We are addicted to our cell phones. It’s okay to admit it. It’s the first step! My phone broke recently and I went 10 days without one.
Yes, I said 10 DAYS.
After the initial panic attack, I was able to get on with my life. In the first few days, I realized that a majority of the things I used my phone for, were relatively pointless. Constantly checking social media, screen shotting any and everything, and taking an unhealthy amount of Snapchats.
Of course, I am back to all of this now that I’m connected again, but I have made a conscious effort to also bring more constructive usage to it as well.
Every day on my commute to work from my Brooklyn abode, I see people spending their commute playing Candy Crush and watching Netflix. Now don’t get me wrong, after work I often need to decompress and a couple rounds of Subway Surfers typically does the trick, but to get my morning and brain off to a good working start, I tend to do something a little more constructive. Check out my suggestions for some apps to have on your phone for fun, relaxation, brain building and personal growth.
Reading App – If you are a bookworm like myself, this is perfect. Reading is coupled with a ton of benefits such as mental stimulation, vocabulary expansion, and improved analytical thinking skills. I use the Kindle App because I can sync whatever book I have on my tablet and read it during my commute to work, which often tends to be the only time I get to read anyway.
Brain Teaser App – If you are like me, you probably took or are taking some sort of language course. Well after 8 years of Spanish, I don’t really speak the language well anymore at all. I went from having full conversations to struggling to remember how to tell people where I’m from. Duolingo is a pretty cool app that lets you practice basically any language and track your progress. Though it is not necessarily a game, it feels like one.
Devotional App – I’ve had a daily devotional app for years and I am not proud to say, I only really opened it every now and again. It is called “Devotion”and at 7 am and 7 pm it sends a notification of a new scripture with a short explanation and critical thinking question.
Another favorite of mine is Daughters of the King. Each day it shares a mini lesson/testimony followed with a prayer. With women of all ages from all over submitting, it’s a great app to aid in your journey of becoming a Proverbs 31 kind of woman, ya know?
If you are on a journey to get closer to God like myself, both of these will prove to be extremely useful. It takes all of 10 minutes to read the daily devotionals and give them some thought. You can give a few minutes a day to study God’s word, don’t ya think?
News App – Mia, why do I need to read the news? It’s depressing and full of propaganda and lies anyway. Well cynic, I agree but knowing what is going on in the world around you is still very important.
Personal story that no one asked for but I’m going to share anyway time!
While a journalism major at Howard University, every week we had to take these DREADFUL news quizzes in which most of the class failed time and time again. One day we finally asked “WHY DO WE HAVE TO TAKE THESE?” The answer to that question has stuck with me and is the reason I spend a little bit of time each day checking the news.
My professor answered, “Because at any given time, you need to be able to hold an intelligent conversation with anyone about anything, and the only way to do that is to stay informed.”
With that being said, I also make sure to read what’s going on in my areas of interest as well. I’m an entertainment junkie so I am sure to read The Wrap and Variety as often as I check The Huffington Post and Washington Post. The News App on iPhones is awesome because you can tailor it to your interest.
Let me know if you decide to try any of these and if they are helpful to you and your journey!
Mia Nicholson 