How to Use Your iPhone to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

December 29, 2014 11:11 AM EST

It’s almost New Year’s Day, which means it’s time for a new you (because the previous 365 days didn’t give you the opportunity to grow or change, apparently). But this time, you’re committed to making real progress, to reach your goals, and to make a difference in your life.

You can start by avoiding these resolution pitfalls, but if you need some help, turn to your iPhone. A supercomputer in the palm of your hands, it has the power to improve your life (when you’re not using it to play Clash of Clans, anyway).

If you doubt that, check out these five resolutions and the apps that can help you keep them.

Change Your Outlook

Admit it, the state of the world has turned you into a bit of a Scrooge lately. Well, you don’t need three ghosts to snap you out of it.

First, try chronicling the things you’re grateful for with Day One. This well-designed app can send you reminders every day to take some time to write a little something, and you can post pictures, location information and any other details you please.

Or perhaps helping those who are less fortunate than you is what you need to change your perspective. GiveGab is a social volunteering app that allows you to look for service opportunities nearby. The app also can log your volunteer hours, so you can set and meet your volunteering goals.

Learn Something New

Whether it’s because of financial reasons, grades, or the admissions board didn’t like your application essay, not everyone got to go to an Ivy League college. But anyone with an iPhone can get the equivalent education, for free, with iTunes U. Featuring academic lectures from the likes of Stanford and MIT, this app can teach you about everything from computer science to Civil War military history.

Likewise, Khan Academy will catch you up on all the things you missed in school. The free app is easy to navigate and can turn your lunch break into a lesson in art history, finance or chemistry.

And learning a new language will not only give you added skills, it’s also been demonstrated to improve your creative thinking. Free app Duolingo is an excellent way to start mastering Spanish, French, Italian or other popular languages.

Lose Weight And Get Fit

Everyone wants to lose weight, get fit, and feel healthier — it’s a goal so popular that countless industries hinge on it.

The latest version of iOS even includes a great free app to help you get moving. The Apple Health app can count your steps, track your weight, count your calories, and even pull data from all your other favorite fitness apps to keep track of all your efforts in one place.

But one thing Apple Health won’t give you is moral support, and for that PumpUp cannot be beat. An Instagram-like photo sharing app that lets other like-minded people cheer you on, PumpUp can also track your activity, whether it’s running or skiing, and can help you build custom workouts to get in better shape. Then, when you post your progress, you get cheered on by other PumpUp members, helping you to keep going strong.

Top 10 Tech Product Designs of 2014

**Nest** Acquired by Google in Jan. 2014, Nest Labs wants to turn your home into a smart device. The home automation system includes Internet-connected smoke detectors and thermostats, which have screens and chic, round designs — a huge design boost for devices that haven't really changed in recent decades. Aya Brackett—Nest

DJI Inspire 1 The latest DJI quadcopter retains the simple style that's made their drones so popular, but adds 4K video capability — and the ability to transmit the HD video wirelessly to an on-the-ground devices. A new ground-facing camera also allows Inspire 1 to fly steadily to keep the video footage clean. — **DJI Inspire 1** The latest DJI quadcopter retains the simple style that's made their drones so popular, but adds 4K video capability — and the ability to transmit the HD video wirelessly to an on-the-ground devices. A new ground-facing camera also allows Inspire 1 to fly steadily to keep the video footage clean.DJI

**iPhone 6 and 6 Plus** Bigger is better, or so the critics cried, calling for Apple to make a supersized phone. That was before Apple quieted them with the release of the iPhone 6 Plus in September, the company’s largest iPhone ever. With an alluring 5.5-inch display that makes it feel something like a portable iPad, the phone is is a challenge to Samsung’s larger models. Along with a powerful 8-megapixel camera and longer battery life, the phone is more a statement than an answer.Apple

**Osmo Tangram** Tired of seeing your kids staring at screens like zombies? This iPad game brings virtual play to life. A reflector equipped with artificial intelligence snaps over your iPad's camera and can sense when objects are moving (or being drawn) on a pad in front of it. Osmo comes with three games, all of which promote creativity and—because it’s best played in groups—social intelligence. The best way to understand how Osmo works is by watching the video of kids who have never played with the device before testing it out for the first time.Osmo

**Tesla 2014 Model S** Tesla 2014 Model S has been praised both for its luxury feel and high-tech interior. The electric car offers instantaneous acceleration from a stop, a function very few other cars on the market provide. Tesla

Jawbone's Up3 wristband — **Jawbone's UP3 Wristband** Depending on your view, Jawbone is on the road to making us all super fit athletes or brutally efficient cyborgs who operate by data alone. How many minutes of REM sleep did I get last night? What’s the difference between my heart rate while resting and during a workout? How hydrated am I? How many calories did I burn on my last run? Jawbone UP3 answers all those questions better than any other Jawbone did before. The $179 wearable fits on your wrist and comes in black and silver.Jawbone

**Square Stand** The iPad holder and credit card reader launched last year with the goal of transforming an iPad into a point-of-sale. The sleek, white stand also offers an enhanced credit card reader, and can be adapted to include a cash register.Square

**Nerf Rebelle Rapid Red Blaster** Last year, Nerf decided to even the battlefield and create a new line of guns, arrows and crossbows specifically for girls. The resulting Nerf Rebelle line takes a cue from the success of *The Hunger Games*: The box is covered with tweens styled like that series' hero, Katniss Everdeen.Hasbro

Oculus Rift Crescent Bay The latest Oculus Rift prototype, Crescent Bay, marks one step further before the commercial release of the virtual reality handset. Crescent Bay features upgrades like 360-degree head tracking, a lighter weight, and high-quality audio. Lucky participants in the demos recalled the mind-boggling immersion in the scenes they were watching. The consumer version, Oculus Rift, is expected to launch as early as April 2015. — **Oculus Rift Crescent Bay** The latest Oculus Rift prototype, Crescent Bay, marks one step further before the commercial release of the virtual reality handset. Crescent Bay features upgrades like 360-degree head tracking, a lighter weight, and high-quality audio. Lucky participants in the demos recalled the mind-boggling immersion in the scenes they were watching. The consumer version, Oculus Rift, is expected to launch as early as April 2015.Oculus VR

**Qualcomm WiPower** Sick of tangled phone charging cables? Qualcomm WiPower allows you to power up your phone without plugging it in — a function that, to most people, is basically magic. The wireless charging pad eliminates the fuss of power chords, while also allowing you to turn everyday furniture like tables and chairs into charging surfaces.Qualcomm

Quit Smoking

Kicking the nicotine addiction is hard, there’s no doubt about it, and listing off the countless reasons to quit doesn’t help either. But My Last Cigarette is a long-popular, habit-breaking program that claims to have helped thousands of now-non-smokers break free. Its $.99 iPhone app is tailored to the individual user, updating statistics in real time and calculating in advance when cravings should kick in.

Keeping quitters inspired with daily motivational quotes and medical facts, it’s a great way to stay vigilant — if the app’s “increase in life expectancy” calculator and “death toll since you quit” numbers somehow manage not to provide enough motivation.

Reduce Your Stress

In today’s non-stop, ever-connected world, it’s more important than ever to take some time with your thoughts. Mindfulness can help you to better manage stress, improve your blood pressure, and approach problems with a clear head.

Timers are great for doing this, and Equanimity, $4.99 in the App Store, is an excellent meditation minder, with app badges that count the number of days since you’ve last sat, a place to take notes about your sessions, and great, clean visuals to keep you calm, even when you peek at your phone.

If you’re new to meditation, Relax & Rest Guided Meditations provides guided recordings to help you control your breathing, block out distractions, and relax. Whether it’s for a quick, 5-minute centering session or a 24-minute whole body deep relaxation, this $1.99 app can help you reduce your stress.

How Your iPhone Can Help You Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

Top 10 Tech Product Designs of 2014

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