Whether you have set an ambitious New Year’s’ resolution of world domination [insert evil laugh here] or you just want to start out the new semester not eating Five Star pizza on week nights, staying accountable and committed for the next 365 days can be difficult, to say the least.
University of Scranton (shoutout Dunder Mifflin) research suggests that a mere 8 percent of people actually manage to keep their resolutions.
Although your phone can’t do sit-ups or stop you from impulse buying on Amazon, it can be a valuable tool for staying on top of your newfound goals. Check out these free apps and maybe, just maybe, you’ll be a part of that elite 8 percent this year.
If your resolution was to do better in school…
Any.do
This is a simple to-do app that allows users to prioritize different tasks into four categories based on when the task needs to be accomplished: today, tomorrow, upcoming or someday. It is even possible to set reminders for when a task needs to be accomplished. No more forgetting assignments or quizzes, thanks to this Any.do.
Anki
This multi-platform flashcard app allows for users to create digital flashcards with text, audio, photos, videos and scientific markups, while providing graphs to show studying progress. Anki will even remind you when you should study revisit certain flashcards to ensure that the concepts that you are studying are moved into long-term memory. Anki is highly flexible and customizable, which makes it an exceptional resource for any major.
Pomodoro Time
If procrastination or distraction is something that has been majorly holding you back, this app will help you stay on task while still providing breaks. This app uses the Pomodoro technique, which breaks down work into intervals of 25 minutes with short breaks in between. This technique is based off the idea that working in short bursts can increase productivity and taking frequent quick breaks can help maintain motivation even through monotonous tasks.
If your resolution was to learn something new…
Productive – Habit Tracker
This app can help you form just about any habit from playing an instrument to meditation, this app tracks your progress and lets you set goals for how often you want to do something. This is perfect for people who want to learn a new skill or hobby, but just forget to find the time. You can even set reminders for yourself at different times of the day.
Beeminder
This is a goal tracking app that is perfect for people who lack motivation because it incentivizes creating good habits. Beeminder plots your progress on a “yellow brick road” to achieving your goal, but if you go off track, the app takes money that you have pledged.
If your resolution was to save more money…
Level Money
This app can help you establish and maintain a budget, as well as tracking your spending habits to show you just how pricey some of your habits can be. This app can help set you up for a future of financial success by providing you with a personalized budget.
Hooked
This app provides daily and hourly deals for restaurants in Gainesville. Some of the restaurants that are included in this app are Big Lou’s, Mochi, 101 Cantina, Whiskey House and Know Where Coffee. This app makes dining out more affordable and without the hassle of searching for coupons.
dscout
If your bank account is looking dangerously low after the holidays or you just can’t find the will to cut something out to balance your budget, this is the app for you. This app can make you some money pretty painlessly if you can answer surveys thoughtfully. All you have to do is apply to be selected for “missions,” which is what dscout calls surveys. Many top companies use dscout as a platform for crowdsourcing, which has resulted in $500,000 given to dscout users. (I made about $350 last semester for 5 missions. I always received a check in the mail about two weeks after I completed the survey.)
If your resolution was to be healthier...
FitStar Personal Trainer
This is app was made by the football legend Tony Gonzalez. It creates personalized workouts with videos, so you can workout whenever and wherever you want. This app can provide private workouts for people who don’t like going to the gym. It continuously adapts to your fitness level by asking you a simple survey at the end of your workout to ensure it is gives you the best possible workout that suits your skill level. There are additional features that can be added if you choose to purchase the premium subscription, but the app is still free to download and use most of its features.
Calorie Counter and Diet Tracker by MyFitnessPal
This app creates a personalized diet based on how much weight that you want to lose. It tracks your intake of calories, vitamins, sodium and cholesterol to help you get on the right track to healthy eating. This app provides one of the largest food databases with over five million different foods–even from some restaurants–to help you choose food wisely.
These apps can help you stick to your goals, no matter how big or small. So, let your smart phone be your “new year, new you” inspiration.
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