Use the power of technology to get moving and motivated.
Trying new workout classes, drinking more water, leaping out of bed earlier—whatever your personal mission, there’s an app or gizmo that can help you stick with it.
1
For morning motivation
Wake up to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson shouting at you from The Rock Clock. The new alarm app (free; iTunes and Google Play) also sends you motivational videos recorded by the pro-wrestler-slash-actor. Feeling tough? You can get up at “Rock Time,” meaning your alarm will go off when his does. (Warning: He gets up really early.)
2
For managing time
The Goals function in the Google Calendar app (free; iTunes and Google Play) finds open slots in your schedule to squeeze in your goal (working out three times per week, say). Last-minute happy hour instead of spin class? Sorry, no excuses: If you cancel a session, Calendar will automatically reschedule it.
3
For monitoring your progress
Turn any FitBit into a health coach by syncing the band with Echo, Amazon’s hands-free speaker. The new feature lets you ask Echo’s voice assistant, Alexa, questions like “What’s my step count?” She’ll give a response along with a nudge. (“Take a walk, but don’t forget to stop and smell the roses.”)
4
For extra encouragement
Meet Moti—a gadget, out this fall, that gets increasingly excited the more you pursue your goal. Set it somewhere easy to spot (office desktop, dresser) and press the face each time you, for example, log your run. It lights up and makes noise the more consistent you are, and it turns red and beeps when you fall short.