Go-to tech tools to help you reach your mental health goals

But what about your mental health?

Sure having a healthy, fit body can contribute to your overall wellbeing—but why aren’t there more trackers or apps out there to help you keep your mind healthy and fit? Believe it or not, there are! We’ll take a closer look at that and show you a few unique, go-to tech tools to help kickstart your mental health and wellness goals:

Yep, there’s an app for that.

Many tech companies have jumped on the mood tracker bandwagon and several others are providing valuable research when it comes to how technology like this can improve lives. While some of these wellness apps certainly offer benefits to help you cope with everything from anxiety to stress to depression and beyond (check out the American Psychiatric Associations’ app assessments!), there’s some worry regarding privacy issues. One study found that 80% of mobile health apps shared data with third parties. That’s not to say all these apps will do the same. But before you download, be sure to check out the app’s privacy policies to make sure your personal information doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.

Download a mental health journal.

For some, the idea of journaling may conjure up the image of a teenage girl sitting on a bean bag, scribbling away in her diary. The fact is, journaling is an effective way to deal with everything from anxiety, to stress, to illness and beyond. Not only is journaling good for your mental health, it’s been shown to improve your physical health, as well. For example, one study had asthma and rheumatoid arthritis patients write in a journal 20 minutes a day, for three consecutive days. Seventy-one participants were instructed to write about the stressful things in their lives; 36 had to write about their plans for the day. All of them showed improvement in their symptoms, but the ones who wrote about their stress had even better results. That said, you don’t need a diary and a pencil to get started. There are plenty of free online journaling templates that are just a click away. Store it on your cloud for easy access, anytime anywhere. No key required. Just lock it up in your online vault for added peace of mind.

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Use video chat to connect with family and friends—but don’t stop there!

So, just how important are relationships to mental health? An infamous Harvard study that observed a group of men for 75 years found that when it comes to happiness and health, people who maintain relationships with family, friends and the community are happier, healthier and live longer. That said, make time to meet up often with those you cherish, even if they’re not in the same time zone. Thanks to the advent of video chat, shared clouds and email calendars, setting aside time to stay connected with family and friends near and far has never been easier. There are some pretty cool family accounts out there that let you do it all in one place. But don’t settle for your run-of-the-mill video chat. Look for one with cool features that let you:

• Create your own groups and invite others for one-click access (e.g. Smith Family, Golf Buddies, BFFs, Softball Team, High School Friends, etc.)
• Schedule and organize regular video chats or events on your shared family calendar.
• Collaborate and share photos, videos and slideshows, as well as vacation, holiday and event-planning tools and more during your chat.
• Turn your group video call into a virtual shared environment using fun modes that let you create a café, resort, lounge or other virtual setting. You can also use custom backgrounds and live emojis to add to the party!

Get work stress under control with innovative, integrated features.

Your job can be a major source of stress. One study found that 83% of people say they’re stressed at work. Did you know some companies are integrating personal wellbeing tools right into your workspace? For example, Microsoft has embedded Teams with a series of wellness tools to address mental health issues. The experiences include:

• Emotional check-ins: These prompt you to select an emoji expressing how you’re feeling about your work day. The insights can help you spot certain patterns of behavior over time (Don’t worry. You’re the only one who can see the info!)
• Virtual commute: For those who work remotely, there’s even a “virtual commute” option that gives you back that extra time you used to have to reflect before and after workdays. Think of it as a way to prepare for the day ahead before “heading to work”, as well as a way to unwind before “coming home” to those family obligations.
• Meditation: Take advantage of guided meditation sessions to reduce stress and sharpen focus through Microsoft’s partnership with Headspace. You can schedule recurring time to meditate anytime throughout your workday or to help calm you before stressful events (e.g. important presentations, big sales pitches or annual reviews).
• Send praise (or maybe get some): This feature lets you show appreciation for others (from co-workers, to family and beyond), which means you may also be on the receiving end of some much-needed praise once in a while.
• Reminders to schedule breaks: Scheduling some “me time” before your calendar fills up with meetings and tasks will help you better prepare and reduce the risk of burnout.
• Personal productivity and wellbeing insights are also available in Outlook: Imagine starting your day with key insights and prompts—like opportunities to connect with others or, meetings you may want to prep for. They’re all compiled in a daily briefing email from Cortana.

Manage a major source of worry and anxiety: parenting!

If you’re a parent, you worry about your kids—a lot. In fact, a recent poll found parents spend about 37 hours a week doing exactly that. While that’s not likely to change anytime soon, using a family safety app may give you one less thing to worry about. A good one-and-done family app will let you manage screen time across your computers, as well as your family’s mobile and gaming devices. You should also be able to monitor how your kids are spending time online, plus limit the type of content they see, as well as how much time they spend on their screens. A good app will also offer location sharing and instant notifications (like when your teen arrives or leaves home, school or work) so you know everyone is where they need to be. Some even let you view driving reports.

The good news is: If you’re looking to get yourself into a healthier place mentally, there are a lot of tools out there you may—or may not—have known about. Whether it’s the more traditional methods like journaling and meditation that work for you—or you want to try out some of the newer technologies available—you’re sure to find the right fit for meeting your goals and achieving a better overall feeling of wellbeing.