If you want to stop yourself scrolling for bad news, but you don’t want to disconnect from your devices, this is for you. A quick round up of apps and ideas from us for some good things to do with your phone.
Duo Lingo
Learn a language. Exercise your brain and get ready for the day when we’ll be able to leave our homes and see the world again.
Headspace
The original meditation app helps you look after yourself. From quick SOS meditations for when you really need a break, ambient music to help you focus and group meditations when you don’t want to feel alone.
BBC Sounds
Thousands of hours of music, comedy, documentaries, drama, sport at your fingertips. Tune in and be somewhere else.
Join Blocks
A relaxing puzzle game on your phone. The perfect way to unwind without completely shutting your brain off. A fun, classic and mildly addictive game to keep you engaged and challenged.
Calm
Music, soothing sounds and meditations to help you relax and sleep better. (And if you wake up in the night Matthew McConaughey will read you a bedtime story and all will be well.)
Olio
Share spare or surplus food with neighbours, because there’s no better way to feel good about yourself than to do something nice for someone else.
Hedira
Want to keep your new houseplant bebes happy and healthy but you don’t have the greenest of fingers? This is the app for you.
What? Surely not? But that’s the thing we’re trying to get away from, right? Well, whilst it’s true that endless doom scrolling has a negative impact on our mood, research shows that actively posting on social media helps us feel more connected and less anxious.
Justin Guitar
You know when somebody picks up a guitar at a party and starts strumming away and you think: I’d love to be able to do that. Or maybe you already play some, but want to get better. So Justin Guitar is right at your fingertips. Easily the best guitar tuition on the web, with a brilliant songbook, and practice app. Best of all it’s free.
Couch to 5K
Exercise is a great mood lifter, and if you want to start running, the couch to 5 K programme is the perfect place to start. Just download and go!
Take pictures
Use your phone’s camera to document this strange time. Find a focus – it could be signs of Spring emerging, or things you notice on your daily walk – and photograph them. If you want to share, you’ll find a like minded community on Instagram.
Words with Friends
The world’s most popular mobile word game, apparently. Can get competitive, and it’s way better for your state of mind than getting sucked into the bad news spiral.
Ring someone up
Controversial, but you could use your phone as a phone and talk to a friend. Real time conversation, no staring at your face on Zoom. It does actually work like that.
What do you think?