The 10 apps I use the most in my life
Groundbreaking? I doubt it, but let's do it anyway.
Is anyone else just absolutely fascinated by the ways other people use their phone? Whether it’s leaving social media, how they organize their apps, what apps they’re actually using, how they sort photos, I am here for ALL OF IT. Maybe I’m just nosy, but even so, please give me all of the minuscule details of your life.
So that’s what I’m doing today. I wanted to share the 10 apps that I use constantly. There’s nothing revolutionary here and, in fact, after I made my list I thought about throwing in some other more FUN ones so that it was a more interesting list. But I decided to just be truthful. And please, I beg you, tell me in the comments what apps YOU use the most. Allow me to be nosy in your life, too.
The 10 apps I use the most in my life
Overcast - This is my preferred method of listening to podcasts. Though I will admit that I do also have the Apple podcast app because I find it easier to discover new shows there than I do on Overcast. I’ve tried switching to just Apple but there’s something about the simplicity of Overcast that I prefer when listening.
Spotify - We were Amazon Music people for a long time but a couple of years ago made the switch to Spotify. The thing I love most about it is how curated it can be to my tastes. I love turning on the DJ option while I’m working so it can just play music it thinks I’ll like, it’s super simple to share playlists (and make them together!) and I love the Daylist titles it comes up with. Plus, audiobooks!
Duolingo - I’m working on Day 64 of my streak in French and because I am someone who can’t let streaks die, I’ll probably have to continue doing this daily until my final breath. But, it’s been fun challenging my brain to do something different and even more fun to do it with Henry as he learns Italian!
Instagram - I’ve tried to quit Instagram, I really have. And I definitely use it less than I used to (my time per day using it is somewhere around an hour.) But it is the thing that I go to when I’m bored or just feel the urge to scroll. It’s the stories, man. They always get me. I rarely look at feed posts anymore - anyone else?
Substack - I love reading other Substacks and I’ve been trying to retrain my brain that when I have some time, instead of scrolling Instagram, I get on and read the Substack posts I have waiting for me. I love that there is bound to be a Substack out there, no matter the type of content I’m looking to view, and I love that it’s super simple to subscribe and read them until it is no longer for me. I have found though that I have to have a rotating amount of ones I’m paying for because it gets expensive very quickly.
Vocabulary - This is similar to why I use Duolingo - I love learning. This app is exactly what it sounds like, it teaches you new words. I don’t use it to quiz myself on the words, but I love having a widget set up on my home screen so that each time I open my phone, there’s a new word waiting for me.
StoryGraph - Because I’m a visual person, GoodReads has never been for me. But I love StoryGraph. I will admit that it is not quite as user friendly as it could be - but even so, it’s pretty, it’s woman-owned, and it does exactly what I need it to do, which is track my reading.
Libby - More reading with this library app. Because I’ve mostly stopped buying physical books, Libby has become even more important than it used to be. My holds are basically always maxed out on my cards and getting a notification that a book is ready for me to download feels like Christmas morning every time.
Pinterest - I feel like I’m going old school with this one, but I’ve rediscovered a love of Pinterest when I’m not using it for anything other than pure pleasure. I deleted my old profiles (which I mostly used for work purposes) and have since set it up to be only things that make me smile - from travel to style to reading to home design. This is another one that I try to use in lieu of opening up Instagram.
Lively - I am forever trying to understand my period and how I act in the days before and after it. And now that I’m 42 and entering perimenopause, I’m sure all of this is for nothing. But I really appreciate this app for telling me the point I’m at in my cycle, for suggesting the things that will make me feel better (food, movement, activities) during each phase, and for just being pretty. I like pretty things.
Notes:
Not listed here but definitely also two of the most used: Gmail and Slack for work purposes. But those are basically the MOST boring apps to talk about.
Yes, as you can see from the image up top, I keep all of my apps organized in various folders. I don’t understand people who just have their apps all willy-nilly on their phone screen. It gives me hives.
I don’t play games on my phone. At all. It’s a constant point of contention between me and my kids who want me to download something called Bloons TD 6. Pass.
A few more things…
I’m always deeply interested in people who leave social media for good, so you know I gobbled up this essay from
as soon as I saw it.And speaking of un-rotting our brains,
has 7 tips for us to do just that - and they’re actually simple.“How 2000s Culture Messed Us Up” by
- need I say more?If you’re looking for a one piece bathing suit that is cute/sexy and comes in really fun bright colors, might I introduce you to this one? I bought it in royal blue and hot pink.
And for a swim cover up, I bought this in the black and I feel so elegant when I wear it. And passed on the link to a friend who also loved it.
I use my Kindle app on my phone ALL THE TIME, even more than I use my actual Kindle! I always have a book with me! And, at work, when I'm trying to sneak in a few pages, people just think I'm reading a text message! I love my Kindle app!
First the Etsy Seller app, of course. Then Instagram, the Kindle app and I have 5 games I play pretty much every day, usually before bed. Jumbline2, Sudoku, Backgammon, Cribbage and YatzyAddict. Also I check my banking & credit card apps every day.