The popular apps aiming to tame the chaos of family life

Image source, Jo O'Connell

"My husband and I couldn't live without three apps," says Jo O'Connell from Bournemouth.

She lives with her husband, two children and a rescue dog. She runs her own public relations company and juggles household and family responsibilities.

She says that everyone has busy lives. We used to double-book ourselves, waiting to get back home to look at a calendar or shopping list.

The O'Connells were looking for apps that would give them real-time updates on their phones.

To keep track of household chores, to manage a house renovation, to list account passwords, favourite recipes, and Christmas and birthday presents, the family uses a list-making app called Trello.

They use the internet to plan meals and share shopping lists.

The pace of life just gets faster. We never stop.

Communication is important to a relationship during times of stress.

Is the way we communicate with our partners changing?

Image source, Thyme Lane Photography

A working parent is juggling a busy schedule. She lives with her family.

There is always a lot going on in our lives, she says.

According to research from UN Women, women took on more household work during the Pandemic. Which of the many apps that promise to help families manage their lives are popular?

She tried various apps. She had an idea to re-purpose an existing app for her online business. Notion is a project management software that is used for project management.

I found it helpful to compartmentalise things from cleaning to Christmas. It makes life easier.

Steven Rueter and his wife, Lilly, found that they had new responsibilities when they moved in together.

The seemingly simple tasks of running a household can really add up.

The task management app was launched.

Mr Rueter says that it helps couples organize the everyday responsibilities of living together. Membership continues to grow.

It is not all about managing mundane tasks. After what has been a largely fun-free couple of years, there are apps popping up geared to helping couples get their lives back. There areAPPS that help organize adventures, plan for a family or just spend time together.

Image source, L Dsouza

Lavina Dsouza says that they use a lot of apps as a couple. We mostly use them for travel.

Ms Dsouza and her husband used to lose track of their budgets and end up paying more than they had planned. They use an array of apps to plan their adventures.

She says that they like it because it keeps track of all their reservations and tickets.

Tom, 35, and Madeleine, 32, Whiteley, discovered they were expecting their first child when they used an app to help them choose a name.

Mr Whitely says that it was a fun way to do something that was otherwise boring.

Image source, Kinder

The characteristic of dating app, Tinder, is used by Kinder. It was launched by a Dutch developer.

Around 3000 people downloaded the app in the first year. The app has been downloaded 1.5 million times.

Technology can make old ways of doing things more fun.

Another app that is similar in design is Cobble, which promises less time planning and more time together.

Jordan Scott says she was tired of going back and forth with her husband about what they were doing for dinner.

Ms Scott launched a decision-making app. The firm plan to launch in 15 new cities this year and have grown to a team of 16 people.

Image source, Cobble

Ms Scott says that Cobble makes decision-ing easy - what to watch on TV, which bar to go to, where to go on a mini-break.

Gone are the days of sending 50 texts back and forth, or going around in circles over what to watch. We do not need to waste time like this.

All of the apps mentioned might make life more efficient, but do they add another layer of screen-based activity?

People aged 16 to 64 spend around seven hours per day on connected devices.

Recent studies show that screen time replaces healthy behaviors like physical activity and sleep and can lead to loneliness and depression.

Jeremy Edge is the founder of Escapingthe.com. He helps people who suffer from disorders related to screen use.

He says that if we are on our devices while in the company of others we are phubbing or ignoring someone in favor of our phones, which hurts the relationship and leaves people feeling disconnected.

Mr Edge says that social media can be used to contact loved ones and arrange a place to spend time together.

He says that great relationships are built face-to-face in the physical world.

Ms O&Connell says using tech can mean we get to spend more time with our loved ones.

She says that having a few apps can make life easier, and that you can spend more time with those you love.