Smart devices get a bad rap these days. Naturally, since we blame them for everything, from our lack of focus and friends, to our low self-esteem and unrealized goals. But I think it is safer to say that our smart devices are like knives– their benefit depends on how we utilize them. (We can either chop up vegetables for a healthy meal or stab someone.)
As such, I try to use my devices as tools for productivity, gratitude, and awareness and prevent them from becoming influences of harm and waste in my life. I do this with the help of certain apps and I am bringing this list to you after a long period of trial and error, (just in time for your new year’s resolutions).
Daily Flow
Pillow – This is what I use to make sure I get enough sleep and wake up rested. It functions as an alarm and a sleep coach. Also has different kinds of naps and lots of useful information about sleep patterns.
Elevate – This is a brain-training app that I do for 5-7 minutes every morning. There are a variety of activities to do and it helps improve memory, comprehension, lexicon, and quick-thinking.
Swipes – This is my daily to-do list app. It has a very minimal, clean design. But it’s also super functional and can be quite detailed if you like. (Online & Mac companions supported).
Productive – Beautifully designed and minimalistic habit tracker. It keeps me on top of things and has visualizations for what I am keeping up with and what I am behind on.
Lifesum – A good way to track my vegetable, water, and fruit intake and make sure I am actually feeding myself with all the stress of college life. Has good nutritional information and coaching as well!
Gratitude! – This is my gratitude journaling app. I set it so that it gives me a reminder in the morning and evening, and it takes only a minute or two to reflect on my blessings and write them down. It’s a nicely designed app that lets you attach photos and share things online as well.
Duolingo – I am sure you know what Duolingo is but I will include it here just to highlight how useful it is in keeping language skills fresh in your mind with a few minutes of practice every day.
Forest – The best app to reduce distractions. You choose a time and plant a tree and you can’t use your phone during that time or your tree dies. There are different types of trees and your minutes all add up so that you can even choose to plant real trees if you’d like.
Feedly – This is my RSS feed compiler. I have all the blogs that my friends author and blogs that I think are interesting. I check it once every few days to see if anyone has posted anything new.
Long-Term Use
Wunderlist – This is an extensive to-do list application that I use for long-term lists like blog ideas, shopping lists, gift lists, miscellaneous tasks with indefinite timelines… You can add notes and subtasks and it’s a good place to go to throughout the day. (Mac companion available).
Counter+ – This is for my daily remembrances. I have the pro version of this app so it lets me make as many counters as I want and I have them for different things I want to remember. (Usually Divine names I’d like to focus on, or prayers I would like to memorize or repeat). You can use it if you’d like to memorize anything of course.
Really Bad Chess – This is an outside-the-box chess game that I found over the summer. Your pieces are 95% randomized – you might get 5 queens or 10 pawns. There are daily challenge boards and as you move up the ranks by winning games, your pieces get weaker and weaker as the AI gets stronger.
Mint – Budgeting is important, and Mint lets you do that in a clean and well-designed app. Also helps with bank and money reminders and gives pointers on building credit and other personal finance issues.
Citymapper – Must-have if you are living in a big city and don’t drive.
Apple Apps
iBooks – Always good to have an easy read when on transit or when you’re waiting for someone/something. It really adds up, and you get to read things for fun, that you enjoy. (Pair this with Goodreads and daily eBook deals so that you can get the books you have always wanted for 1 or 2 dollars)
Podcasts – A nother good way to spend transit time productively or long walks to class. I don’t like having too many subscriptions though so I usually subscribe to one thing, catch up or finish it, and then start another one.