My Favorite Iphone Apps for the New Year!

The scariest thing that pops up on my phone is the ‘screen time’ alert. Seeing how much time I spend on my phone is simply terrifying- especially when I know for a fact that most of it is Tiktok, texting, Instagram, and Twitter. Falling into a doom-hole on those apps is so easy when you see the horrors of the world around you magnified in your echo-chamber of a timeline. There have been a few apps, though, that I have found myself using that actually leave me feeling better than I was when I started using them and create a better space for me on my phone. 

First, Breathwrk. It’s a breathing app, that’s literally that. Breathing. All you do is open the app, pick a breathing style, and go. You can go for as little as 40 seconds or as much as 5 minutes. There are tons of different ‘lessons’ you can do from one that gives you energy, one that relaxes you, one that you can use after you wake up or before you go to sleep. The best part is that it’s (mostly) free, with a premium option. I use the free version and it’s made a big difference. And it’s pretty fun! You develop a streak and can get different ‘levels’ the more breaths you take. Getting little ‘breathwrk’ reminders are really helpful for me to remember to slow down and just breathe- especially when I can get so caught up online in so many different apps and chaos. If your new year’s resolution was to slow down, breathe more, or be more intentional, Breathwrk is the app for you. 

Next, everyone’s talking about Peloton! Unfortunately, Peloton isn’t a free app, though it does have a two-month free trial. I use the Peloton app for almost every workout. When I still had an open gym by me, doing the treadmill workouts was so essential to my running improvement! But even though gyms are closed, I still do their Peloton outdoor runs. The outdoor audio runs have amazing playlists and it truly feels as though I am running with a good friend. The coaches are so funny and inspirational and they give so many options if you don’t want to run the whole thing or if you really want to push yourself. And if you’re not a runner, they have pilates workouts, yoga, strength training, stretching, and meditations. I love hopping onto a 10-minute ab workout or doing a yoga flow when I don’t feel like doing high impact cardio. And if you really love cycling and miss your SoulCycle studio (I know I do!) investing in the Peloton bike can be a real game-changer. 

Letterboxd has been HUGE for me right now. I am a big movie buff (hello, film major!), and this year my resolution has been to watch two great movies a week. Letterboxd is an app (and website) to help you organize which movies you’ve seen, which you want to see, and what people are raving about. You create lists, rate movies, and can connect with movie-watchers across the world to see what they think. I highly recommend downloading Letterboxd if you are interested in expanding your movie/tv show viewing experience and keeping track of things you want to see this upcoming year!

Finally, Qapital. Are you horrible at saving money? Do you wish that you just had something to keep track of your saving for you? Look no further, Qapital is an app that rounds up your purchases for your savings goals. It has a free trial (then it’s $7 a month), and has been so useful for me. I’ve actually been using it a while and it’s been perfect for when I have a trip, a concert ticket I want, or need to put away money for a rainy day. You can set up unique savings goals and have Qapital directly round up your purchases. There are tons of great options and tips for saving money and you can stop your savings goals at any time. The best part is it has direct transfers if you really need your savings cash right away. If you want to save more and be more economically conscious this year, Qapital is a great app for you. 

• applications
• finances
• fitness
• iphone
• meditation
• New Year’s