Do you app?

I do love my smart phone. I don’t consider myself addicted to it, but anything that can make my life easier and more organised has got to be a plus right? Especially as I love a list, something about a list just makes me feel more organised. I’m not ashamed to admit that I have written a list just to cross everything off and revel in the satisfaction of completion.

And apps are a great way to do this. I have a shopping app from my grocery store (just scan the item, it’s added to my shopping list and voila, my shopping list is updated!), a banking app, UV levels for sun exposure, a diet app to record my food intake (this one is not always completed I must admit, sometimes it just seems more cumbersome than anything else), an app to give me ideas on what to cook for dinner, a money-tracking app to ‘help’ monitor spending habits, inspirational apps for daily inspiration and reflection, an app for traffic….mmm looks like I really have more apps than I ever knew I needed. Does it help? Do I feel more organised, healthier, in control of my money and more inspired?

To test this theory, I decided to not use any apps for 2 weeks. Cold turkey. At first I did miss these little distractions to my day. I like my 10am inspirational quote giving me something to ponder. It is easy to scan my shopping list. It can be helpful to know what the traffic is like to choose the best route. However, I have to admit that no, life without apps did not really change much at all. These little daily distractions and treats are nice to have, they’re a little bit of entertainment that comes easily, maybe a little too easily to really be valued.

So for now, I think I will indulge in a little app distraction. The small ways that these gadgets help me to organise my life is probably minimal but it’s enjoyable. Now, off to spin the wheel for dinner suggestions, enter my food intake for scrutiny, and see if I have enough money left according to my money tracker to actually buy it.

Do you find apps helpful or just a distraction?