16 self-care apps you can find right on your device!
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Even though our self-care needs should usually be met offline, you can’t deny that our smartphones are a part of our lives.
Sometimes you need to embrace the technology and use an app for your self care.
With that thought in mind, I’m sharing a list of apps that you can download today to help with your relaxation and self-love. And, since self -care is very individual to each of us, I’m dividing these 16 apps into different categories.
Journaling
Daylio reminds me of a habit tracker in a bullet journal. Every day you’re sent a reminder to track your mood and what activities you’ve been doing that day. With continuous posting, you’ll be able to see trends in your moods and look for trends or patterns.
Reflecty is really similar to Daylio in regards to the mood and activity tracking, but with the addition of actually being able to write a bit in more of a traditional journaling format.
Communication
Voxer is promoted as a virtual walkie-talkie, but the caller can send recorded-voice messages, perfect for sending quick, or not-so-quick thoughts to your friends and family.
Just like Voxer, the Marco Polo app also allows you to send prerecorded messages, but on video!
Creating
Brainsparker’s free app uses words, images, and questions to spark new ideas whenever you’re stuck and need a little inspiration.
Once you’ve found your next big idea, Tayasui Sketches is the place where you can draw whatever is in your head. I love the watercolor brushes in this app – so realistic!
Adult coloring books have been trending as a form of relaxation for a while now. And Colorfy is rated as one of the best coloring book apps. I like it because you can add color to their included pictures and patterns or draw your own and then upload it.
List-making
For me, list-making is a form of self-care. It allows me to empty my brain of all the noise caused by things that I have to remember to do or take care of.
Evernote is the app I use most for this. It’s easy to organize and I really like how I can save photos or webpages right to the folder of my choosing.
Similar to Evernote, Trello is another list-making app that is perfect for brain dumping. Trello used what they call boards and cards for all your projects and to-dos. I’m not really well-versed in Trello, but I hear it can be great for team or group projects too!
Exercise
If you’re a yoga fan like I am, Down Dog is one of the most user-friendly and customizable yoga apps that I’ve found. You can even choose the voice of your instructor!
Charity Miles is an app that I find really interesting. Corporate sponsors donate a portion of their advertising dollars to charities based on how many miles you run. There are more than 40 charities to choose from. My husband is a runner and I’ve got to get him into this one!
Positive Actions
If doing good deeds for others fills your cup, check out the Great Kindness Challenge. There are 2 versions of this app, one for students and one for families. A checklist of 50 acts of kindness to promote unity and respect for others.
I love the idea behind the Acts of Service app. You can find volunteer opportunities and sign up right through the app. Unfortunately, there are no listings in my area so I couldn’t give this one a try, but it might work better for those in a more densely populated area or a city.
Meditating
Voted one of the best apps of 2018 by Apple, Shine is a very well-known meditation app. It offers over 400 meditations on a variety of topics, a space to use as a gratitude journal, and also a daily 8:30 am empowering pep talk with a link to their Daily Shine,
Self-Improvement
The app Fabulous aims to encourage the user to start new healthy habits, like drinking more water or sleeping better. The activities and advice are easy to follow and get amazing reviews, but there is a yearly price tag that’s pretty pricey.
Happify is one of my new favorite places to go when I really need a boost. The creators offer science-backed activities to grow positivity and reduce stress.
This is just a start!
There are many more self-care apps out there and more are coming every day.
So, if you’re looking for a little extra time for yourself, take a look around your app store and see if there’s an app for your favorite type of self-care!
And, if you have any favorites, drop them in the comments below!
