Addicted to your phone? Use it to your advantage! 10 Apps I actually use to help with my ADHD & Anxiety

1. Calm

I am obsessed with this right now because it is REALLY helping me. I have started a new birth control pill and I am waiting for my body to adjust but I am going through hell. My anxiety is a la max which is essentially causing me to shut down and become depressed. This app helped me to realize that I was repeating to myself "I am depressed, I am depressed" which lead me to essentially freak out and try and find a way to "fix myself". Now, I am trying to reframe my thoughts. Rather than saying "I am depressed", I am now saying "oh, there's the depression feelings. Just keep going with your day." Or, just keep swimming as Dory would say!

I am really loving the "7 days of calming anxiety". It is really making me think and flip my thoughts positively!

2. Podcasts

This is where I am getting a lot of my ADHD information. I think that it is worth mentioning that these podcasts are the only way that I can get myself on the elliptical in the morning. The time passes by SO FAST when I am listening to a podcast. Without the podcasts, 2 minutes on the elliptical feels like an eternity. Here are the podcasts that I follow:

  • ADHD reWired with Eric Tivers
  • Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast
  • More Attention, Less Deficit
  • The Faster Than Normal Podcast: ADD | ADHD | Health 
  • Distraction with Dr. Ned Hallowell
  • ADHD Experts
  • TEDTalks Health
  • Hidden Brain



I really like Hidden Brain as a non-adhd podcast. Do you have podcasts that you listen to? Comment below! :) 

3. Goodreads


This app helps me to make lists of books that I have read and want to read. Goodreads also recommends books that I may like. You can add your bookworm friends and see what they are reading and also see their list of books to get ideas. I love it! 







4. Splitwise

Splitwise is amazing for organizing your money between friends, couples, etc. When I was living in an apartment and had a roommate, we would split all of our bills using Splitwise. It was so simple and it gave me peace of mind knowing that I did not owe her any money because we would enter example "hydro" the moment that we got the bill. Splitwise also kept a record of bills that we had already entered! This made it simple to look back and see if I had entered example: the Videotron bill for January. 

5. Yelp
I love food! I also love trying new restaurants. To be honest, I am almost always disappointed when I try a new restaurant. One of my biggest pet peeves is going to a restaurant and knowing that I can make a better plate and spending a minimum of $30. What a total waste of money! Yelp is really helpful because you can see reviews from other people. ALSO, and this is a big one for my ADHD brain, you can create lists for yourself! Example: I have a list of "Wine Bars". This is so helpful because if I am the mood for a wine bar, I can take a look at the list that I have already created and go to the wine bar that best fits my needs (mostly based on location). Usually, deciding to go out for a drink or a meal is decided last minute. That's why my yelp lists are so helpful :) 

6. Tip Calculator

I don't know about you, but I am terrible at math! I usually pay by card (like most of us). But there are times when I would really like to leave all my bank cards at home! Talk about saving money from overspending! Saving money is great and all but this leaves me in a state of anxiety because...well, math! If I am paying with cash, I will need to mentally calculate my tip. Fear not! Tip calculator was created for that very reason! Simply enter the amount of your bill and then say how much you would like your tip to be and VOILA, your tip is calculated! There is an added bonus: splitting the bill with friends? There is also a feature where you can do just that! I really love tip calculator. I don't use it too often, but it's nice to know that it is there! 

7. Timer +

Timer + is another great app! If you need multiple timers, as usually us ADHD-ers do, Timer + is great! I attempted a business a few years ago cooking meals. This app was amazing for keeping track of multiple things in the oven, in the fridge/freezer (to cool down) and in our sous vide machine. 

This timer could also be used to keep track of your daily routines! It may be a little bit complicated to set up at first but you could set up all the timers from the moment that you get up:

  • "10 minutes into waking up, you need to get dressed"
  • "15 minutes into waking up, you need to start to get breakfast ready"
  • "25 minutes into waking up, you need to start making lunch"
You get the idea. There will be at least one way to get yourself organized in the morning. Finding the way that works for you is out there! It just may take time, effort, and trying many ways that don't work for you until you find your way! 

8. RBC Mobile 
I think this one is pretty self-explanatory! I need to pay my visa, deposit checks, transfer money, etc. This app helps me to get it done! 









9. P Tracker Lite 
For us ladies, this app can be super helpful. I went to the doctor the other day and I had to explain to her when I got my last period bla bla bla. I NEVER remember this stuff. You can also track your symptoms. This helped me to figure out that I have little "episodes" before my periods. I think that it's PMDD but I have never officially been diagnosed. 









10. Varage Sale 

 Varagesale may not seem like it should fit into the category of "help my ADHD". That said, for me it does! I often have these huge creative ideas that require little nik nacks. As an example, I am working with someone and we are running a support group. I love adding all the little details and creative touches that most people wouldn't bother with. Guess what I found on varagesale?! Name tags! And not just sticker name tags to annoyingly put on your shirt. These name tags are the clear plastic ones that hang around your neck. I am going to get 30 name tags for $1. Before finding these, I was plastifying cue cards! These name tags will be a timesaver and they fit the exact criteria of what I wanted! I also love using Varagesale to buy clothes. A lot of people find this gross but all you have to do is wash the clothes!

All that said, please be careful! When I first downloaded Varagesale, I was obsessed, wasted a ton of my time and was driving all over the place! To be fair, my friend and I were moving into a new apartment and needed to fully furnish it. I even ended up getting some free gorgeous wood furniture out of it because I was so hooked and would see offers when they would first appear. My word of caution is to decide how much time you want to spend on Varagesale BEFORE you download it and limit yourself to that predetermined time. I'm telling you now, it's not going to be easy!    

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