We live in a time where being busy is romanticised – from turning hobbies into side hustles and working out right after the party, there’s an unhealthy pressure to stay on the move. This has made self-care more important than ever, but usually pushed aside as a “buzzword” in another attempt to continue the grind – I mean, who has the time to sit down and meditate these days? Our idea of quiet alone time now consists of scrolling through our phones (unless we’re doing a TikTok dance, but that counts as exercising). So since we’re always on our phones, it makes sense for technology to takeover and help us stay balanced with the use of self-care apps. But what exactly are they? (Isn’t liking a few inspirational quotes on Instagram enough?)
Self-care apps are not a substitute for mental health care, they do not treat clinical conditions, but they do help to focus on improving your overall wellbeing from getting better sleep to breaking bad habits. These apps allow you to check in on yourself, giving you the much needed me-time because even you need undivided attention for yourself. Here are five self-care apps that can help you improve your quality of life – switch out the mindless scrolling for these mindful methods:
- Habits: Fabulous
Available on the App Store and Google Play
If you struggle with sticking to healthy habits, hop on Fabulous – an app that helps instil new routines into your life. By providing you with daily reminders, Fabulous will help you track your goals and provide you with the advice needed to build new habits. They also offer their own step-by-step programs, such as routines to make you feel more energised or lose weight.
- Journal: Grateful
Only available on the App Store
An easy introduction to journaling, Grateful helps you start your days with gratitude and end it with self-reflection. You don’t have to worry about what to write because the app provides you with daily prompts. It’s important to check in on yourself, and not just others, so instead of talking to yourself out loud (unless that’s your thang, then keep at it) – you’ll be able to comfortably (and quietly) write to yourself and effectively organise your thoughts.
- Meditate: Headspace
Available on the App Store and Google Play
Headspace is the most popular meditation app, once ranked as the highest quality mindfulness app in a study done by the peer-reviewed Journal of Medical Internet Research. With the intention to make meditation more acessible, Headspace shares guided meditations and reminders to help build the mindful habit – encouraging everyone to slow down and take a moment to breathe.
- Motivation: Motivate
Only available on the App Store
Get your daily dose of motivation in the form of notifications from Motivate – the app provides empowering quotes in the form of refreshing pop-ups that will make you feel better than seeing who liked your photo. You’ll also be able to browse through their library of motivational videos and playlists for a more powerful impact.
- Sleep: Calm
Available on the App Store and Google Play
The top app for sleep, Calm will help you ease your mind after a long, hectic day. The app helps improve your sleep quality, and essentially your quality of life, with the use guided meditations, relaxing stories, breathing exercises, good stretches and soulful music. They promise that when you sleep more – you’ll stress less and live better. Sounds like a deal!
These effective apps have made self-care even more easy and accessible. By downloading them, you’ll be able to slip your personal support system right into your pocket and pull it out whenever you feel overwhelmed – a remedy for stress and anxiety will be just a tap away!
Journaling will always be therapeutic, even as a thirteen-year-old writing “dear diary” followed by a fairly rude rant about how your parents won’t let you get a tattoo. It provides a safe space (lock included) for you to share your experiences and sit in the therapist’s chair as you reread your thoughts and feelings.
If 2020 has left you feeling overwhelmed – stressed from working at home, anxious about social distancing and saddened by the world news, journaling is a good place to let it all out Here’s how you can start:
- Download A Journal App
If you’re still not sold on writing things down – type it out. Since we’re always on our phones, self-care has become digital with mindful apps to make better use of your screen time. For beginners, we recommend downloading the journal apps Reflectly or Daylio. These make journaling super easy by asking you questions about your day, even encouraging you to use emojis – think of it as a judgement-free Facebook status.
- Follow Journal Prompts
Don’t know what to write? There are plenty of journal prompts available online to get the ball rolling. Usually in the form of questions, these short statements are set to inspire self-reflection. Here are a few to help you explore your definition of “self-love”:
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You can also sign up for our Self Care Club to receive weekly journal prompts!
- Practice Gratitude
For a more positive mindset, use your journal to list down what you’re grateful for. Do this daily and you’ll notice a shift in your perspective as you start seeing the glass half full rather than half empty. Not only will you experience less negative emotions, but by counting your blessings – you’ll become more satisfied with life too. Happy mind, happy life.
- Participate In Journal Challenges
Turn journaling into a habit by participating in journal challenges. These span from a week to a month with a list of helpful writing prompts for you to follow. Learn more about journaling from YouTuber, Lavendaire, and spread out her 30 prompts for self-discovery throughout the month:
By focusing on yourself for at least five minutes a day, you’ll be able to find solitude and clarity in the midst of a chaotic year. Writing down your emotions will make it easier for you to understand them and pinpoint the problem – allowing you to come up with healthier coping skills and better solutions. We should all strive to be more self-aware and accepting of ourselves, so pick up a pen and start journaling!
