No matter what line of work you’re in, achieving better work-life balance is a common goal. A survey done by the Globe and Mail of more than 2,700 of their readers found that work was the biggest stressor for Canadians in 2014, beating out categories like family, money, and love life. A Globe survey with 7,300 respondents found that more than half of workers were overwhelmed trying to balance the demands of work with their personal lives.
So it’s not all that surprising that people try to remedy their imbalances. But as you may already know, achieving work-life balance can be harder than it may seem. After months, weeks, or even days, people begin to fall back into old habits.
To help with that, we’ve found five apps that can help you live a more balanced lifestyle.
ATracker – time management with just a tap.
Many cannot achieve work-life balance simply because they have trouble managing their time effectively. But with daily habits established, it can be difficult figuring out what to spend less time on and what to dedicate more time to. With ATracker you can set out your daily tasks and track how long you spend on each item. Using this tool, you can determine if you’re spending too much or too little time on certain tasks and adjust your schedule accordingly.
The app makes it simple, with one tap to start and stop time tracking. With the tool, one can track anything, from daily routine work to housekeeping tasks to hobbies.
Happier – an uplifting community.
In a 2017 report ranking 155 countries by happiness, Canada came in seventh place. And while that isn’t a bad place to rank, Canada did drop down a spot from sixth to seventh happiest country in the world between 2016 and 2017.
In 2017, a report ranking 155 countries by happiness placed Canada in seventh place.
Staying positive is a key component to maintaining balance in one’s life, as plenty of time and energy can be wasted focusing on the negatives. But sometimes staying positive is hard. We get caught up in our own personal problems and forget to be grateful for the blessings we do have. Happier, an app that was created by Nataly Kogan, is working to change that.
Through free courses that promote health and joy, and a community where members can share “moments” that brought them joy, the app works to create a positive environment. Much like Instagram or Facebook, users can share photos and post about happy moments in their life, and others can “smile” at their posts. The upbeat community on Happier may just be the perfect tool to lighten a lengthy commute or ease your stress after a rough day at work.
Mint – money management made easy.
While money was not the top concern for those surveyed by the Globe and Mail, worrying about the financial side of things can add to an already heavy stress load. On top of work and day-to-day life demands, keeping track of your finances can be hard and can ultimately take away time you could put towards work, family, or hobbies.
Mint, a financial management app, provides the perfect space to track all of your spending in one place, to ensure you don’t spend extra time stressing about your bank account. Users can link accounts and cards to track how much they’re spending and what they’re spending their money on. The app lets users create budgets, track bills, schedule payments, and check their credit score. It even offers suggestions based on your spending and budget.
Simply Yoga – yoga for those on the go.
When both the body and mind are relaxed, it’s much easier to focus at work and fully disconnect from the office while at home. Yoga is a great way to exercise, both physically and mentally. But for those weeks when work is just too busy and you don’t get a chance to grab your mat to hit up a local yoga class, Simply Yoga may be the answer.
Simply Yoga offers easy follow-along sessions that you can tackle while at home, or even in a hotel room while on a business trip. The workout sessions, which are offered in 20, 40, and 60 minute time intervals, offer more than 60 poses which are all demonstrated by a certified personal trainer. But don’t just take our word for it: Simply Yoga has been recommended by the Huffington Post and Business News Daily for those hoping to balance work and everyday life better.
Sleep Cycle – wake up at the right time.
Ensuring you get enough sleep is very important, not only for your health, but also for your productivity during the day. If you’re too tired from lack of sleep, and accomplish little at work, that can lead to longer work days and less time at home with your family or less time seeing your friends.
Bad sleeping habits can also lead to weight gain, increased rates of workplace accidents, problems staying focused, and higher likelihoods of catching a cold.
Sleep Cycle, an app endorsed by the New York Times, CNN, and the Guardian, tracks users’ duration and quality of sleep. It then creates a 30-minute window around a pre-set alarm. The app wakes the user within that 30-minute window during the lightest phase of their sleep, which is the natural waking point.
This blog is provided for information only and is not a substitute for professional advice. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information and will not be responsible for any loss arising out of reliance on the information.
