It’s a new year, and everywhere you look—online, TV, newspapers, magazines—someone is promising ways to create a new you. But we’ve all been through too much in the past couple of years to give in to such pressure from the outside world (or even from ourselves).
Still, there is something to be said for taking time to recalibrate and practice true self-care. Traditional resolutions can be reframed into things you want to accomplish to lead a calmer, healthier life. To save you the burden of sorting through ways to embark on changes, we’re recommending some apps that can help.
If you’re looking for one app to rule them all, Fabulous has that covered. The app takes a gentle approach to helping you develop and keep healthy habits, and it offers coaching to help you incorporate self-care into your day.
(Credit: Fabulous)
For more on how staying healthy is essential for working effectively—and for life in general—read “It’s Time to Put Self Care Before Productivity.”
Take Charge of Your To-Dos
Productivity does not mean taking on stress. But getting a handle on your goals can help you achieve a sense of calm. With Todoist, you can gather all your thoughts and then start breaking them down into easily achievable tasks.
Prioritize Mental Health
Therapy is one of the most valuable things you can do for yourself. Yet it can also bring up its own issues, such as cost, inconvenience, and worries about the stigma of seeking help. Online therapy apps can help reduce and eliminate some of these concerns. You can visit with a mental health professional within the privacy of your own home or from any other space where you feel safe. If you’re hesitant to use any of the apps that have had some privacy issues, you can also see mental health professionals on Doctor on Demand and MDLive.
Make Health a Priority
Video visits with physicians became a regular thing during the pandemic. Despite the ability to return to physician’s offices, there are still times when you’ll be thankful for apps that let you see a doctor immediately onscreen or let you schedule an appointment that you can show up for from home. Doctor on Demand and MDLive both fulfill this demand. Both also accept insurance but accommodate the uninsured as well. Prescriptions are sent to a pharmacy near you.
There hasn’t been a time in our collective memory in which we’ve truly absorbed the lesson that health is everything. It can be overwhelmingly difficult to get one clear picture of your medical history, though. FollowMyHealth (iOS, Android) is a good place to start for a repository of basic health information, a way to track medical appointments, and a source to share with (and in some cases communicate with) your physicians.
Eat Healthier—and Smarter
If you’re concerned about the quality of your food, download Yuka. You can scan barcodes or type in a product to get the pros and cons of each item. There’s detailed information about the whys behind it all. Yuka even rates the safety of cosmetics products.
If you want to track calories, MyFitnessPal makes it easy, with a database of over 14 million foods. If something’s not there, enter it manually or scan a UPC code. But this app’s integration with fitness trackers and other apps really makes it a winner, giving you a full picture of calories in, calories out. If you want a more formal program, you’d do well to join the time-tested Weight Watchers (now known as WW) and use its accompanying app, which includes 24/7 support from a coach.
The only way to know exactly what you’re eating is to make it yourself, though. With PlateJoy, you can get customized meal plans, shopping lists, and recipes to meet your lifestyle or nutritional needs.
Keep Eating Disorders in Check
For those with disordered eating, just the thought of food-related resolutions can cause anxiety. RecoveryRecord can help manage feelings related to food-related issues. You can record meals, thoughts, and feelings; track goals; celebrate wins; and more.
Go Plant-Based
Maybe 2024 is the year you adopt a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. The Forks app from Forks Over Knives makes the switch simple, with over 1,000 step-by-step plant-based recipes, a meal planner, and more.
For when you want to eat out or order in, Happy Cow and Vegan Maps can guide you to the best spots around the world.
Stay Hydrated
The benefits of staying hydrated throughout the day are many. But remembering to drink water is one of those things that should be easy but really isn’t during a busy day. Apps including Waterllama (iOS) and Waterful (iOS and Android) can help remind you. They both let you set your own goal and choose your favorite drinks, have motivational but not too annoying reminders, and come with cute graphics.
Spend Less and Save More
Budgets might not be your thing, but having one can give you some peace of mind. The Quicken app (Android, iOS) works with along with a desktop install to let you look at your budget and track your spending on the go.
If you’re trying to find a way to save, but it seems impossible for many reasons, you’re far from alone. Give Acorns a try: The app sets aside what you can afford into investments geared toward your goals.
Having debt can drag you down mentally. Feel free in the new year with a plan to pay it down with Debt Payoff Planner.
Revamp Your Career
Work has fundamentally changed, and because of that, you may have realized that you need a job or even a career change. LinkedIn lets you manage how potential employers see you and puts you in touch with colleagues and employers past, present, and future.
You’ll want to make sure that you’re going to a company that is a good fit for you, so check out the employee reviews on Glassdoor.
To ensure your resume is in top shape, use Canva (iOS, Android) to make it look its best. The app has tons of templates and other features that will give your resume a professional look.
Quit Smoking
If you smoke, stopping is the best thing you can do for your health and for those who love you. Aside from the fact that it’s difficult to text and smoke at the same time, your phone can help you put down that cigarette for good. Smoke Free offers clinics, tips, and a chatbot to guide you.
For additional motivation in the form of meditation, supplement a stop-smoking app with Quit Smoking With AJ (iOS, Android). The Sean Connery sound-alike hypnotherapist is soothing and effective.
Get Moving
Looking for a workout that’s home-based but still high-energy and fun? obé Fitness guides you through classes, whether you’re a novice or a gym rat. For a monthly fee, you can take unlimited live and on-demand HIIT, dance, sculpt, yoga, pilates, cardio boxing, and barre classes, among over 20 categories, from your phone, tablet, or streaming device.
Got a time crunch for doing crunches? Or just want to get a workout over with? Try 7 Minute Workout (iOS, Android). It has lots more than seven-minute-long workouts. The app also offers routines that you can sort by how much time you have (under 10 minutes, 11 to 15 minutes, and over 15 minutes), intensity (easy, medium, and hard), level (beginner, intermediate, and advanced), and areas of the body.
The same developer has an app with even more features; and despite its limiting name, Workout for Women (iOS, Android) is great for anyone. Along with all the same features as 7 Minute Workout, it features yoga, mindfulness, and dance content.
