IN celebration of Father’s Day, here are some awesome apps for all fathers out there. Although there are some cool apps that are available either on iPhones solely or for Android phones alone, we’ve decided to feature only those apps that are available for both iPhones and Android phones.
WHO’S YOUR DADDY?
If you’re not yet a father but about to become one, this is the app for you. Consider it a first-time dad’s pregnancy guide. This fully-customisable app uses humour and language you won’t need a medical dictionary to decipher, to guide you through the daunting nine months of pregnancy (yes, pregnancy can be stressful for men too).
Written for men by men – with advice from midwives – this app guides first-time dads through the pregnancy period with simple daily tips and weekly updates.
There are 290 daily tips telling you what to do and what not to do during the pregnancy period. There are also 42 personalised weekly updates for you, your spouse and your baby.
The app has a timeline feature with all the key dates that you can add to your calendar. It also has a bunch of useful tools like a contraction counter, hospital bag checklist, to-do-list and even a potential baby name list. Everything you need as a father-to-be!
COUCH TO 5K
It’s well known that once a man gets married and becomes a family man, it’s very easy to become a couch potato. This app will help you get back to fitness through jogging. It doesn’t matter if you weren’t much of a jogger before. This app offers an easy-to-follow programme perfect for those new to running and need some extra support and motivation along the way.
It features a choice of five personalities to support and motivate you at every step of the way, from broadcaster and former Olympian Michael Johnson, comedians Sarah Millican and Sanjeev Kohli, BBC presenter Jo Whiley, and the app’s very own Laura, who have now helped millions of people to start their own running journeys.
Couch to 5K features include a countdown timer so you can see how long you’ve got left of each run. It works alongside your preferred music player, automatically dipping volumes when your trainer speaks. It also lets you track your progress and awards progress as you move through the programme. Best of all, it allows you to go at your own pace. You can rerun some of the sessions if you wish or skip to something more challenging
EASY MEALS
Eating well can be a problem for busy dads. Especially if mum is busy at work too. If you don’t want to eat out all the time, this app is for you. In it, you’ll find healthy, delicious, easy meal ideas. Sometimes it’s hard to know what to prepare or think of new meal ideas. Remembering ingredients and keeping track of calories can be a hassle. This app helps you to do all of this and more.
There are over 150 easy, calorie-counted for breakfast, lunch and evening meals. You can save recipes for easy access later and you can track what you need with the handy shopping list. There’s also lots of information to help you become food smart, so you can make healthier eating choices.
THRIVE
Being a father can be stressful at times. This app helps you manage stress, anxiety and other related conditions. You can use it to relax before a stressful situation or as part of your regular routine. It helps you monitor your mood and teaches you relaxation techniques such as meditation and deep muscle relaxation that have shown to help people cope better with stressful situations. It also has a thought-trainer programme based on cognitive behavioural therapy to help you manage those negative thoughts.
The app features a Mood Meter that’s a confidential platform to track your mood, emotions and the situation you find yourself in. The app can then help you think positively about a certain aspect of the situation and reminding you what you did on a specific day to make you feel good.
PZIZZ
The last piece of the puzzle towards becoming healthy physically, mentally and emotionally, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep. This app aims to help you stop your mind racing, get to sleep, stay asleep and wake up refreshed. Using the latest clinical research, the app's patented system plays you "dreamscapes"— a sleep-optimised mix of music, voiceover, and sound effects that change each night.
Unlike many other sleep solutions, you don’t have to change your behaviour, keep a sleep diary or limit your activities. It’s super easy. All you have to do is listen to Pzizz. Every time you listen to Pzizz, it creates a unique session for you. This ensures your brain doesn’t get fatigued from hearing the same things over and over again, and helps maintain effectiveness over time. The app allows you to adjust sleep duration, volumes, 3D effect and voice gender for a fully personalised listening experience. Headphones or earbuds are recommended for optimal effectiveness but your built-in phone speaker will work too.
Oon Yeoh is a consultant with experiences in print, online and mobile media. Reach him atoonyeoh@gmail.com.