Now that holiday festivities are over, it's time to focus on New Year's resolutions. Hopefully, you'll be one of the few who keep theirs.
A University of Scranton study found only eight percent of Americans who make resolutions stick to them. Three-fourths of people get through the first week, but fewer than half make it past six months.
The top resolution, as always, is getting in shape, followed by getting organized, saving money, enjoying life to its fullest, and staying fit. Others include helping others reach their dreams, quitting smoking, and spending more time with the family.
Following through on any of these may seem daunting, especially with a work schedule that leave little time for anything else. Thanks to the ever-growing mobile app market, achieving your goals doesn't mean having to compromise your resolutions.
Here are 8 of the best apps for completing New Year's resolutions.
Quit That! (iOS)
"Quit That!" almost works as a finance app in that it accumulates how much bad habits cost. Users can enter what they want to quit - whether it's quitting smoking or simply keeping in contact with an ex - and the app will start a clock.
Spark Recipes (iOS/ Android)
With over 500,000 recipes - healthy and somewhat unhealthy alike - Spark Recipes is an ideal app for making your meals nutritious and delicious. Those who aren't kitchen savvy yet can learn from step-by-step instructions, tips, and video demos.
Fitness Buddy (iOS/ Android)
Working out isn't just about lifting a barbell. "Fitness Buddy" guides you through different exercises that can be done with that barbell, many which work out different parts of your body. The app contains more than 85 professionally created workouts and over 300 general workouts that can be done anywhere from the gym to your living room.
MyFitnessPal (iOS/ Android)
"MyFitnessPal" may be the best, most cost-effective fitness app on the market. It does everything for you in terms of calculating calories, from giving you daily goals to updating you on how many more you can consume that day. Nearly every common food is listed because of other "MyFitnessPal" users who have similar goals.
Habitica (iOS/ Android)
"Habitica" almost feels like a Nintendo game, with its pixelated art and video game-esque interface. Users can customize their goals, and face consequences when they fail to meet them. Like a video game, you can earn rewards by either purchasing them or maintaining healthy habits.
Mint (iOS/ Android)
Track spending habits with an app that syncs up with bank accounts, credit cards, and loans to summarize where your paycheck is going. Mint breaks everything down by category in order to make savings opportunities clear.
Duolingo (iOS/ Android)
Learning a new language has never been easier. Duolingo gives easy-to-understand lessons in the form of playful exercises and quizzes. Lessons get more complex as you level up, but advancing is part of the fun.
Volunteer Finder (iOS)/ Volunteer Near You (Android)
What better way to help others than by finding volunteer opportunities near you. Both apps locate volunteer opportunities in the area based on your preference. The Android app is connected to VolunteerMatch.org.