These Amazon Alexa Skills Can Help You Achieve Your New Year Resolutions - CNET

1 year ago 82

This story is part of Home Tips, CNET's collection of practical advice for getting the most out of your home, inside and out.

Do you set goals every January to improve your diet, exercise more, wake up earlier or save money, but end up giving up before the year is over? You're not alone. It's understandably difficult to maintain goals all 365 days. While 38.5% of Americans set resolutions every year, only 9% of those actually never break their resolutions. Many -- 23% -- quit in the first week, and only 36% make it past the first month. So how do you keep the goals you set for yourself?

While it may sound odd, Amazon Alexa can be the nonjudgmental help that could help you. Here are five ways you can use Alexa Skills to make your New Year's resolutions stick all year long.

1. Alexa can help you stop that bad habit

When you have a moment of weakness, use the Talk Me Down skill. The goal of the skill is to talk you out of breaking your resolution.

After enabling the skill, say, "Alexa, talk me down," and she'll give you a motivational pep talk that will help you drop the fork, push away the pack of cigarettes or recork the bottle. It sounds cheesy, but it can actually help.

2. Alexa can help you have better mornings

If your resolution is to be more productive and positive in the morning (guilty!), then you may find the My Morning skill helpful. It uses minute-long prompts to guide you through a wake up routine.

For example, Minute 1 could include silence or meditation, Minute 2 could be a prompt to visualize your day, Minute 3 could ask you to think of five things you're grateful for, Minute 4 could have you list your top three priorities for the day, and so on. Basically, it's Alexa getting your rear in gear with some motivational techniques.

3. Alexa can help you save the planet

Taking better care of the Earth is always a great resolution. One step you can start with this January is taking shorter showers to conserve water and electricity.

The Shower Timer skill tracks your time in the shower and challenges you to beat your record each day. It kind of makes a game out of being greener.

4. Alexa can help you get better sleep

If you can never get to sleep on time and resolve that 2023 is your year to finally get on track, try the Sleep Helper skill. It guides you through breathing exercises while you lie in bed. The exercises are meant to relax your body and put you to sleep quickly.

5. Alexa can help you be more adventurous

The hardest part about being more adventurous in the new year is coming up with ideas. The Daily Things skill gives you something new to try every day. Just say, "Alexa, ask Daily Things to give me an idea." If you don't like the suggestion, just ask for another one.

Some ideas the skill has given me are to play a new board game with friends, learn a new dance like salsa and write an article for a magazine.

For a great 2023, also check out how to heal your mental health this year and 10 mantras to follow for a healthier year.