Whether you’re trying to lose weight, quit smoking or save money, the New Year is often a time to set new goals.
With 2017 underway, it’s time to ask yourself if you’ve stuck to your New Year’s Resolutions- after all, only 8% of people who set resolutions achieve them!
Regardless of your goal this year, we’ve put together a list of the most common New Year’s Resolutions and some great smartphone apps which can give you that extra boost of motivation:
To Lose Weight/ Get Healthy:
Noom Weight Loss Coach
After examining 800 apps, experts from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre have found that Noom Weightloss Coach is the app most likely to change behavior and assist with weight loss.
Featuring a step counter, meal log and calorie counter, the Noom Weight Loss Coach allows you to work on your diet and exercise with the support of your very own personal coach. Need a little bit of extra support? Download the premium version and join other users in groups.
Available: iOS and Android
Price: Free (paid upgrades available)
To Quit Smoking:
My Last Cigarette- Stop Smoking Stay Quit
There are hundreds of apps designed to help smokers quit, and My Last Cigarette is one of the best.
Originally created in 1999, My Last Cigarette gives users daily motivational messages and provides medical facts about smoking, quitting and the difference you’re making by choosing healthy options.
With statistics such as money saved and cigarettes not smoked, My Last Cigarette is bound to get you motivated to quit.
Available: iOS and Android
Cost: $1.49
To Learn a New Language:
DuoLingo
DuoLingo is without a doubt one of the most fun and easy ways to learn a new language.
With 15 languages to choose from including French, Spanish, German and Italian, DuoLingo’s highly visual lessons make learning a new language fun and exciting.
Not only does DuoLingo track your daily progress and identify your weakest words and phrases, but also keeps you motivated with the in-built goal-setting tool.
Available: iOS and Android
Cost: Free
Quit / Cut back on Alcohol:
Whether you want to reduce the amount you drink or quit alcohol altogether, I am Sober and AlcoDroid Alcohol Tracker are two great apps to keep you on track.
I Am Sober (iOS)
I Am Sober is a sobriety tracking app which has daily and weekly milestones. The app allows you to reach out and talk to other people facing similar battles and also shows you how much money you’re saving by not drinking.
Available: iOS
Cost: $2.99
AlcoDoird Alcohol tracker (Android)
Like the I Am Sober App, the AlcoDroid app is an alcohol tracker which monitors your consumption and how much you’re spending on drinks. In addition, AlcoDroid estimates your blood alcohol content (BAC) based on the drinks you’ve logged. While it may not be advisable to base your decision to get behind the wheel entirely on the app, it is helpful in tracking how much you’re really drinking.
Available: Android
Cost: Free
Get More Sleep:
Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock
If you ever wake up feeling drowsy, Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock is the app for you. The sleep cycle alarm clock tracks your sleep pattern and wakes you up during your light sleep, allowing you to feel naturally rested.
Sleep cycle also tracks movement during the night, using sound analysis to identify sleep states and patterns.
To help you get to sleep, the app also includes a number of different sounds including white noise, ocean waves and rain on a tin roof.
Available: iOS and Android
Cost: Free
Save Money/ Stick to your Budget:
Pocketbook
Whether you’re saving for a new car, or maybe even a holiday, Pocketbook can help you achieve your saving goals!
With the ability to track daily expenses, set budgets and monitor where you’re spending the most, Pocketbook makes managing your finances easy.
What sets this app apart from the rest is that you can connect it to your bank so that you can track income and expenses automatically!
Available: iOS and Android
Cost: Free
Drink More Water:
Drinking the recommended 2L of water each day is easier said than done, however with apps like Waterlogged, keeping track of your intake has never been easier.
Waterlogged
Waterlogged helps you keep track of your daily water intake through logging your daily water consumption. With the ability to set reminders at a certain time (free version) or for regular reminders that you are falling behind (paid version), Waterlogged is a great app for keeping you motivated to stay hydrated.
Available: iOS and Android
Cost: Free (can upgrade to premium)
Spend Less Time on Social Media:
If you’re like most busy professionals today, it can be hard to keep away from your phone screen. With apps, email, and social media, we’re constantly distracted by our smartphones. It may seem counter-intuitive to use an app to unplug, but Offtime is certainly a great tool for those easily distracted.
Offtime
Voted Best Apps of Google in 2014, Offtime helps users unplug by blocking distracting apps like Facebook, games and communication apps.
With the ability to choose a mode like Work, Family, or Me Time, the app allows you to access the things you need without being distracted by the things you don’t. In addition, the app also provides intuitive analytics about your phone usage and daily habits.
Available: iOS and Android
Cost: Free (can upgrade to premium)
Stay Organised:
Google Keep
Google Keep isn’t just for to-do lists – it’s an Evernote-style service for keeping notes, photos and recordings, allowing you to keep track of tasks and ticking them off as you go.
As with Gmail, there’s a good system of labels and colours to separate different parts of your life, as well as an alert feature with the ability to set location-based reminders.
To Give Back:
GiveGab
Mentioned in last year’s list, GiveGab is an app which connects you to volunteering opportunities in your area. Regardless of whether you’d like to volunteer on a long-term basis or for a one-off event, GiveGabfilters volunteering opportunities by category and location, allowing you to easily find a volunteering position suited to your needs.
Whatever your new years resolution is this year, we hope these apps help you stay motivated!
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