After routine triggers and paper reminders, the next habit-building approach is the most obviously digital one: use an app to help the habit stick.
Habits Week 3: Habit Apps
If you regularly use a smartphone or tablet, a habit app can remind you to do something important on a regular basis. These apps give you a way to define a behavior, track progress, and maintain a consistent pattern over time. Many also lean on gamification to make the process more engaging.
The basic structure is simple. Define a habit such as Sort 10 photos, choose how often you want to do it, and then mark it off each time you follow through.
On its own, that sounds pretty plain. The reason these apps can work is that they usually add reminders, streak tracking, trend views, or accountability features that keep the habit in front of you.
One example is Beeminder, which raises the stakes by charging real money when you miss a goal. That's certainly one way to stay motivated.
At the gentler end, Polar Habits takes a different approach by tracking your progress as a trend instead of an all-or-nothing streak that resets after one mistake.
If neither of those feels right, there are plenty of other options. This list of habit-tracking apps is a decent starting point.
One important caveat: if your phone already overwhelms you with vibrations, dings, and beeps, adding another app may do more harm than good. Before adding a new habit app, it may be wiser to tame your notifications so your attention isn't already maxed out.
Used well, a habit app can provide useful structure and motivation. Used poorly, it can become one more noisy system demanding attention. The right choice depends less on features and more on whether the app genuinely helps you follow through.