“Appy” New Year: 8 Apps to Get Organized, Learn New Skills and Live Life to the Fullest
As you settle into 2019, we hope you’re enjoying success in keeping your New Year’s resolutions. After resolutions involving losing weight and exercising more, the next three most popular New Year’s resolutions are:
- Getting organized
- Learning a new skill or hobby
- Living life to the fullest
If any of these are on your list, why not utilize technology to achieve your goals? Following are a variety of apps that support efforts to improve organization, keep learning and living your best life.
3 Apps to Get You Organized
If organization is your goal, and depending on which area of your life needs structure, try these:
- Evernote is the one-stop spot for notes, lists, ideas and reminders that you can leverage for both business and personal use. You can manage big projects, small tasks, keep deadlines top-of-mind (or top-of-screen) and track projects across team member to-dos. It’s free to get started, with paid upgrades for business and premium accounts.
- If you’re organizing a family calendar, try the Picniic app. It features a shared family calendar and location tracking for each family member in real-time so that you’ll never again have to hear your spouse say, “Oh no! Did I forget to pick up Susie from soccer practice again?” You’ll even get alerts when your spouse and kids arrive or leave their destinations, which makes planning regular family dinners at least a feasible possibility.
- If you need a productivity boost, try 24me, an award-winning personal assistant app. With a user-friendly interface that syncs across all devices and enables voice notes and commands, it automatically generates task, meeting and errand reminders to increase productivity on the go. With smart alerts, a navigation feature to get you there on time and even a micro-gifting function, this could be the organizational app you’ve been seeking.
3 Apps That Teach a New Skill or Hobby
Want to learn a new skill or hobby? Your brain is wired to learn―and doing so you can keep your mental faculties sharp as you grow older. Whether you’re travelling to another country and want to learn the language or have some extra doodle time during your commute, try these apps:
- If languages are your thing—or you wish they were—try Duolingo. With 80 unique language courses offered in 37 languages, you can learn casually (in just 5 minutes a day) pick up a few words in the language you choose or go hard-core and study for 20 or more minutes each day. Used by Hollywood stars and public schools alike, Duolingo is a fun, effective learning tool that motivates you to learn.
- Studies show that the hand-eye coordination and repetitive motions of drawing can help lower stress levels by eliciting a relaxation response. Learn to draw with the How to Draw – Simple Lessons app. With no prior experience, you’ll soon be drawing animals, planes, dragons, cartoons, flowers and anime creatures thanks to simple, step-by-step instructions. Explore different styles of drawing, get your kids involved, and save your pictures of that hedgehog, unicorn or turtle to share and enjoy.
- Looking for a simple, satisfying creative experience? Consider How to Make Origami. The origami app provides easy-to-follow, fold-by-fold instructions for 80 paper-folding creations that will quickly immerse you in a creative mindset! And it’s free for the first month.
2 Apps to Help You Live Life to the Fullest
Good news: if you’re exercising more, eating healthfully to lose weight, getting organized and learning a new skill or hobby, you’re already making great strides toward living life to the fullest!
One addition that can increase your enjoyment of life every day is a regular mindful meditation practice. Just sitting in silence and breathing deeply for 10 minutes per day can have a significant impact on your ability to remain calm during pressure-filled situations and become more productive in everything you tackle.
- If you’re new to meditation and aren’t completely sold on the idea, try the Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics by 10% Happier app—based on the book of the same name written by ABC news anchor Dan Harris. The app aims to help you “learn how meditation can help you feel happier, sleep better and tame the voice in your head.” You’ll find videos and quick, guided meditations you can complete during lunchtime or your commute to ease you into the practice, led by some of the most respected meditation “experts” on the planet.
- Another useful app to try is Aura, which provides short, 3- to 20-minute guided meditations in addition to inspiring stories, calming music and even life coaching sessions all geared toward helping you feel more focused and grounded to achieve your best life.
We wish you a happy, healthy new year!