Do you wind up sticking to your New Year’s resolutions? It’s not easy to do – a lot of us choose major resolutions like being more active, eating healthy, and saving more money. A study by U.S. News and World Report finds that 80% of people fail by February.
Fortunately, these days you have your choice of a number of great smartphone apps that can help keep your resolution on track. They won’t do all the work for you, but by picking up some of the load, you’re far more likely to meet with success this year. Here's a list of the most popular New Year's resolutions, with the apps best suited to help you accomplish each goal.
If you resolved to manage your finances better: Mint
You don't have to know a lot about personal finance to get yours under control with Mint. All you have to do is connect Mint to your financial accounts — don't worry, Mint is verified to be secure by VeriSign — and then Mint will analyze your spending to help you set a budget, remind you of due dates and suggest ways you can save more.
Mint does all the heavy lifting for you, so meeting your goals may be as easy as paying attention to its easy-to-read reports, charts, and reminders. The way Mint visualizes your spending data makes it easy to get a handle on what you're spending, so you can cut back and put more into your savings account each month.
Price: Free on the web and for iOS and Android devices
If you resolved to be more active: DailyBurn
Sure, a gym membership might help you get fit — but making time to get to the gym can be tough, so your get-fit resolution could be abandoned before spring. This year, try a different route with DailyBurn, which offers a wide variety of workout routines in video format available on your computer, iPhone, Android, or even a television with Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV or other smart TV devices.
The big benefit of DailyBurn is its variety, with 1,000+ workouts that range from 10 minutes to an hour long covering activities from dance to kettlebell to intense cardio. You'll never be bored. And you never need to spend time hunting for a workout, either; DailyBurn helps you pick the right workout program and then automatically queues up the next video whenever you login (though you can try something new whenever you want).
Price: Free 30-day trial; $19.99 per month on the web and for iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV and other smart TV devices
If you resolved to lose weight: Lose It!
Beyond exercise, one of the big challenges of losing weight is keeping track of your eating habits — so why not make use of the smartphone you already carry with you every day? Lose It! makes it easy to create your customized weight loss plan by helping you set goals, plan a calorie budget, and track your progress. Then stay motivated by connecting with friends or join a public weight-loss or wellness challenge.
The app has a food database that makes recording what you've eaten as easy as clicking on an item in the database or scanning the barcode on a package. And it works with other workout and fitness apps to track your complete health progress, beyond counting calories.
A premium membership delivers a lot more tracking capabilities. In addition to calories, you can track body fat, water, and sleep, you can store body measurements, and you can see your nutrition information for carbohydrates, fats, protein, fiber, and sodium. You can also sync your LoseIt account across multiple devices and sync with more fitness apps and devices.
Price: Free on the web and for iOS and Android devices, $39.99 per year for a premium membership
If you resolved to improve your mental wellbeing: Headspace
Meditation is a good step toward reclaiming mindfulness, which researchers have found to be linked to increased focus and productivity. But when it comes to entering the meditative state, you may need some guidance from Headspace.
This app offers guided meditation sessions that walk users through the basics of meditation and teach the basics of engaging bodily awareness and focusing attention. Courses cover topics like stress, sleep, focus and anxiety in a range of work-related, personal, health and social awareness categories.
Price: Free 1-week trial, $12.99 per month or $69.99 per year
If you resolved to learn something new: YouTube
Looking to expand your mind in 2020? Our favorite app to help learn a new skill or information is YouTube. You can use the streaming video app to learn how to fix minor issues with my car, make home repairs, and unlock secrets in your favorite video games. It’s especially perfect if you’re the type who learns by watching others do.
If you’re looking for a place to start on YouTube, you might want to check out Ted Talks or the Top videos of 2019. Then, consider taking a free video course from some of the country’s top universities. Yale, Stanford, and MIT are just a few universities that put their lectures online for free. You’re sure to learn something – if only you’re willing to look.
Price: Free on the web and for iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV and other smart TV devices
If you resolved to eat healthier: Fresh Tri
If you're looking to eat healthy, and not necessarily lose weight, Fresh Tri is a great choice. Based on brain science, the app works by asking your goals and then suggesting habits to try. If one habit isn't working for you, the app will suggest another habit to get you to the same objective. So, to stop eating before you're full, you might start with filling just half your plate. But if that doesn't work, you could try drinking water before you eat or using smaller dishware, and so on. The point is to find habits that work for you and not force you into doing something that won't stick.
Price: Free on the web and for iOS and Android
Here's to a happy new year — with all of our yearly resolutions kept!
[Image credits: New Year, New You! via Shutterstock, apps: Mint, DailyBurn, Lose It!, Headspace,YouTube, Fresh Tri]
