The world is at our finger tips these days. That can be bad – Like having trouble unplugging from our social media world (I struggle with this!) or it can be good – Utilizing tools that simplify our life just a little bit to make time for LIFE.
I have a few apps that have been useful to me!
1. Paypal – This helps me keep track of money going in and coming out. This is important. VMP isn’t a hobby. I think sometimes we business owners who truly enjoy our job can forget that!
2. Etsy – I LOVE being able to see prayer journal sales all in one place. This tracks how many journals have been ordered today, yesterday, this week or this month. It’s been so helpful to follow trends and to see a consistent pattern and to know how many to prepare to ship each week. Also, if I have my sound on (it’s normally just on vibrate) it has a cute little “cha-ching” sound when an order is placed!
3. Evernote – I keep EVERYTHING in Evernote. Post ideas, photos of inspiration. Having them at my fingertips when my computer is not handy is soo…handy. ; )
4. Things – This is where I dump all the things that come to mind while I’m out and about, or even just on the couch. I can get them out of my head without going to my office to write down things so I don’t forget. There is an inbox where I put everything down and then because it syncs to my computer, I can organize things in proper areas or projects when I am at my desk. 5. Cartwheel – This is the Target coupon app! My friend Cassie introduced me to it and I have fallen in love with it. I would love to be a couponing gal but I just can’t get into it. This app allows you to search products you are buying to see if they have a coupon. If they do, you can add it to your coupons. When you check out, you let the cashier scan a barcode on the app and that’s it! You aren’t going to save a million dollars but every little bit helps!
6. Mint – I just started using this after Amber recommended it and I LOVE it! I spent so much time updating our expenses before and this has made things so easy. Having the app means I can see how we are doing without having to pull out the computer to just get a quick glance at the numbers. This means I’ve had better tabs on our spending and can control it a bit more.
7. The Wonder Weeks – So, babies go through growth spurts (or wonder weeks) ALL the time!! It’s really insane. This app helps me track when to expect fussier times for Vivi and even tells me what she’s learning during each growth spurt. We are currently in one and my handy app tells me we’ve got about 9 days left (an estimate of course!) This has helped me to not go through my usual “What’s wrong with Vivi?” “She’s acting so weird.” “When will it end?” “What should I do?” …. the list goes on. ; ) Now I just know to roll with it. There is a reason and purpose and knowing that seems to help me just relax and not try to spin my wheels figuring out what went wrong.
8. FaceTime – I never really used FaceTime before Vivi arrived but her sweet Nanzy (Aunt Natalie) requests FaceTime virtually every morning. Vivi loves it and lights up when she hears her voice and Nanzy can get her Vivi fix even when she’s got a cold or far away! 9. Bible – Having a Bible at my fingertips all the time is so great! Sometimes, I just need to hear some truth to give me strength and a positive attitude instead of the lies I tell myself. It centers me and keeps me focused on what’s important. I love saving notes for different topics. This morning, after a long night with Vivi, I read my note with verses called NEW DAY.
10. Sworkit – Hitting the gym is next to impossible these days. This app has you pick what muscle group you’d like to work out. Then you put in how much time you want to work out. What’s cool about this app, unlike P90X, is that the intervals start as low as 5 MINUTES! Throughout my day, I can get 30 minutes in with just a few purposeful breaks in my day. Once I pick the time, it shows me the exercise to do and even includes a timer so I know how long to go for (and believe me, it’s longer than you were planning) and tells you when to switch.
11. Lose It! – It’s been a long while since I’ve been concerned with how much food I eat between pregnancy and now nursing. I feel like I give myself a free pass to eat an insane amount of food because I need it for Vivi! Not me, I promise! ; ) The truth is, once I started tracking my calories with the Lose It app, I realized I was eating for two adults, not one adult and a 12 lb baby. I don’t track every day but it helps me get a realistic picture of my food intake and reminds me to be a little more conscious of things.
12. Kindle – Ah! Reading is my little happy place, so I definitely consider it a part of my wellness. Having books at my fingertips when I’m waiting somewhere or nursing is so nourishing for me.
Ok, now I’d love to hear your favorite apps? What have I missed?? How do you make sure your phone is working for you (saving you time) and not against you (Facebook grazing)?
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