
As we reflect on the past year each holiday season, most of us find comfort in the former mantra of the Chicago Cubs: there’s always next year.
“Next year, I’m going to quit smoking. Next year, I’m going to give to charity. Next year, I’m going to write that great American novel.” New Year’s resolutions always seem to form when the eggnog starts flowing.
Unfortunately, many people abandon their goals after just a few months. According to U.S. News, 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail. When stress hits, our will fades, and we fall back into what’s comfortable. It’s a natural response — and one that’s hard to break.
Building self-discipline takes time, but it is possible. Use these five apps for extra motivation, and fulfill your New Year’s resolutions once and for all.
What Apps Can Help With New Year’s Resolutions?
Fitness trackers and smartwatches are easy ways to tackle one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions: getting in better shape. But what about other common resolutions, like better time management and saving more money? Fortunately, these apps have you covered — and they’re compatible with wearable technology.
Related: Is the Fitbit Charge 2 the best fitness tracker on the market?
Quit Smoking App: Smoke Free
Apple Watch: One of the best quit smoking apps on the market, Smoke Free gives positive reinforcement in a variety of ways to highlight your progress. Users can see how long they’ve been smoke free, how much money they’ve saved from not smoking, how their health is improving, and more. Instead of pushing endless amounts of information on you, the app uses graphs and numbers to display data in a user-friendly format.
Smoke Free’s current version on iTunes has a five-star rating based on 26 reviews.
Money Saving App: Wallet
Android Wear: Wallet is one of the few money saving apps that provides a comprehensive look at your finances across multiple channels like credit cards, debit cards, and other bank accounts. With the app, transactions automatically sync with your bank and reflect in your budget. Whether you’re looking to buy a new car, pay off student loans, or save for retirement, Wallet offers flexible budget options that react to your current financial situation and keep you in line with your goals.
Wallet has received a 4.4 rating based on over 41,000 reviews on Google Play.
Time Management App: ATracker
Apple Watch: ATracker allows users to view and manage time in a variety of ways. You can start or stop an activity with a click on your Apple Watch, keep notes on each entry, set an alarm for different activities, and more. Nearly everything on ATracker is customizable. Bar and pie charts display statistics reports in a digestible format, while icons and color-coded tabs are a great way to differentiate your tasks.
ATracker’s current version on iTunes has a five-star rating based on 32 reviews.
Stress App: Headspace
Apple Watch: Headspace describes itself as a stress app that acts a personal trainer for your mind. Users can practice the basics of meditation and mindfulness with the app’s introductory series of exercises. These 10 sessions — which are just 10 minutes each — train your mind to better handle stress. Hundreds of hours of content is available in the full collection when you subscribe online.
Headspace’s current version has a five-star rating on iTunes based on over 1,800 reviews.
Related: Stress, Wellness, And What Women Want From Wearables
Job App: PathSource
Apple Watch: Bad jobs are a constant source of stress and unhappiness, but PathSource wants to get you back on the right track. Whether you’re searching for a new career, working toward your professional goals, or want to achieve a certain lifestyle, the app offers a variety of resources. Users can access videos from people in their desired field, build a mobile resume, and locate job opportunities in minutes within PathSource.
PathSource has a five-star overall rating based on over 4,000 reviews in iTunes.
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