Hit those New Year’s resolutions with these powerful apps and programs.
New year, new you? Nah, no need. In 2026, it’s the same old you… just better. Fitter. Happier. More productive. Because instead of a major life overhaul, you’ll be putting your tech tools to good use, making small but significant changes that help you keep your New Year’s resolutions and achieve all your goals (and more!).
Here are 10 resolutions to get you started, plus some recommendations for apps and platforms to help you get the job done.
1. Get In Shape
Take a walk around the block. Join a Park Run. Cycle. Whatever you do, make sure it’s measured, so that you’re setting and beating your performance goals. Running/cycling app Strava will help you do that. Fuel that performance with focused gym time, powered by workout apps like Nike Training Club, FitOn, and the personal trainer’s favourite, Virtuagym.
2. Learn a Language
Quelle bonne idée! Expand your horizons (and make new friends) by learning some basic phrases in a foreign (or local) language. Kooluma is great for South African languages, Nkenne is excellent for pan-African languages, and the ever-popular Duolingo is the gold standard for international tongues.
3. Fix Your Digital Security
Sounds boring, but it’s the difference between Premium Adulting and Entry-level Getting Older. Protect your smartphone, laptop and other digital devices, and use a password manager like Bitwarden tokeep your passwords strong.
4. Focus
Stop chasing squirrels. Productivity apps like Forest will keep you on-task.
5. Sleep Better
The key to a good day is a good night’s rest. Calm and Headspace are the go-to apps for meditation and sleep, while Endel creates personalised sound environments to help you relax/sleep/focus/whatever.
6. Keep a Journal
Boost your memory, gratitude and all-round happiness by keeping track of your amazing life. Even the dull days are precious. Capture them in a journal app like Day One.
7. Get Organised
Okay, so we should have listed this one first. And we would have done it, too, if we’d used an all-in-one workspace app like Notion, which lets you take notes, manage projects, and more effectively stop, collaborate and listen.
8. Read More Books
Give your brain a break from all that streaming entertainment, and get lost in a good book. Goodreads (which is like Facebook for readers) will help with recommendations and reading lists, while Fable does the same, but even better. And if you’re really more into movies than books, then get on Letterboxd. It’ll unlock your inner movie buff.
9. Organise Your Finances
We can’t promise your riches, fortune or wealth untold… but we can help you get your budget in order. Vault22 is the new, glow-up version of the old 22seven, and it’s a great place to start. If you’re not loving that, try Goodbudget. Whatever you do, keep track of your income and spending. It’ll make a massive difference in the days leading up to payday.
10. Travel
If you get Number 9 and Number 2 right, you could be in for the big overseas (or cross-border) (or local) holiday you’ve been dreaming of. Get Been, and start listing the places you’ve been already – and then make a list of the places you’d like to visit.
For more great gadgets to aid you in your journey to a better you in 2026, check out the Vodacom shop for deals.
