Imagine lounging on your couch on a lazy afternoon. You browse the internet for a house and lot for sale so you can finally move to a quieter area outside of the big city, and BAM! Quarantine. Again.
So what do you do this time? Are there new apps that can help you cope? Do apps even work?
Can Mobile Apps Really Help Your Mental Health?
Quick answer: Yes.
A 2018 study published in mHealth, a journal for research of mobile technology, found that mobile apps provide a significant potential to improve mental health.
One of their studies tested 22 mobile apps which resulted in reduced symptoms of depression, and even helped patients self-manage their illness. Know that depression caused by the pandemic has become widespread as we go through prolonged quarantine periods.
Luckily, this time you can keep your mental health steady because there are mobile apps for just about anything. Which is why we made a list of the latest apps on the Apple store that can help you keep your life, business, and sanity intact. Here they are:
Fitness and Health Apps
- Any Distance – Share Workouts
Any Distance is a fitness tracking app that is optimized for your Apple Watch and Apple Health.
This app has all the usual features of fitness apps, like goal tracking and progress checking. However, unlike your ordinary fitness app, it offers a great way for you to turn simple workouts into Instagram-worthy posts.
All you have to do is add your workout photos into the app, choose a template or layout, and customize the look to what fits your feed. After that, it lets you share your photos to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media apps in just a couple of taps.
On top of that, you can also earn collectible medals for every milestone you achieve on your fitness journey.
Once the app syncs with your Apple Health, you can track numerous activities like running, cycling, hiking, walking, and a whole lot more.
- Workout Trainer: Fitness Coach
If you did not get to achieve your fitness goals last year, you can turn that around this year. Workout Trainer is your new go-to app for thousands of workouts that you can do at your home gym — be it body weight workouts or weight training exercises.
The best thing about Workout Trainer is that its workouts are created by certified coaches, so they are all customizable to what you need. It also shows you move-by-move audio, photo, and video guides, so you can see how to properly perform the routines.
The app also features adjustable difficulty levels, so customize your base level and add more challenges as you go. Moreover, you can check your progress and sync your Apple Watch with its detailed performance analysis and heart rate monitor.
If you are someone who needs an actual person for that extra push, this app has got your back. You can book one-on-one personal training sessions with their dedicated coaches online! They can help you create a custom fitness and training plan, and help you reach your goals faster.
- Fastic
Intermittent fasting is one of the most popular methods of dieting that has helped a lot of people lose fat. However, it can go downhill easily if you are not equipped with enough information to do it right.
Through Fastic, you can do your IF in a safer, healthier, and more sustainable way. It boasts features like Fasting Timer, Water Tracker, Step Counter, and even a blog to educate you more about intermittent fasting.
The app also helps you plan your meals with a Nutrition Plan, where you can incorporate other diet plans, like keto, paleo, low-carb, and more.
The best thing about the app is that it connects you to other Fastic users to help keep you inspired and motivated. It also gives you insights about the stages of your fasting, so you’re informed of what’s happening in your body.
If you want a more customized fasting plan, you can opt into their premium subscription and get access to all the app’s features.
Entertainment Apps
- Styly
While being productive and looking for a house and lot for sale may be your top priority, you’re still going to have a lot of downtime in this second round of quarantine. Unfortunately, your usual leisure trips can be difficult to achieve since almost anything fun is closed until further notice.
So, if you ever miss visiting a museum or you just want to absorb art or culture, STYLY is the app for you.
STYLY is an AR/VR platform designed to help you experience artwork through your smartphone, tablet, or VR headset. The app hosts over ten thousand exhibitions so that you can see art from artists around the world at the comfort of your home.
The “Invisible Art” exhibitions vary from artist to artist, but with the app, you can enjoy artworks in various forms, from music, fashion, video, and graphics.
- Twitch
(Image from https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/30/twitch-launches-a-rights-cleared-music-catalog-for-streamers-soundtrack-by-twitch/)
Whether you’re a former gamer who can’t find the energy or drive to play, or you’re looking for gaming tips and techniques from other gamers, Twitch is perfect for you.
Twitch is a live streaming and social gaming platform for gamers all over the globe. You can watch other gamers play your favorite games, from top-tier titles like Valorant and Overwatch, to smaller independent finds.
If you’re a gamer who wants a new hobby, you can even stream yourself!
Now, while Twitch is predominantly a gamer community, there are also other content creators that use the platform for music, cooking, mukbangs, and more.
The app provides a way for audiences and streamers to interact with its live chat feature. The platform also provides a way for streamers to earn money by giving audiences the option to donate. So, if you find a gamer you enjoy, show them some love!
To help you start, some of the highest paid Twitch streamers are xQcOW, NICKMERCS, and ibai. Other famous Twitch streamers are Zerkaa, Miniminter, Timthetatman, Pokimane and F1 driver, Lando Norris.
- Ruby – News and Reading
If you want a customizable news app that can seamlessly sync with literally all of your Apple devices, Ruby is the way to go.
With Ruby, you can choose the topics that appear on your home feed. So, if you want to avoid certain subjects, the app will let you do it. You can also change the country and language of the news you want to see.
The app also features bookmarks, so you can easily go back to the articles that you want to read again or later.
The best thing about Ruby is that it gives you all the content you want from your favorite news sites, but without all their annoying advertisements and clutter. Its straightforward design will make your reading more enjoyable.
However, one downside of the app is that it makes it easy to see “highlights” rather than the latest news. So, if you’re someone who just wants to read through headlines for pleasure and without the purpose of staying updated, this app is for you.
Productivity Apps
- Emphasis
One of the most effective productivity methods is the Pomodoro technique. It’s a strategy that involves breaking down your work in 25-minute intervals, split up by short breaks. Emphasis is an app that utilizes this technique to help you increase your productivity.
All you must do is to create a list of tasks, set a specific time where you’ll put all your focus into your work, and then start the timer.
Aside from acting as your personal Pomodoro timer, the app also lets you take notes and make checklists. Best of all, it provides analytics so you can track your performance and see where you can improve on.
Even the app’s design stays true to its goal into helping you achieve productivity. Its user interface has minimalist elements and is paired with straightforward features.
- Tiimo
If you are looking for a useful productivity app and have been wanting to support a cause at the same time, Tiimo is the app for you. The owners financially support their neurodivergent (persons with ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and others) partners and creators.
Visual information is more easily absorbed compared to written info for a lot of people. For that reason, Tiimo was created to feature visual tasks and reminders, designed to be helpful even for neurodivergent people.
Its key features include nudges (push notifications, vibration, and sound) halfway through and at the end of every activity. This is very useful, especially if you find yourself easily distracted in the middle of your work.
The app also has a joint-use function so you can use it with up to five family members. It also syncs with your iCal, and can be used seamlessly across your iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch.
- Habio
Maintaining a habit has never been as difficult since the pandemic started. Being isolated at home can set back your plans of starting a new project, celebrating an event, or even something as big as finding a house and lot for sale.
Do not worry, taking small steps toward your goals can still come a long way.
Habio helps you rebuild your habits and motivate you to slowly work on your goals. The app is basically designed with the help of mental health professionals for maximum effectiveness.
It features a simple interface that makes it easy for you to create your very first habit. It could be something as simple as drinking water or something harder like sticking to a workout routine. The app will then show you tips on how to build your chosen habit.
Another great feature of the app is its reward system that helps keep you motivated into keeping your habit going. Basically, after your routines, it gives you ideas on how to reward yourself. If you follow its suggestions, this can help activate your brain’s reward hormone called Dopamine.
BONUS App: Unwind — Mindful Breathing
Unwind is a breathing companion that helps you with mindful breathing.
Mindful breathing is one of the most basic elements of meditation that makes you focus on your breathing. This can significantly help you in reducing stress, lower heart rate and blood pressure, better manage symptoms of anxiety, and a whole lot more.
The app gives you three guided breathing exercises: one for starting your day, one for relaxing in the middle of the day, and one for sleeping better and faster. Background ambiances and ambient music help you achieve relaxation faster.
It also boasts a male and female voice prompt feature if you like closing your eyes during your breathing sessions. You can also check your stats so you can see your progress and set targets so you can build a daily routine.
Mobile Apps: Your Pandemic Support System
At the end of the day, it still all comes down to you and how you manage your stressors. All the apps we mentioned in this article are only support systems to assist you in coping with the pandemic. We hope that the apps in this list can help you achieve your goals, no matter how big or small.
If you want to get started on finding the house and lot of your dreams, you can reach us through our Contact page or book an appointment. We specialize in high-end real estate development, so we are here to provide you with the best quality life that you can enjoy with your family.
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