New Year’s resolutions: How your smartphone can help you
Ah yes, the turn of the year. A time when millions of people rediscover their love for a healthier lifestyle. In the vast majority of cases, this love is short-lived. It doesn’t have to be. You already have a device in your pocket that can help you keep your New Year’s resolutions. In this article, we’ll introduce you to the best apps and give you tips and tricks to help you achieve the goals you’ve set for yourself.
Tips for your New Year’s resolutions
- Set yourself specific goals instead of general resolutions
The majority of resolutions fail because they are too general. «Exercise more», «smoke less» or «eat healthier»: they are far too generic. When do you want to exercise? When do you want to start eating healthier? What does a healthier diet look like for you? Instead, set yourself specific goals such as «do yoga once a week» or «one veggie day a week».
- Start small and build up
Another reason why New Year’s resolutions are not kept for long? Because you demand too much at once. Rome wasn’t built in a day either, it took Leonardo DiCaprio decades to win an Oscar for his cinematic achievements and even top athletes have only managed to win a medal through a lot of practice and perseverance. So you don’t have to complete a full marathon – just 10 minutes a day is a good starting point.
- Find like-minded people and spur each other on
Achieving goals is much easier if you have someone you can rely on – and who will spur you on to put your resolutions into practice. Maybe you have a friend who also wants to quit smoking. Or a partner who also wants to do more sport. Find like-minded people and spur each other on. Combine your goal with a stake that the loser has to pay at the end.
How your smartphone can help you with your resolutions
Resolution #1: Do more sport
No more Netflix and chill! More sports in the new year! But as we have already written above: Start small is the name of the game. Set yourself the goal of walking once a week – and with the fitness apps on this list, you won’t even have to pay expensive gym fees.
Get more exercise with a pedometer app
You’ve probably heard of the 10000 step challenge. Originally started as a marketing gag by a Japanese pedometer company, the 10,000 steps are considered a minimum daily goal for many people. There are now also scientific studies. Women who walked 4400 steps a day had a lower risk of dying than women who only walked 2700 steps. The statistical advantage could be increased up to a step count of 7500, all steps after that do not contribute to better health.
The operating systems now have their own pedometers on board that use the sensors in your smartphone. But if you want more functions, the following apps combine motivation with gamification elements.
| App name | iOS | Android |
| Google Fit | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Pacer | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Fitbit | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Pedometer – Pedometer | Not available for iOS | Download for Android |
| BatteryPedo Pedometer | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
Best fitness apps
It’s not always possible to go for long walks in the great outdoors. Sometimes you simply want or need to work out from home. A good way to do this is Apple Fitness. Here you can find our article on Apple’s fitness service. The only disadvantage compared to ordinary gyms: no one can check whether you are doing the workouts correctly. So don’t start at one hundred, but work your way up. Read more about the best fitness and sports app in this article.
| App name | iOS | Android |
| Nike Run Club | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Nike Training Club: Fitness | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Freeletics | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Asana Rebel:Yoga & Fitness | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Adidas Running: Run Tracker | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Adidas Training by Runtastic | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| PUMATRAC | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
Resolution #2: Healthier eating
Fitness and more sport is only one part of a better lifestyle. Nutrition is just as important. And let’s not kid ourselves: We all eat too unhealthy. Many of the apps mentioned above already include meal plans that you can use to support your fitness sessions. If you can do without the fitness and sports aspect, you will find apps in the following table that will help you eat better. Either because they have personalised recipes or track calories.
You don’t have to turn your entire meal plan upside down. As we wrote above: Start small! You can achieve a lot with just one meat-free day a week.
| App name | iOS | Android |
| MyFitnessPal | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Yazio | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Lifesum | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Eat Smarter! | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Freeletics Nutrition | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Kitchen Stories | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
Resolution #3: A more sustainable lifestyle
More and more people are declaring war on the consumer society. Fast fashion, throwaway items, disposable products: Fewer and fewer people want them. And that’s a good thing!
Tracking down hidden culprits with barcode scanners
You probably know that incredible amounts of precious rainforest are cleared every year for palm oil. But even supposedly «green» cosmetics can contain a whole host of environmentally harmful chemicals. And problematic ingredients can also be found in supposedly harmless foods, often hidden behind E-numbers. With a barcode scanner, you can track down these culprits and find out who and what is really in the products.
| App name | iOS | Android |
| Barcoo | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| ShoppingCHECK | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Yuka | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Buycott | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
Calculate your ecological footprint
How much CO2 do I actually consume with my lifestyle? A footprint calculator can provide answers. Here you can immediately see where you cause the most CO2 through your lifestyle and how you can reduce it. And this is sorely needed, because the Swiss live much more at the expense of the next generation than our German neighbors: in 2020, the so-called Earth Overshoot Day for Switzerland was already on 8 May. The Germans only reached this day on August 22.
Here you can find the footprint calculator from MyClimate
Here you can find the footprint calculator from Global Footprint Network
Sustainable smartphone use
There are many things you can do with your smartphone. For example, by charging the battery. You can find out how to save battery power here. And you can also find out what other measures you can take in our article on sustainable smartphone use.
Tip #1 Use your phone for as long as possible
Tip #2 Save your battery
Tip #3 Repair your cell phone instead of throwing it away
Tip #4 Give away your old smartphone
Tip #5 Donate your cell phone
Tip #6 Sell your smartphone
Tip #7 Save power on your cell phone
Tip #8 Buy so-called fairphones
Tip #9 Apps for a more sustainable lifestyle
Tip #10 Shop with alao
Resolution #4: Save more
The war in Ukraine and the coronavirus measures have had a huge impact on all sectors. There have been massive price increases across all sectors, which we have all felt in our wallets. The resolution to save more in the new year is therefore more than understandable. But where to start?
Check contracts and subscriptions
Quite simply: with current contracts and subscriptions. For reasons of convenience, many people are stuck in contracts that are far too expensive and outdated for too long. Go through everything rigorously, from insurance policies to electricity and energy providers to game and streaming subscriptions. Check whether you can get better conditions.
Tipp: Take out mobile and Internet subscriptions with alao 😉
You should also check your cell phone subscription: Many Swiss people pay far too much for their cell phone and Internet subscription. Five years ago, a Swiss flat rate on the best network cost around CHF 50. Today you can get it for CHF 25 and it also includes EU roaming. It’s best to take a look at our Subscription Finder, where you can choose the best subscription for you with just a few clicks and pay the lowest price from now on, guaranteed.
With alao you can easily change your subscription online in 5 minutes, we will take over the termination of your old contract and take your old phone number with you free of charge. If you have any questions or problems, you can talk to our customer support team at any time.
Install budgeting apps
An equally good resolution is to install a budgeting app. Good news: We give you an overview of the best budget apps in this article. Avoid nasty surprises at the end of the month.
| App name | iOS | Android |
| MoneyControl budget book | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| BudgetCH | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Wallet from Budgetbakers | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| My budget book | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| SayMoney | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
Resolution #5: Quit smoking
A classic among resolutions: Quit smoking. And we wouldn’t be alao if we couldn’t recommend a few apps to help you do just that. Each app on this list has different goals. Green Lungs, for example, shows you the progress you are making with a picture of a lung. QuitNow emphasizes the social component. But they all have one thing in common: they show you how much money you can save if you smoke less.
| App name | iOS | Android |
| Smoke Free Lite | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Kwit | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Green lung | Download for iOS | Not available for Android |
| QuitNow | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
Resolution #6: Digital detox: more time for yourself
Let’s be honest: it’s impossible not to use a computer or cell phone these days. The digital world catches up with us at work at the latest: emails need to be answered, chat messages sent to colleagues and documents edited.
Digital detox is therefore only possible in the private sphere. Digital fasting resets our senses and reduces our dependence on social media.
Limit your screen time and set app limits
The easiest way to disconnect from social media is to limit your screen time. iOS and Android have settings that you can use to set this. On iOS, this function is simply called «Screen Time», on Android «Digital Wellbeing». Not only can you find your total screen time in the respective apps here, but you can also set limits for these apps. What if you were only allowed to use the Instagram app for 10 minutes a day? Or not open it at all after a certain time? It’s worth a try.
Try meditation
More and more people are discovering the power of meditation for themselves. And quite rightly so, as the positive effects of regular meditation have been studied and proven many times over: Not only does meditating relax your muscles, but doing it regularly increases your resilience to negative influences (see stress) and your mental abilities. The following apps on this list will help you do this.
| App name | iOS | Android |
| Apple Fitness+ | Download for iOS | Not available for Android |
| Calm | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| 7Mind | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Headspace | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Breethe | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
Better sleep with sleep apps
You should also get some rest at night. Weighted blankets, sleep routines and darkened bedrooms have been proven to have a positive effect on your sleep. Avoid «doomscrolling» at night, i.e. reading negative news before going to bed. Don’t put your smartphone on the bed, but on the bedside table.
Sleep apps can also be a helpful aid. In this article, you will find the best sleep apps that can help you fall asleep or track your sleep.
| App name | iOS | Android |
| Calm | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Sleep Cycle | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Headspace | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| Pillow sleep tracker | Download for iOS | Not available for Android |
| Sleep as Android | Not available for iOS | Download for Android |
| Sleep Monitor | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
| SnoreLab | Download for iOS | Download for Android |
Conclusion: Don’t talk, do it!
With these tips, you’re now on the right page and can start implementing your New Year’s resolutions right away! And when you take out a cell phone subscription with alao, you can not only sit back and relax, but also save a lot. Thousands of customers appreciate the simple and uncomplicated subscription process at alao. And you can be one of them in just a few minutes!
