, and manual only at other times.
Both Alexa and Google voice assistants can control everything.
Oh, my friend. We need to talk about that. So many great ideas to automate this mode. I did it two years ago and have loved every moment since.
Now that you mention it that way, you're so right! We like our house to interact with us instead of waiting on a button press. Unless I'm testing something, I never press a switch. It's really amazing how little we want to admit that we're very much creatures of habit. And in certain scenarios, we can benefit from that. I have a dashboard. I use it to unlock my garage door if I'm expecting someone without a code. I use a voice command to open my Overhead garage door for right now because I haven't had time to work out the rules and presence gaps. Necessities could be controlled via voice, manual, or dashboards, but we never have to. I, too, prefer to be hands off.
I've always presumed there were two types...
Those that want a bunch of controls and those that haven't learned better yet. 
( "bunch of controls" is all together different than a button here and there to trigger an automation. )
You scream at Alexa/Google to turn up/down the volume while watching a movie? Or to pause/play to go pee or get a drink? Do you again summon Alexa/Google to turn up the lights and then back down when you are ready to watch the movie?
The only problem I have had after automating so much of my house, is when I go on a business trip and my hotel room doesn't do stuff for me...
OMG that is so true 
And you only have live tv in a hotel room (wtf century do we live in?)
I have walked into bathrooms at other places and closed the door... And stood there confused as to why it’s dark for a brief moment, before remembering 
Lightswitch
Voice control has been with us a long time and my dad had it when we were kids. He would yell, turn those lights off and one of us would jump up and turn the lights off. 70 years ago TVs didn't have remotes and he was most delighted when he was able to add voice control to changing channels. 
OMG that was great
I prefer automation for the most part, but I have a few buttons around for certain occasions. I have a button on each night stand to primarily turn off motion activation and switch to manual lighting control when we go to bed, for instance.
I was the youngest child in the family . . . I was the remote control. For all kinds of devices.
I personally are in the hybrid school. I currently use only two motion sensors to control the garage overhead light and front porch lights. Use voice for multiple actions (using Alexa routines). HOWEVER....
If I had a significant other family members (They Who Must Be Obeyed), the best way is full motion control of all lighting and minimal voice control for activities (i.e., bedtime, goodnight, good morning, watch tv). As far as television control, the TWMBO would drive automation - particular on control of the actual activity after started.
nice
Please Share!! 
I'm kind of in a dual boat here, we typically will manually set "sleep mode" but I also have it set at a specific time (can't recall if it's 10:30 or 11:30) at night in the event we forget. I'm still waiting for some extra time (and wood working skills) to do your night-stand thing that is so awesome @april.brandt.
I guess I'm more in the automation crowd but always envious of the control crowd. I cannot seem to get into Dashboards etc - just does not fit with our lifestyle. I mean I really like the idea it's just that they have not integrated into our normal day to day operation.
I think you also have to make a distinction between "virtual" type interface controls like dashboards/phone apps and maybe the physical ones like buttons and remotes. We do make use of the latter - for things like sconce lighting etc.
I am so the same way.. I have them setup .. for convenience (mainly for phone use).. But don't use them much..
You don't need woodworking skills for that project. you need a button and a contact sensor that has a header for an external dry contact (a button). If you plug a phone in you could create a pad that uses the button for pressure. Then you have yourself a trigger that will only activate when you add/remove your phone to a "platform" per se. If I had a 3-d printer and some skills, I'd create one. 
Just an imagination and something that YOU know well enough will get you to that goal. Maybe I should pull what Adam did to me and challenged me to automate my radio. Since I AM royalty I can decree it.
I officially decree that @SoundersDude come up with a way to change mode that does not require direct thought.
It is done. You are challenged, good sir.
To me, the dashboards are a backup if automations or voice controls do not work.
Or an override .. When you occasionally need to bypass the normal operations..
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