3 motivational tools to help me rock 2014
December 26, 2013 5:48 PM   Subscribe

I want an app, a visual reminder & a sound track. 2014 is going to be my best year yet, and I need some tools to make it work.

iPhone app
So I want the app to count things for me, but the things I want to count. Ideally, if I was designing it, I would be able to put in a list of things: nicotine craving conquered, glass of water, 1000 steps, medication taken, chore done. Each of these would then be a button, when I accomplished any of them, I could open app, my buttons would be there, and I could press one, and at end of day, or week or month I could see how fucking awesomely I was doing! If there isn't one, a simple/easy alternative?

Visual reminder - if I can't see it- I forget it - even if its important to me. Job, study, goal etc. calendars and gantt chart. shopping list. morning routine, motivational sayings. handbag contents. I'm in rental accommodation which does not allow nails in wall. Not to mention that the walls are concrete. I've never had much luck with the stick on hooks (middle of night, 2 months after applying, light clock throws itself to ground) so sticking up whiteboard is not going to work. I've though of buying a piece of ply - say 1m x 2m (3 foot x 6 foot), leaning it against the wall, and nailing things like whiteboard, and cork board to it. But maybe you guys can think of something better. Please think of something better.

Thirdly, soundtrack - all genres. Covering themes like "it's my life", "I don't care what people think", "I can do anything", "take care of yourself - its the only way through - don't wait for someone to take care of you", "stop thinking so much & do something", "one step at a time", "its tough, but you can do it", "sure, everyone says stupid things - everyone already forgot the stupid thing you just said", "veges are yummier than booze", shit, you know what I mean. I need to believe in myself, and be fierce and stop looking outside of myself for validation. I do not want any music that uses abuse to motivate - like get off your arse, you lazy shit. And maybe even some stuff that helps me to connect and feel part of human race like REMs everybody hurts, Tanya David how to be alone (http://youtu.be/k7X7sZzSXYs), frank ze's chill out song.
posted by b33j to Health & Fitness (8 answers total) 48 users marked this as a favorite
 
Fitbit Force, The Checklist of Doom, and Billy Joel's classic My Life.
posted by Kakkerlak at 6:01 PM on December 26, 2013


App: nothing as cool as what you describe, but I use the Day One app to journal all that stuff. You can have it remind you to write and it doesn't have to intelligible to anyone but you. I use lots of abbreviations to track the kind of stuff you mention.

Soundtrack: Tim Finn "Couldn't Be Done" or Chantal Kreviazuk "This Year" are my "I can do it!" songs.
posted by cecic at 6:08 PM on December 26, 2013 [2 favorites]


Let Chic motivate that thing
posted by thelonius at 6:11 PM on December 26, 2013


I have a Fitbit Flex and LOVE it. The only reason I have it over the Force is because I like to change the wristband colors to match my outfits. Previously I had two different Ones and loved them too but kept losing them. (Side note: Fitbit' customer service is awesome. They sent me the second One for free after I lost the first.)

For the app, you want Habit List. Make a list of your goals and set custom time frames for each — like, every other day, 3 times a week, every Monday, etc. etc. Each day you get a list of things to do (or not to do — "don't drink soda is one of mine"). Each day you check off the ones you complete. If you have a habit with a time parameter like "once a week" and you complete it early in the week it won't show up again until it's due again. You can also put things on hold, like "walk the dog," if you're on vacation and they won't count against your goals.

Every day you get a report of how many of your to dos you did. You also get weekly and monthly reports for how successfully you completed each goal according to your own time frame parameters.

The best thing about Habit List is that you can set notifications for each goal (you can even set WHEN you get those notifications) to remind you to complete them. So, at the start of the day I get my reminder to drink 8 glasses of water, and at the end for the day I get my reminder to take my vitamins if I haven't already. If I HAVE taken my vitamins and marked that off my list, the reminder won't appear.
posted by Brittanie at 6:17 PM on December 26, 2013 [4 favorites]


Best answer: For the App: Lift

For your walls: showerboard makes for big, easy, cheap whiteboards.
posted by BrashTech at 6:27 PM on December 26, 2013


Soundtrack: "Shine", Rollins Band. My favorite musical kick in the pants.
"No such thing as spare time, no such thing as free time, no such thing as down time
all you got is life time... go!"
posted by EKStickland at 6:39 PM on December 26, 2013


Response by poster: I don't want reminders in an app - my google calendar will do that, and I just tend to ignore. I more want to note what I've done & when but without making a lot of effort - because oh look shiny lizard!
posted by b33j at 8:28 PM on December 26, 2013


Music:

Cat Stevens: If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out
Ben Lee: Whatever It Is (just do the thing)
English Beat: Ackee 1 2 3 (stop thinking and do something and also laugh)
Bobby McFerrin: Don't Worry, Be Happy (worrying just makes more trouble)

Maybe:
Nina Simone - Feeling Good (new day)
Innocence Mission: Bright As Yellow (unafraid, open, bright and warm)
The Beatles (or Siouxsie): Dear Prudence (another new day song, connectedness)
posted by moira at 9:45 AM on December 28, 2013 [1 favorite]


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