9 Free Apps To Change Your Life (UPDATED 2022)
An average of 1,060 new apps are released on the iOS Apple App Store every day.
Read that again.
E-V-E-R-Y D-A-Y.
With apps being invented for literally everything and anything, odds are, if you’ve thought about it, there’s an app for it. If you’re willing to try something else besides Instagram and Youtube, this one’s for you.
In the following blog post, I share the apps I use on a daily basis for my personal & professional development. Let’s get started!
Professional/Skill Development
1) Duolingo
Duolingo is a language-learning app which allows you to learn 19 distinct languages. The app offers a simple and fun way to learn whilst using gamification tools such as streaks, hearts (symbolising lives) and leaderboards to make it an entertaining experience. Many of you who know me personally are aware that I started speaking Dutch relatively quickly after moving to Amsterdam and I have Duolingo to thank for this accomplishment. I am currently learning German and on a 46-day streak!
If you do decide to jump on the language-learning train and wish to become a polyglot, feel free to add me as a friend on the app. My ID is: YoussefSro2.
2) Mimo
Similarly to Duolingo, Mimo is an app that teaches you computer programming in a gamified manner. On the app, you’re able to decide between learning Python, SQL and/or Web Development (using HTML, CSS, then Javascript). Do these words sound like mumbo jumbo to you? Give it a shot! Who knows, you might actually enjoy learning how to code. Mimo has also partnered with Iron Hack, a 9-week bootcamp in either web development, data analytics or cybersecurity boasting an 80% graduate hiring rate at companies such as Visa, Google and Accenture. Personally, although I doubt I will pursue a career in tech, I think coding is a great skill to have in your arsenal as it improves your digital literacy, problem-solving skills, promotes creativity and looks great on your resume! I am currently learning Python and on a 23-day streak. As adding friends on the app is slightly more complicated, make sure to send me a private message and I can send you my personal link.
3) LinkedIn Learning
If you’re a student, please check if your university offers access to LinkedIn Learning for free (my university does) as this platform is truly a gold mine of information. The company helps you develop your business, tech and creative skills with a massive 5000 expert-led courses made readily available to you. If you follow such courses alongside your degree, you’re allowing yourself to become an extremely competitive candidate post-graduation as your learning has overcome the boundaries of the teachings inside the classroom. You become a beacon for knowledge and the pupil of the best teachers all across the globe which has immense value. The abundance of variety in courses across the platform allows you to follow the ones that actually interest you, which means you’re always learning about subjects you genuinely want to know more about. I cannot stress the value of e-learning enough, seriously guys, pick a course and do it! You’ll even get a certificate at the end and you can add it to your LinkedIn profile which makes your professional profile much more noteworthy. As for myself, I am currently brushing up on my excel skills and currently following a course on the ins & outs of becoming a financial analyst.
4) Forage
While we’re on the topic of e-learning, Forage is yet another platform where top companies provide free open-access virtual experiences to students & professionals wishing to get an inside view of what it’s like to work at such corporations. The tasks, although condensed and simplified (most courses are between 5–6 hours) are surprisingly similar to those you would undertake at an internship. The unique value proposition of Forage is most certainly its impressive portfolio of prestigious companies with the likes of Goldman Sachs, Accenture, KPMG or even PwC all offering virtual experiences on the platform. Personally, I recently completed programs offered by BCG (Boston Consultancy Group) and J.P. Morgan in strategic consulting & investment banking respectively. These were great learning experiences and I recommend both virtual experiences as well as the platform itself to all who wish to see what practical tasks are associated with a certain career.
5) Binance Academy
For all the crypto lovers out there, Binance Academy is a great educational platform. Although I don’t actually trade on Binance itself, I’ve used their academy to learn more about blockchain, the metaverse, NFTs, smart contracts and so much more. They keep adding new courses and more material on a regular basis, which is of high quality and easily digestible. They even have an “Earn & Learn” program which rewards users with free tokens after they complete short courses, such as reading specific blockchain and cryptocurrencies related articles.
Find out more here: https://academy.binance.com/en
Personal Development
6) Cold Shower Therapy
Switching gears slightly, the following app is dedicated to helping you with building the habit of taking daily cold showers. It’s super simple to use and starts a 5-minute timer at every usage. The app keeps track of how many days you’ve taken cold showers, your current streak and also has a global leaderboard. Joel Runyon describes the Cold Shower Therapy Challenge as the fastest way to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. You can find the following quote on the about section of his app,
“If you can’t do something uncomfortable and difficult for 5 minutes in the shower, how the hell are you going to do something uncomfortable or difficult in real life?”
I’m currently on a 20-day streak and still going strong!
7) Balance
Meditation is yet another daily habit that I’ve created for myself and my companion since then has been Balance. The app really takes you by the hand and slowly introduces you to the world of meditation in as little as 5 minutes a day, if desired. The app offers guided recordings and asks you questions before every session and tailors the meditation based on your answers and experience. Additionally, you can choose to focus on certain skills you wish to improve through meditation such as focus or awareness, amongst other things. Personally, I’ve now meditated for an accumulated total of almost 6 hours and expect to increase my daily meditation sessions to 15 minutes a day. Balance is currently offering a free 1-year subscription and is a great app for people who have always been curious about meditation and don’t really know where to start.
8) Rumie-Learn
“Rumie is an open community of motivated learners, thousands of amazing volunteers, a technology ecosystem but also a nonprofit.”
This is one of my favourite discoveries of the year. Founded by Blackstone’s ex-Chief Sustainability Officer, Tariq Fancy, I like to think of Rumie as Medium & Coursera having a baby. It’s such a cute platform and all their bite-sized content is available for free. What makes it different from other online learning platforms is the type of content it delivers. There’s amazing Gen-Z, tech-savvy courses such as “Making a TikTok Resume” but also content related to relationships & mental health like, “How To Help a Friend Suffering From Depression”. If I'm looking for quick tips but I don’t want a 2-hour paid course or a random Youtube video, Rumie is my go-to!
Check them out here: https://learn.rumie.org/jR
9) Spotify (Audiobook Earth)
Last but not least, there’s a specific account called Audiobook Earth (click here for the link) which offers a wide variety of bestsellers as audiobooks on Spotify. If it’s hard for you to find the time to read a book, switch from music to audiobooks during your downtime. I’ve gone through a full 2-hour reading of The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles on a plane ride from Casablanca to Amsterdam. Just like that, you’ve just listened to an entire book and if you were paying attention, probably learnt a thing or two (or hopefully more) from it. I’ve listened to 4 books already in the last month and this has really provided me with insightful information I will most likely keep for life. Some books you’ll find on the channel:
· Leaders eat Last by Simon Sinek
· The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris
· The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck by Mark Manson
· Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
· Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill
The best part: it’s all free! So what are you waiting for?
That was it! We’ve reached the end of this post and I hope you’ve found something for you. Let me know in the comments what you thought and which app you’re interested in.
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated or sponsored by any of these companies.