best apps to improve critical thinking

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How to develop critical thinking skills

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What are critical thinking skills?

How to develop critical thinking skills: 12 tips, how to practice critical thinking skills at work, become your own best critic.

A client requests a tight deadline on an intense project. Your childcare provider calls in sick on a day full of meetings. Payment from a contract gig is a month behind. 

Your day-to-day will always have challenges, big and small. And no matter the size and urgency, they all ask you to use critical thinking to analyze the situation and arrive at the right solution. 

Critical thinking includes a wide set of soft skills that encourage continuous learning, resilience , and self-reflection. The more you add to your professional toolbelt, the more equipped you’ll be to tackle whatever challenge presents itself. Here’s how to develop critical thinking, with examples explaining how to use it.

Critical thinking skills are the skills you use to analyze information, imagine scenarios holistically, and create rational solutions. It’s a type of emotional intelligence that stimulates effective problem-solving and decision-making . 

When you fine-tune your critical thinking skills, you seek beyond face-value observations and knee-jerk reactions. Instead, you harvest deeper insights and string together ideas and concepts in logical, sometimes out-of-the-box , ways. 

Imagine a team working on a marketing strategy for a new set of services. That team might use critical thinking to balance goals and key performance indicators , like new customer acquisition costs, average monthly sales, and net profit margins. They understand the connections between overlapping factors to build a strategy that stays within budget and attracts new sales. 

Looking for ways to improve critical thinking skills? Start by brushing up on the following soft skills that fall under this umbrella: 

• Analytical thinking: Approaching problems with an analytical eye includes breaking down complex issues into small chunks and examining their significance. An example could be organizing customer feedback to identify trends and improve your product offerings. 
• Open-mindedness: Push past cognitive biases and be receptive to different points of view and constructive feedback . Managers and team members who keep an open mind position themselves to hear new ideas that foster innovation . 
• Creative thinking: With creative thinking , you can develop several ideas to address a single problem, like brainstorming more efficient workflow best practices to boost productivity and employee morale . 
• Self-reflection: Self-reflection lets you examine your thinking and assumptions to stimulate healthier collaboration and thought processes. Maybe a bad first impression created a negative anchoring bias with a new coworker. Reflecting on your own behavior stirs up empathy and improves the relationship. 
• Evaluation: With evaluation skills, you tackle the pros and cons of a situation based on logic rather than emotion. When prioritizing tasks , you might be tempted to do the fun or easy ones first, but evaluating their urgency and importance can help you make better decisions. 

There’s no magic method to change your thinking processes. Improvement happens with small, intentional changes to your everyday habits until a more critical approach to thinking is automatic. 

Here are 12 tips for building stronger self-awareness and learning how to improve critical thinking: 

1. Be cautious

There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of skepticism. One of the core principles of critical thinking is asking questions and dissecting the available information. You might surprise yourself at what you find when you stop to think before taking action. 

Before making a decision, use evidence, logic, and deductive reasoning to support your own opinions or challenge ideas. It helps you and your team avoid falling prey to bad information or resistance to change .

2. Ask open-ended questions

“Yes” or “no” questions invite agreement rather than reflection. Instead, ask open-ended questions that force you to engage in analysis and rumination. Digging deeper can help you identify potential biases, uncover assumptions, and arrive at new hypotheses and possible solutions. 

3. Do your research

No matter your proficiency, you can always learn more. Turning to different points of view and information is a great way to develop a comprehensive understanding of a topic and make informed decisions. You’ll prioritize reliable information rather than fall into emotional or automatic decision-making. 

4. Consider several opinions

You might spend so much time on your work that it’s easy to get stuck in your own perspective, especially if you work independently on a remote team . Make an effort to reach out to colleagues to hear different ideas and thought patterns. Their input might surprise you.

If or when you disagree, remember that you and your team share a common goal. Divergent opinions are constructive, so shift the focus to finding solutions rather than defending disagreements. 

5. Learn to be quiet

Active listening is the intentional practice of concentrating on a conversation partner instead of your own thoughts. It’s about paying attention to detail and letting people know you value their opinions, which can open your mind to new perspectives and thought processes.

If you’re brainstorming with your team or having a 1:1 with a coworker , listen, ask clarifying questions, and work to understand other peoples’ viewpoints. Listening to your team will help you find fallacies in arguments to improve possible solutions.

6. Schedule reflection

Whether waking up at 5 am or using a procrastination hack, scheduling time to think puts you in a growth mindset . Your mind has natural cognitive biases to help you simplify decision-making, but squashing them is key to thinking critically and finding new solutions besides the ones you might gravitate toward. Creating time and calm space in your day gives you the chance to step back and visualize the biases that impact your decision-making. 

7. Cultivate curiosity

With so many demands and job responsibilities, it’s easy to seek solace in routine. But getting out of your comfort zone helps spark critical thinking and find more solutions than you usually might.

If curiosity doesn’t come naturally to you, cultivate a thirst for knowledge by reskilling and upskilling . Not only will you add a new skill to your resume , but expanding the limits of your professional knowledge might motivate you to ask more questions. 

You don’t have to develop critical thinking skills exclusively in the office. Whether on your break or finding a hobby to do after work, playing strategic games or filling out crosswords can prime your brain for problem-solving. 

9. Write it down

Recording your thoughts with pen and paper can lead to stronger brain activity than typing them out on a keyboard. If you’re stuck and want to think more critically about a problem, writing your ideas can help you process information more deeply.

The act of recording ideas on paper can also improve your memory . Ideas are more likely to linger in the background of your mind, leading to deeper thinking that informs your decision-making process. 

10. Speak up

Take opportunities to share your opinion, even if it intimidates you. Whether at a networking event with new people or a meeting with close colleagues, try to engage with people who challenge or help you develop your ideas. Having conversations that force you to support your position encourages you to refine your argument and think critically. 

11. Stay humble

Ideas and concepts aren’t the same as real-life actions. There may be such a thing as negative outcomes, but there’s no such thing as a bad idea. At the brainstorming stage , don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

Sometimes the best solutions come from off-the-wall, unorthodox decisions. Sit in your creativity , let ideas flow, and don’t be afraid to share them with your colleagues. Putting yourself in a creative mindset helps you see situations from new perspectives and arrive at innovative conclusions. 

12. Embrace discomfort

Get comfortable feeling uncomfortable . It isn’t easy when others challenge your ideas, but sometimes, it’s the only way to see new perspectives and think critically.

By willingly stepping into unfamiliar territory, you foster the resilience and flexibility you need to become a better thinker. You’ll learn how to pick yourself up from failure and approach problems from fresh angles. 

Thinking critically is easier said than done. To help you understand its impact (and how to use it), here are two scenarios that require critical thinking skills and provide teachable moments. 

Scenario #1: Unexpected delays and budget

Imagine your team is working on producing an event. Unexpectedly, a vendor explains they’ll be a week behind on delivering materials. Then another vendor sends a quote that’s more than you can afford. Unless you develop a creative solution, the team will have to push back deadlines and go over budget, potentially costing the client’s trust. 

Here’s how you could approach the situation with creative thinking:

• Analyze the situation holistically: Determine how the delayed materials and over-budget quote will impact the rest of your timeline and financial resources . That way, you can identify whether you need to build an entirely new plan with new vendors, or if it’s worth it to readjust time and resources. 
• Identify your alternative options: With careful assessment, your team decides that another vendor can’t provide the same materials in a quicker time frame. You’ll need to rearrange assignment schedules to complete everything on time. 
• Collaborate and adapt: Your team has an emergency meeting to rearrange your project schedule. You write down each deliverable and determine which ones you can and can’t complete by the deadline. To compensate for lost time, you rearrange your task schedule to complete everything that doesn’t need the delayed materials first, then advance as far as you can on the tasks that do. 
• Check different resources: In the meantime, you scour through your contact sheet to find alternative vendors that fit your budget. Accounting helps by providing old invoices to determine which vendors have quoted less for previous jobs. After pulling all your sources, you find a vendor that fits your budget. 
• Maintain open communication: You create a special Slack channel to keep everyone up to date on changes, challenges, and additional delays. Keeping an open line encourages transparency on the team’s progress and boosts everyone’s confidence. 

Scenario #2: Differing opinions 

A conflict arises between two team members on the best approach for a new strategy for a gaming app. One believes that small tweaks to the current content are necessary to maintain user engagement and stay within budget. The other believes a bold revamp is needed to encourage new followers and stronger sales revenue. 

Here’s how critical thinking could help this conflict:

• Listen actively: Give both team members the opportunity to present their ideas free of interruption. Encourage the entire team to ask open-ended questions to more fully understand and develop each argument. 
• Flex your analytical skills: After learning more about both ideas, everyone should objectively assess the benefits and drawbacks of each approach. Analyze each idea's risk, merits, and feasibility based on available data and the app’s goals and objectives. 
• Identify common ground: The team discusses similarities between each approach and brainstorms ways to integrate both idea s, like making small but eye-catching modifications to existing content or using the same visual design in new media formats. 
• Test new strategy: To test out the potential of a bolder strategy, the team decides to A/B test both approaches. You create a set of criteria to evenly distribute users by different demographics to analyze engagement, revenue, and customer turnover. 
• Monitor and adapt: After implementing the A/B test, the team closely monitors the results of each strategy. You regroup and optimize the changes that provide stronger results after the testing. That way, all team members understand why you’re making the changes you decide to make.

You can’t think your problems away. But you can equip yourself with skills that help you move through your biggest challenges and find innovative solutions. Learning how to develop critical thinking is the start of honing an adaptable growth mindset. 

Now that you have resources to increase critical thinking skills in your professional development, you can identify whether you embrace change or routine, are open or resistant to feedback, or turn to research or emotion will build self-awareness. From there, tweak and incorporate techniques to be a critical thinker when life presents you with a problem.

Elizabeth Perry

Content Marketing Manager, ACC

How to improve your creative skills for effective problem-solving

What is lateral thinking 7 techniques to encourage creative ideas, 6 ways to leverage ai for hyper-personalized corporate learning, 8 creative solutions to your most challenging problems, how divergent thinking can drive your creativity, critical thinking is the one skillset you can't afford not to master, what’s convergent thinking how to be a better problem-solver, can dreams help you solve problems 6 ways to try, thinking outside the box: 8 ways to become a creative problem solver, similar articles, what is creative thinking and why does it matter, discover the 7 essential types of life skills you need, 6 big picture thinking strategies that you'll actually use, what are analytical skills examples and how to level up, how intrapersonal skills shape teams, plus 5 ways to build them, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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The 6 best brain training apps and games.

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Having a sharp mind isn't just for those in school, and homework, studying, and tests aren't the only way to help sharpen your mind. Brain training apps can help you stay sharp, and these make the process fun and easy!

By using brain training apps, it's possible to improve your concentration skills or even gain a stronger memory. They may even help your mind stay sharp as you age. With these fun apps and games, you'll be better at these skills, which could even carry over to how your brain performs tasks in real life.

Do Brain Training Apps Actually Work?

How do brain training apps work.

• The Longtime Favorite: Lumosity
• Another Well-Rounded Option: Elevate
• Brain Training and Meditation: Focus Factor Brain Hub
• Lots of Categories, Workouts, and Games: Peak
• Old School and Simple: Genina Sudoku
• Find the Right Word: New York Times Crossword

A consensus among scientists is yet to be reached about whether or not brain training apps are actually effective . Many believe that there is no proof that these games are ineffective, while others are sure they don't work . There are many inconsistent and different conclusions out there, plus with so many brain training apps out there making hyperbolic promises of the health benefits that can be reaped from their apps, it's understandable if it confuses you, too.

Mostly, the controversies settle around whether the sometimes-odd tasks one is asked to complete within these apps---like feeding a group of fish or completing simple rapid-fire arithmetic problems---have any consequential impact on your brain or daily life. Likewise, proponents in favor of brain games counter this by saying the brain is like a muscle that needs to be regularly exercised and toned, and that repetition and regular practice can absolutely make a difference.

According to the Mayo Clinic , however, results are mild to moderate at best with no strong evidence in any direction. Part of the problem is that there aren't any long-term studies (spanning multiple decades) that have been completed on the topic to add sufficient evidence to either side.

So, unfortunately, any definitive conclusion regarding the efficacy of brain training apps is still up in the air. We think the truth lies somewhere in the middle, that they can probably do a little to sharpen your mind. Either way, these apps and games are super fun to play.

Using a brain training app is considered to be an active behavior, rather than one that's passive, according to Tamily Weissman , PhD, neuroscientist, and Associate Professor of Biology at Lewis & Clark College. Actively thinking about something keeps your brain's neural circuits more active, and when they're repeatedly activated, they are strengthened.

Many brain training apps and games keep your mind thinking actively by having you juggle multiple tasks, recalling where items are or what they're called, complete arithmetic problems, think creatively, or make accurate decisions quickly.

The Longtime Favorite: Lumosity ( Android and iPhone )

When thinking of brain training apps, the first one that probably pops into everyone's mind is Lumosity ( Android and iPhone ), because it's been around for years. The fun app offers over 40 puzzles and games that test your brain and help it train memory, logic, and math skills for a well-rounded mind workout.

It features specific challenges for attention, flexibility, problem solving, language, math, speed, memory, and more. You can also choose one of many workout modes, which offer curated lists of games along with personalized training tracking. This makes it a little easier to keep an eye on your progress.

Lumosity also offers detailed training insights so you can learn your strengths and weaknesses, and gives you an analysis of your gameplay that might help you make connections to daily life. The app's premium subscription upgrade runs $11.99 per month and gives you personalized training, tips for more accurate gameplay and strategy, and in-depth insights.

Another Well-Rounded Option: Elevate ( Android and iPhone )

Elevate ( Android and iPhone ) offers extensive developmental tracking across five categories, and gives you over 35 games to try your hand, or rather your mind, at. It uses bold, colorful games to test your mind, spanning areas like memory, comprehension, focus, and other similar skills. The app claims it can boost your productivity, self-confidence, earning power, speaking abilities, and processing skills.

Logging in regularly will help you keep up your streak on the app's built-in calendar and help maintain motivation. Elevate also gives you personalized daily workouts that focus on working the skills you need the most help with, and its adaptive difficulty ensures your exercise is always challenging no matter how much you progress.

The app also has a pro subscription option with multiple tiers starting at $4.99 per month and a free trial period. Upgrading unlocks additional games, unlimited free play, and other features.

Brain Training and Meditation: Focus Factor Brain Hub ( Android and iPhone )

Focus Factor Brain Hub ( Android and iPhone ) takes a slightly different approach to things, balancing stimulating brain training with mindful meditation. The company believes this is a more holistic, well-rounded approach for users of all ages. It also shakes things up each day and offers personalized guidance.

Categories in Focus Factor include problem solving, language, memory, focus, and math, in a library of over 20 fun games. Problem solving games are designed to improve process of elimination skills; language games expand your active vocabulary and test creative word generation; memory games improve information and visual recall skills; focus games test your ability to maintain attention in rotating environments, and to avoid distractions; math games boost your quick calculation skills.

Focus Factor also has about a dozen meditation topics, which are then broken down into individual meditative sessions. Topics include managing stress, concentration, anxiety, breath, pain, and good sleep, and range from beginner to expert. You'll also find a mood tracker, breathing exercises, a supplement log tracker, short-form audiobooks, and an in-depth performance tracker in the app.

The app also offers a premium option---at $17.49 per month, the priciest on our list---which grants you unlimited access to every last bit of content on the app. And though the app says it's for all ages, we recommend it for adults or at least older children at the youngest.

Lots of Categories, Workouts, and Games: Peak ( Android and iPhone )

The two best things about Peak ( Android and iPhone ) are its gorgeous design and its large library of categories, workouts, and games. Peak has over 45 games spanning six categories you can play, or you can challenge yourself with its versatile Daily Workouts to hone your attention, memory, coordination, emotion control, and mental agility along with your language and problem-solving skills.

The app features a convenient Coffee Break mode, which makes it easy to fit in a little training in under five minutes. There are other training modes to choose from as well, like Weakest Link, Low Rank, and The Total Workout, depending on what your particular goals are. You can also opt for the Advanced Training modules, which were designed with scientists and universities (including Cambridge).

You can track your progress with in-depth insights and statistics, and even compete against friends or compare our scores with other players in your profession or age range. Upgrading to the Peak Pro plan, which starts at $4.99 per month---gets you tailored workouts, deeper and more tailored performance analysis, and access to the app's full catalog of content.

Old School and Simple: Genina Sudoku ( Android and iPhone )

Though it might seem an odd pick after the brain training apps we've featured, Sudoku felt like a natural addition to our list. If you don't want to bother with the dedicated apps, Genina Sudoku ( Android and iPhone ) is a great way to keep your brain sharp any time of day. The stylish and easy-to-use app makes it easy to jump right into a game and work out unlimited puzzles.

The app gives you four difficulty levels to choose from, three input modes, the ability to make notes, and a handy auto-save function. You can select a digit or choose from the other myriad highlighting options, show a digit count option, get logic-only hints, and take advantage of the unlimited Undo and Redo feature. If you want, there's even an option for submitting your results online, tracking your progress, and comparing your top scores against those from other players.

Find the Right Word: New York Times Crossword ( Android and iPhone )

In a similar vein as sudoku, we'd also be remiss to exclude crossword puzzles from our lineup. If you find more of a challenge with words, rather than numbers, partaking in a daily puzzle from the New York Times Crossword app ( Android and iPhone ) is a solid idea. This crossword puzzle app in particular is high quality, widely loved, and well-designed.

To get the most out of the app, we recommend paying for a subscription, which starts at $6.99 per month. With it, you'll unlock every feature and puzzle type---including the daily puzzles, mini crossword packs, past puzzles, MIDI puzzle packs, spelling bees, and more. The app syncs across the mobile and web versions, and you can put your score on the app's leaderboard.

8 Awesome Critical Thinking Apps For Adults

What makes one person different from another? Well, besides their identity, it’s their ability to critically analyze everything and make a decision that carves a distinct life for everyone, making them unique from one another. Intellectual standards also come in handy when looking forward to determining the extent of critical thinking in an individual. 

Critical thinking is one trait that is used in many areas of life. From observing, and forming judgment to decision making, enhancing critical thinking skills has become imperative for adults. Apps can be an effective option to get started with this journey of developing such crucial life skills.

Hence, in this post, you will find the various apps that can help adults build and enhance their critical thinking skills. 

The concept of critical thinking 

Critical thinking is known as the process of actively and successfully conceiving, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating knowledge as a basis for belief and action. It requires intellectual discipline.

A Critical thinker with practice:

• raises important issues and articulate them simply and clearly
• collects and evaluates pertinent information, effectively interpreting it using abstract concepts.
• reaches well-thought-out findings and solutions, evaluating them in light of pertinent criteria and standards
• successfully collaborates with others to find solutions to challenging situations
• thinks critically about other schools of thought like recognizing and evaluating. Their underlying presuppositions, implications, and application of thoughts into actions also fall under the concept of thinking into practice.

Applications useful for critical thinking amongst adults

1. lumosity .

It is a popular brain training app developed by neuroscientists. Its purpose is to boost memory and attention span while encouraging problem-solving behavior and divergent thinking to think of flexible solutions. 

The cognitive training program on Lumosity is a fun, engaging method to exercise your brain and learn more about how the mind functions. The Lumosity application, which is used by more than 100 million people worldwide, consists of games that challenge players’ memory, speed, flexibility, and problem-solving skills.

This app helps train adults into a more critical state by taking their time and utilizing it into solving puzzles through this app, the critical thinking quality will flourish among them.

App link : Play store | App store | Web app

It is a personalized app to train the brain and consists of daily game workouts. It provides a calendar that is easy to access and allows you to log your workout conveniently to track your performance and progress. 

The app consists of 30 cognitive and concentration games relevant enough to help progress critical thinking and provides adaptive difficulty progression.

A very important aspect that this app provides is what medical professionals have been telling us since the inception of time, exercise. Be it physical or mental, this app helps in scheduling exercises well in advance for a busy adult.

App Link: Play store | App store | Web app

3. Brain it on

It is a physics-based puzzle game that offers different types of brain stimulation through challenges and puzzles. It asks the user to solve different puzzles by drawing on the screen, and the purpose is to encourage divergent thinking and problem-solving.

It is a highly rated app under the recommendation for mental skills.

“Brain it On!” features an arcade-style appearance and launches the main game as soon as the app is opened. The game will begin with simple challenges like drawing a straight line, tilting a form in a certain way, etc., similar to other casual puzzle games. Making the most of the early levels is crucial because as the game progresses, the riddles will become increasingly challenging.

App link: Play store | App store | Web App

This app is available on both Google Play and iOS App Store. It provides more than 45 brain training games that combine technology and neuroscience and aims to improve memory, attention, problem-solving, and mental agility through fun.

In addition, the app improves users’ performance by providing feedback after each game and provides insights and statistics based on the user’s age and profession.

Three times a week of practice is advised by the developers. Each exercise adapts to the user’s proficiency level and concludes with feedback. The basic premium edition of Peak Pro gives unlimited access to all 40+ exercises, along with individualized training sessions and comprehensive feedback (mainly percentage and graphs on progress), whereas the basic free version only permits a small selection of randomly chosen daily activities.

5. Brainwell

This rather cool app provides over 50 games to stimulate different parts of your brain. It includes journals like puzzles, teasers, mind tests, and more. It functions to improve memory, attention span, focus, and IQ. 

With over 1 million downloads, it promises to help with problem-solving, attention, visual skills, and language. Designed with neuroscience knowledge, it challenges the users and helps sharpen one’s mind.

App Link: Play store | App store

This game app has been a favorite for adults for a long time. The online version of chess, similar to the offline game, helps an individual develop foresight and perseverance. It tests an individual’s sportsmanship and helps sharpen thinking and decision-making skills.

Chess is bound to improve an individual’s cognitive skills, attention span, and memory along with logical thinking and comes with many more benefits. 

This app and its cognitive enhancing power are known to the entire world, probably the most adult-friendly among the lot, this app is an amazing productive time-pass for busy professionals out there.

App link : Play store | Web app

7. Brainturk

The printer is a mobile and computer-based app that provides over 40 games and meditation techniques based on neuroplasticity principles. These games help improve attention span, language skills, focus, short and long-term cognitive memory, and tools to address psychological barriers.

Neuropsychological researchers have used these games as they were shown to increase the strength of brain muscles and memory speed and provide complex stimulation to an individual’s brain. Some of the games include the flanker task, Stroop task, picture back, tracking objects, revised space fortress, and math games.

App link: Play store | App store | Web app

8. Geist 

Geist is another brain training app designed to keep the brain functioning actively. It is based on neuroplasticity and developed by experts and has also been used in the research community. 

It provides 24 games with more than 720 levels that help in improving brain connectivity, memory, logic concentration, reaction, and mathematical skills. It also provides workouts that a personalized win individual, cater to their curated goals, and allows tracking of the progress based on scientific testing. 

It also provides a series of meditation that helps in brain training. Geist provides a study of your performance following a brain training session. It compares you to other Geist users and identifies some of your cognitive strong points. You can unlock new tests by using the Geist points you earn by doing well on these exercises. This is a wonderful addition because it makes sure users are proficient before moving on.

App link: App store

Conclusion 

It is important that we view the world from a subjective point of view; for that, we require information and the ability to identify assumptions and arguments from hardcore facts and truth. Critical thinking aims to reason and inquire about creating and updating one’s opinions based on solid arguments. Being able to think critically is practical for us as individuals since it is important in a world that prioritizes the ability to manage information.

An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having  just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of  Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’, 

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10 Best Mind Training Apps and Games for iPhone and Android

Best Brain Training Apps and Games for Android & iPhone

So, how do mind training apps work, 1. memorado.

If you prefer to customize your workouts , you would be glad to have multiple personalization options. You can customize everything in keeping with your preference to have a better result. Beyond the churning mind games, the app also offers mindfulness exercises to help you de-stress. Save those exercises for the times where you feel stressed out due to mounting workloads or hectic lifestyle as they can come in super handy in refreshing the mind. Another front where Memorado shines is the detailed statistics that show both the strong areas and the weak spots that need more attention.

Another area where I find Elevate a touch better than most of its counterparts is the detailed performance tracking . Thus, you can keep an eye on how well you are going ahead with the learning and also figure out the areas that warrant more attention. Moreover, the app comes with a fully-featured workout calendar that makes it a bit easier to track your streaks and also remain inspired to achieve your goal. Just like a true guide, Elevate also offers some crucial tips to accelerate your learning and also tackle the shortcomings in a better way. In short, it’s one of the best brain training apps for iOS and Android that you get right now.

3. Lumosity

Considering one set of rules doesn’t live up to everyone’s taste, Lumosity offers a fully customized tracking of training habits . So, depending on what works best for you, fine-tune everything accordingly to get the most out of your mind. Furthermore, Lumosity also delivers better insight into how well you are performing. Thus, you can find out your strengths, weaknesses and even your cognitive patterns. Long story short, it’s what you need to bring some fun elements into the brain training without spoiling the learning curve!

Aside from offering better recommendations, the virtual coach also provides the much-needed tips so that you can stay on the track. Often don’t get time for yourself due to rather a hectic lifestyle? No problem. The app has got some neatly designed contextual workouts that can seamlessly fit into your short times – even when you are on the go.

5. CogniFit

On the personalization front, I think CogniFit seems to be up to the ask. Based on your goal, you can customize the programs to enhance specific skills – without needing to dabble into unnecessary stuff. Aside from a good collection of games for adults, the app has also got a nice roster of memory games designed for kids . So, if you want to take your child some interesting mind training sessions, they could prove to be bang on target.

6. Brain Training

Price: Free, in-app purchases available 

Install: Android , iOS 

8. Brain School

Are you on the lookout for a brain training game for kids? If yes, DoBrain would be a fantastic option. The reason why I like this app so much is that it offers a nice way to teach children through stories, puzzles , and of course interesting games. And based on what excites a kid, the app provides a curated collection of lessons so that he/she will enjoy learning. Through every session, the app focuses on improving eight core areas of the brain including logical reasoning, Math, reaction, spatial perception, attention and memory, constructional ability, discernment, and creativity. Moreover, DoBrain also offers in-depth report cards of your child’s progress so that you can keep a track of the development.

10. MentalUP

Get the Most Out of Mind Training Apps and Games

Rajesh Mishra

An old school bibliophile who turned a tech nerd out of obsession. When he is not digging into hacks and tracking down stories that are breaking the internet, you may find him reciting poems.

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Best Apps for Problem Solving: Top Picks for Effective Solutions

In today’s fast-paced and technology-driven world, problem-solving skills are becoming increasingly crucial for personal and professional success. It is important to recognize that problem-solving involves more than just finding answers to a problem; it’s about understanding the problem, identifying potential solutions, and making informed decisions. In this regard, problem-solving apps have the potential to drastically improve one’s abilities in a variety of areas, as well as provide educational benefits.

These apps come in many forms, addressing everything from math and science problems to enhancing attention and concentration. They offer accessibility and support for users seeking to bolster their problem-solving capabilities. In addition to educational applications, many of these apps are also tailored to address challenges in industries like business and mental health or even to provide career guidance.

Key Takeaways

• Problem-solving apps cover a wide range of topics and can improve both personal and professional success.
• Educational benefits are a significant aspect of these apps, as they deal with various subjects such as math, science, and concentration.
• Apps that provide support for problem-solving extend beyond education, addressing challenges in business, mental health, and career guidance.

Recognizing Problem-Solving Apps

Today’s technology landscape is filled with mobile apps that aim to address various challenges we face daily. Recognizing essential problem-solving apps for iOS and Android devices can significantly improve our efficiency and simplify our lives.

• Lumosity : This app is designed to improve mental skills with engaging activities that target memory, flexibility, information processing speed, and concentration levels. Lumosity is perfectly suitable for individuals looking to enhance their problem-solving capabilities.
• Braingle : Braingle stands out for its focus on mental sharpness and reasoning through riddles and visual illusions. Compared to other apps, Braingle offers a unique approach to problem-solving, instead of relying on memory and reaction-based tasks.

Android Apps

• Educurious : This website offers supplemental apps that aim to turn students into “developing experts” by connecting them with real-world mentors and providing problem-based learning activities.
• Photomath : An app that simplifies mathematical problem-solving, Photomath allows users to scan a math problem with their device’s camera and receive instant solutions, explanations, and step-by-step instructions on how to solve it.

By incorporating these problem-solving apps into daily routines, users can enhance their mental abilities and find solutions to everyday challenges more effectively. Focusing on the right technology and investing time in useful software will undoubtedly improve one’s overall problem-solving skills.

Educational Benefits of Problem-Solving Apps

Boosting learning skills.

Problem-solving apps provide a variety of educational benefits to users, aiding in the development of crucial learning skills. These apps target different aspects of learning, such as memory, reading, writing, and listening, by presenting engaging challenges and activities. As users navigate through these tasks, they gain valuable insights and ideas that contribute to their overall understanding of an array of subjects.

Incorporating elements such as Lumosity with a personalized approach to learning can offer tailored activities to improve memory, attention, speed, and problem-solving skills. This adaptability allows users to progress at their own pace while receiving appropriate guidance and support.

Enhancing Critical Thinking

Problem-solving apps also play a vital role in enhancing critical thinking abilities. By offering various challenges and exercises, these apps motivate users to employ creative thinking, logical reasoning, and decision-making skills. Through continuous practice and application, the users develop a deeper understanding of concepts and improve their ability to analyze and evaluate scenarios.

Moreover, apps like Educurious , which connects students with real-world mentors and incorporates the Common Core aligned curriculum, help students build their critical thinking abilities and problem-based learning skills in line with the 21st-century technology demands.

In conclusion, problem-solving apps offer numerous educational benefits, from boosting learning skills to enhancing critical thinking. As users engage with these apps, they become more confident in their learning abilities, paving the way for higher academic achievement and lifelong learning.

Applications in Math and Science

In this digital age, there are numerous apps and websites available to help students develop problem-solving skills in math and science. These resources provide interactive, engaging, and adaptive platforms to enhance their educational experience.

Apps for Math Problems

From basic calculations to more complex topics like algebra, calculus, and word problems, math apps offer an excellent way to empower students with the tools they need for success.

One such resource is Mathway , which caters to a wide range of mathematical topics. Mathway enables students to input math problems, offering step-by-step solutions and explanations to further their understanding. The app even has a graphing feature for visual learners.

Another engaging resource is Moose Math , a free app that focuses on math games. These games assist younger students in refining their math skills, such as counting, addition, and subtraction, through points earned for completing challenges.

Applications for Science Tasks

When it comes to science, students need a comprehensive understanding of various concepts across physics, chemistry, and biology. Several apps can help with this intricate learning process.

For common core science concepts, Brilliant offers hands-on, interactive lessons to build quantitative skills. This platform covers core topics like algebra functions, quadratics, and even computer science concepts. Brilliant is designed to help students dive deep into problem-solving by breaking down complex topics and providing in-depth examples.

To assist students with their science homework, websites like Educators Technology can offer a selection of math problem solver apps. These apps not only tackle math problems but also provide additional reinforcement for understanding scientific concepts.

In conclusion, utilizing these various apps and online tools can significantly improve students’ problem-solving abilities in both math and science domains, paving the way for academic success.

Enhancing Attention and Concentration

A critical aspect of improving problem-solving skills involves enhancing one’s attention and concentration. Numerous apps are designed to target these cognitive abilities, allowing individuals to perform tasks efficiently and manage their time effectively.

One popular app that aims to maximize attention span is Lumosity . Developed by a team of game designers and scientists, Lumosity offers a range of interactive games and training exercises. These games are specifically tailored to improve memory, processing speed, attention span, and overall cognitive ability. By engaging in these activities regularly, users can strengthen their focus and address their weaknesses.

In addition to Lumosity, other apps are well-regarded for their positive influence on attention and concentration. For instance, Calm Sage lists several brain training apps to help improve memory and cognitive function. These apps provide fun, challenging exercises that test users’ problem-solving skills and logical thinking abilities while also identifying areas of improvement. Engaging in these activities can foster perseverance, allowing individuals to tackle tasks with greater determination and success.

To ensure that users can effectively manage their time, it is essential to incorporate strategies that promote enhanced attention and concentration. By utilizing apps like Lumosity and those mentioned on Calm Sage, individuals can train their brains to focus on tasks more effectively and allocate their time more efficiently. Ultimately, these tools can lead to meaningful improvements in one’s ability to approach complex problem-solving scenarios with confidence and clarity.

Support and Help within Apps

When it comes to problem-solving apps, efficient support and help features are crucial for users to navigate through the platform and find the solutions they need. A good app will provide diverse support mechanisms, whether it’s tutorials for first-time users, FAQs to answer common questions, or customer service to address specific concerns.

In-app purchases often play a significant part in enhancing app experience. They might offer advanced features or additional resources, allowing users to unlock their full potential when solving problems. However, it’s essential for the app developers to offer a clear and transparent payment system, helping users to make informed decisions on whether the additional content is worth the investment.

Problem-solving apps rely on user reviews and feedback to constantly improve their features and functionalities. Therefore, it’s essential to have an efficient way for users to communicate their experiences, suggestions, and issues. Developers should ensure that they actively monitor feedback and provide prompt responses to users who might need assistance with the app.

When it comes to navigating through an app, a well-designed interface and smooth user experience will keep users engaged and motivated to solve problems. This includes logical menu structures, consistent design elements, and clear labeling for different sections or features. Visual aids, such as color-coding or iconography, can further help users find their way around the app, streamlining the overall problem-solving process.

By addressing these aspects, problem-solving apps can create a holistic experience with clear solutions and support mechanisms in place. When users feel empowered to access the help they need, it enables them to tackle challenges effectively, enhancing their overall problem-solving experience.

Problem-Solving Apps for Business

Applications for business challenges.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, companies face various challenges, such as improving customer service, addressing operational inefficiencies, and managing resources effectively. With the help of innovative mobile apps, businesses can tackle these issues and find effective solutions.

Lumosity is a prime example of a problem-solving app designed to improve mental skills. By enhancing memory, flexibility, and information processing speed, this web app can indirectly contribute to the development of employees’ problem-solving capabilities.

Mobile applications are becoming increasingly useful in improving customer services by providing quicker query resolution and 24/7 support. AI-based chatbots, often embedded in mobile apps, can help businesses respond to customer queries and questions more efficiently, resulting in better customer satisfaction.

In addressing business operations , many organizations turn to Microsoft Power Apps to identify and solve problems. Power Apps allow developing custom applications tailored to specific business needs without requiring extensive coding experience. By streamlining processes and automating manual tasks, these apps can significantly impact operational efficiency.

Furthermore, numerous apps on the market solve everyday problems faced by both businesses and individuals. For example, Google Play offers 2.56 million mobile apps, while the App Store provides access to 1.85 million apps. Among these vast selections, businesses can surely find applications that cater to their specific requirements, from project management to financial planning.

In summary, as businesses traverse the ever-evolving landscape of challenges, adopting problem-solving applications can undoubtedly provide valuable assistance in finding the most effective and efficient solutions along their path to success.

Mental Health Support through Apps

In today’s fast-paced world, finding support and solutions for mental health issues is crucial. Numerous apps have been developed to help individuals cope with and manage their anxiety and depression. These digital tools offer a variety of approaches to maintaining mental well-being, from cognitive training exercises to resources for professional guidance.

Apps for Anxiety

Anxiety can manifest in different ways, but common symptoms include constant worrying, restlessness, and even physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat or shortness of breath. The following apps aim to provide support and techniques for managing anxiety:

• Headspace : This popular meditation app teaches mindfulness techniques, which have been found effective in managing anxiety and reducing instances of negative, repetitive thinking.
• MindShift : Designed specifically for anxiety, MindShift provides resources and tools to help users develop healthy coping strategies and face their fears. This app embraces Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) principles, which are widely considered as an effective approach to dealing with anxiety disorders.

Apps for Depression

Depression can be a debilitating condition resulting in persistent sadness, loss of interest in daily activities, and even physical symptoms like lack of energy or changes in appetite. The following apps offer support and solutions for those experiencing depression:

• Lumosity : This brain-training app focuses on cognitive exercises that stimulate different areas of the brain and encourage users to develop healthy cognitive habits. By improving memory, attention, and problem-solving skills, Lumosity can help individuals coping with depression maintain their mental abilities and gain a stronger sense of control.
• Elevate : Like Lumosity, Elevate is a cognitive training app aimed at improving focus, memory, and comprehension through engaging games and activities. Regular use of the app can lead to better mental clarity, which may help alleviate some depressive symptoms.
• BetterHelp : This platform connects users with licensed therapists, offering a convenient way to access professional mental health support. BetterHelp provides therapy sessions through phone, video, or messaging, making it easier for those experiencing depression to receive the guidance they need.

Using apps for mental health support can be an effective and accessible way to manage anxiety and depression. It is important, however, to remember that these apps are not a substitute for professional help but can serve as valuable supplementary tools in one’s mental health journey.

Popular Puzzle and Brain Games

Memory-boosting puzzle games.

A variety of memory-boosting puzzle games are available for those who wish to sharpen their cognitive skills. These games are designed to challenge the brain and improve memory, logic, and problem-solving abilities. Some popular memory-boosting puzzle games include:

• Lumosity : This app offers over 40 puzzles and games that test your brain and help train memory, logic, and math skills for a well-rounded mind workout. It features specific challenges for attention, flexibility, problem solving, language, math, speed, memory, and more ( source ).
• Grindstone : A strategy puzzle game where players plan each move carefully to complete levels efficiently, thus encouraging the development of critical thinking and planning skills ( source ).
• Monument Valley : This beautiful and captivating game requires players to manipulate the environment to progress through an M.C. Escher-inspired world, enhancing spatial reasoning and creativity.

The New York Times Crossword

The New York Times Crossword is a classic app that has stood the test of time, providing avid fans with daily crossword puzzles to stimulate their brains and expand their vocabularies. The puzzles range in difficulty, offering varying levels of challenge for both new and experienced solvers. The app is easily accessible on both Android and iOS devices, enabling players to indulge in a moment of problem-solving fun anytime and anywhere.

By engaging in these popular puzzle and brain games, players can keep their minds sharp and refine their problem-solving skills. These activities not only provide a fun and engaging form of entertainment but also promote cognitive growth and development.

Career Guidance through Problem-Solving Apps

In today’s competitive job market, individuals seeking career success must continually hone their problem-solving skills. By utilizing problem-solving apps, they can sharpen their cognitive abilities, find solutions to challenges, and stay on the right path to achievement. In this section, we will discuss some of the best apps that are designed to help improve problem-solving skills.

Braingle is a unique app that pushes the limits of mental sharpness through the use of riddles and visual illusions. By presenting different types of puzzles, Braingle encourages users to strengthen their reasoning and analytical skills, which could be beneficial in various aspects of career growth.

Another outstanding app is Lumosity , specifically designed to enhance cognitive function. It offers various activities that focus on memory, flexibility, information processing speed, and concentration. Incorporating Lumosity into one’s routine can ultimately lead to better problem-solving capabilities necessary for career advancement.

The third app, Elevate , is an award-winning brain training program offering a wide array of exercises and games. These activities are aimed at improving cognitive abilities critical for effective problem-solving. With a progress tracking feature, users can monitor their improvement over time and see how they are progressing in their problem-solving skills.

In addition to these apps, individuals must also practice problem-solving strategies in the workplace. Asana recommends a four-step approach, starting with identifying the problem, gathering information, formulating a plan, and executing the solution. Following this process can efficiently solve issues faced in a professional environment.

By using these problem-solving apps and adopting a methodical approach to tackling career challenges, individuals can pave the way for continuous growth and achievement. It is vital to remember that enhancing one’s problem-solving skills is a journey, requiring dedication and persistent effort.

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The 6 Best Apps to Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills

Want to improve your problem-solving skills and become more solution-oriented in your daily routine? Here are some apps to try.

Your ability to solve problems is a valuable skill you cannot do without if you want to succeed in your career, business, and life. While most people learn to solve problems primarily through exposure to challenging situations and having to find solutions almost immediately, others don't.

As such, not everyone is skilled at effective problem-solving. However, there is an easy way to improve your problem-solving skills using technology. Today, there are several fun ways to do so, including playing brain games on your mobile. Here are six game apps you can use to develop problem-solving skills while having fun.

1. Lumosity

Lumosity is a web app that helps you improve your mental skills. It is programmed with activities that help people improve their memory, flexibility, rate of processing information, and concentration levels. Thus, Lumosity is a great tool to help you develop problem-solving capabilities.

Lumosity was launched in 2007 and had over 70 million users as of January 2015. The app is available in English, French, Spanish, and German.

Download : Lumosity for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

Happify is a company that works to enhance personal, organizational, and healthcare effectiveness by improving the emotional health of its users.

The Happify app incorporates scientific experiments into gaming activities designed to improve resilience and mindfulness and tackle health conditions like mood disorders, depression, anxiety, severe pain, and insomnia. Thus, it is a great healthcare software platform for improving your mental and physical conditions.

Download : Happify for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

Launched by Elevate Labs in 2014, Elevate is a brain game app that focuses on improving its users' reading, writing, speaking, listening, and math skills. It is also one of the best android apps to help you solve math problems .

Seeing you already possess the skills mentioned above, you may wonder, is the Elevate brain training app worth your time ? The truth is, there is always room for improvement, hence, the need for you to keep developing these skills. And, as you pass each assessment in the training sessions, the difficulty level increases. This way, you can test whether your abilities are basic or strong.

Download : Elevate for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

4. Neuronation

Neuronation is a cognitive training site and app that was made public in 2011. Since then, over 10 million people have used the app. The Neuronation app focuses on improving users' cognitive abilities, such as thinking, learning, understanding, and remembering, through its specialized training activities in the program.

Although native to Germany, the app is available in over eight languages, including English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, and German. Additionally, the app enjoys widespread use, especially among German healthcare practitioners.

Download: Neuronation for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

The Peak brain training app is designed to correct cognitive disorders with the help of short, interactive games. To get started on the Peak brain game app, you will be required to set goals on areas you want to improve, like mental processing, emotional strength, linguistic skills, recollection, concentration levels, and problem-solving.

Once you complete this stage, a virtual coach will be assigned to guide you through the program, and you will be given an assessment. Immediately after you finish each assessment, you will receive feedback based on your result.

You can start using the app for free with the basic version, but it has a limited number of daily exercises that are randomly selected. On the other hand, with the paid version, Peak Pro, you enjoy unlimited access to over 40+ exercises, alongside detailed feedback and personalized training sessions.

Download : Peak for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

6. New York Times Crossword

The New York Times Crossword is a daily puzzle published by the renowned New York Times magazine on their website and mobile apps. The New York Times Crossword puzzle dates back to 1942. The first puzzle was published on Sunday, 15 February 1942.

Several freelance puzzle developers generate the puzzle. The puzzle gets tougher as each day goes by in a week, so the simplest puzzles are on Mondays, and the hardest are on Saturdays. Sunday's crossword puzzle is a 21×21 square matrix, whereas the daily crossword puzzle is a 15×15 square matrix. The crossword and other free puzzle games greatly improve critical thinking, learning, and reasoning abilities.

Download : New York Times Crossword for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

Have Fun While Improving Your Problem-solving Skills

Developing cognitive abilities, emotional well-being, and problem-solving skills are no longer challenging. Thanks to these brain game apps, you can develop and improve your mental and emotional abilities more easily, faster, and while having fun.

8 apps to train your brain

A new breed of app aims to help us keep calm and focussed

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How can you keep your brain young, stay focused at work, improve your memory and reduce stress?

There's no simple solution, but a surprisingly helpful tool may be in your pocket. While smartphones are generally blamed for sapping our attention spans and stoking stress, a new range of apps aim to boost our mental wellbeing. Some research indicates that cognitive training carried out using apps can improve your brain health, although the hard science is still patchy, as this article explains .

One of the most popular brain-training apps, Lumosity is designed by neuroscientists to boost memory and attention spans, problem solving, speed and flexible thinking. The app has over 70 million users and developers say that only one session per day can improve your mental skills.

This app was created as a result of a collaboration between neuroscientists at the University of Cambridge , psychologists, a game developer and people with schizophrenia. It aims to improve a person’s unique memory of a specific event, and wants to help schizophrenia patients in their daily lives.

Fit Brains Trainer

This app claims to help you to think faster, with more than 360 games and puzzles that get harder as you improve. The app tracks your performance and will make recommendations based on your progress.

Want to be able to memorize phone numbers or birthdays? Eidetic uses facts you have entered yourself – such as your parents' phone numbers – and periodically tests you to help you memorize them. You can also use it to learn languages.

Launched in 2014, Elevate is designed to improve communication and analytical skills through daily challenges that test, for example, your ability to spot grammatical mistakes.

Brain Trainer Special

This app offers a selection of games, from solving mathematical problems, to playing sudoko and memorising letter sequences to keep your mind in good shape.

With a scheduling feature that reminds you to play, Mind Games is a free app that claims to increase your immediate memory, and expand your vocabulary.

Want to be happier? Who doesn't. Happify offers quizzes and polls aimed at helping you cope with stress and anxiety by teaching you to think more positively. It also has a relaxation and meditation feature.

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13 Easy Steps To Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills

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With the sheer volume of information that we’re bombarded with on a daily basis – and with the pervasiveness of fake news and social media bubbles – the ability to look at evidence, evaluate the trustworthiness of a source, and think critically is becoming more important than ever. This is why, for me, critical thinking is one of the most vital skills to cultivate for future success.

Critical thinking isn’t about being constantly negative or critical of everything. It’s about objectivity and having an open, inquisitive mind. To think critically is to analyze issues based on hard evidence (as opposed to personal opinions, biases, etc.) in order to build a thorough understanding of what’s really going on. And from this place of thorough understanding, you can make better decisions and solve problems more effectively.

To put it another way, critical thinking means arriving at your own carefully considered conclusions instead of taking information at face value. Here are 13 ways you can cultivate this precious skill:

1. Always vet new information with a cautious eye. Whether it’s an article someone has shared online or data that’s related to your job, always vet the information you're presented with. Good questions to ask here include, "Is this information complete and up to date?” “What evidence is being presented to support the argument?” and “Whose voice is missing here?”

2. Look at where the information has come from. Is the source trustworthy? What is their motivation for presenting this information? For example, are they trying to sell you something or get you to take a certain action (like vote for them)?

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3. Consider more than one point of view. Everyone has their own opinions and motivations – even highly intelligent people making reasonable-sounding arguments have personal opinions and biases that shape their thinking. So, when someone presents you with information, consider whether there are other sides to the story.

4. Practice active listening. Listen carefully to what others are telling you, and try to build a clear picture of their perspective. Empathy is a really useful skill here since putting yourself in another person's shoes can help you understand where they're coming from and what they might want. Try to listen without judgment – remember, critical thinking is about keeping an open mind.

5. Gather additional information where needed. Whenever you identify gaps in the information or data, do your own research to fill those gaps. The next few steps will help you do this objectively…

6. Ask lots of open-ended questions. Curiosity is a key trait of critical thinkers, so channel your inner child and ask lots of "who," "what," and "why" questions.

7. Find your own reputable sources of information, such as established news sites, nonprofit organizations, and education institutes. Try to avoid anonymous sources or sources with an ax to grind or a product to sell. Also, be sure to check when the information was published. An older source may be unintentionally offering up wrong information just because events have moved on since it was published; corroborate the info with a more recent source.

8. Try not to get your news from social media. And if you do see something on social media that grabs your interest, check the accuracy of the story (via reputable sources of information, as above) before you share it.

9. Learn to spot fake news. It's not always easy to spot false or misleading content, but a good rule of thumb is to look at the language, emotion, and tone of the piece. Is it using emotionally charged language, for instance, and trying to get you to feel a certain way? Also, look at the sources of facts, figures, images, and quotes. A legit news story will clearly state its sources.

10. Learn to spot biased information. Like fake news, biased information may seek to appeal more to your emotions than logic and/or present a limited view of the topic. So ask yourself, “Is there more to this topic than what’s being presented here?” Do your own reading around the topic to establish the full picture.

11. Question your own biases, too. Everyone has biases, and there’s no point pretending otherwise. The trick is to think objectively about your likes and dislikes, preferences, and beliefs, and consider how these might affect your thinking.

12. Form your own opinions. Remember, critical thinking is about thinking independently. So once you’ve assessed all the information, form your own conclusions about it.

13. Continue to work on your critical thinking skills. I recommend looking at online learning platforms such as Udemy and Coursera for courses on general critical thinking skills, as well as courses on specific subjects like cognitive biases.

Read more about critical thinking and other essential skills in my new book, Future Skills: The 20 Skills & Competencies Everyone Needs To Succeed In A Digital World . Written for anyone who wants to surf the wave of digital transformation – rather than be drowned by it – the book explores why these vital future skills matter and how to develop them.

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Nice probably the best free brain games that i've tried, i really noticed the difference since i started doing online brain training, i wanted to find games to improve concentration and found them in braingymmer, fair amount of brain games for adults that work on my phone as well, pretty good brain games for adults, 'i like the brain training exercises, it is becoming easier for me to remember names and places etc.', what people often ask us, what is brain training.

Brain training, is the usage of digital exercises, also called brain games. Those exercises are used to stimulate mental activities with the purpose of improving your cognitive abilities.

Do brain games really work?

Brain games are a very new science, and many researchers are still discovering the effects. While tens of millions of people world wide are using brain games, scientific results are still very much in the process of being discovered. Currently we support a variety of international universities in their studies.

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• How to build your critical thinking ski ...

How to build your critical thinking skills in 7 steps (with examples)

Critical thinking is, well, critical. By building these skills, you improve your ability to analyze information and come to the best decision possible. In this article, we cover the basics of critical thinking, as well as the seven steps you can use to implement the full critical thinking process. 

Critical thinking comes from asking the right questions to come to the best conclusion possible. Strong critical thinkers analyze information from a variety of viewpoints in order to identify the best course of action.

Don’t worry if you don’t think you have strong critical thinking abilities. In this article, we’ll help you build a foundation for critical thinking so you can absorb, analyze, and make informed decisions. 

What is critical thinking? 

Critical thinking is the ability to collect and analyze information to come to a conclusion. Being able to think critically is important in virtually every industry and applicable across a wide range of positions. That’s because critical thinking isn’t subject-specific—rather, it’s your ability to parse through information, data, statistics, and other details in order to identify a satisfactory solution. 

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Top 8 critical thinking skills

Like most soft skills, critical thinking isn’t something you can take a class to learn. Rather, this skill consists of a variety of interpersonal and analytical skills. Developing critical thinking is more about learning to embrace open-mindedness and bringing analytical thinking to your problem framing process. 

In no particular order, the eight most important critical thinking skills are:

Analytical thinking: Part of critical thinking is evaluating data from multiple sources in order to come to the best conclusions. Analytical thinking allows people to reject bias and strive to gather and consume information to come to the best conclusion. 

Open-mindedness: This critical thinking skill helps you analyze and process information to come to an unbiased conclusion. Part of the critical thinking process is letting your personal biases go and coming to a conclusion based on all of the information. 

Problem solving : Because critical thinking emphasizes coming to the best conclusion based on all of the available information, it’s a key part of problem solving. When used correctly, critical thinking helps you solve any problem—from a workplace challenge to difficulties in everyday life. 

Self-regulation: Self-regulation refers to the ability to regulate your thoughts and set aside any personal biases to come to the best conclusion. In order to be an effective critical thinker, you need to question the information you have and the decisions you favor—only then can you come to the best conclusion. 

Observation: Observation skills help critical thinkers look for things beyond face value. To be a critical thinker you need to embrace multiple points of view, and you can use observation skills to identify potential problems.

Interpretation: Not all data is made equal—and critical thinkers know this. In addition to gathering information, it’s important to evaluate which information is important and relevant to your situation. That way, you can draw the best conclusions from the data you’ve collected. 

Evaluation: When you attempt to answer a hard question, there is rarely an obvious answer. Even though critical thinking emphasizes putting your biases aside, you need to be able to confidently make a decision based on the data you have available. 

Communication: Once a decision has been made, you also need to share this decision with other stakeholders. Effective workplace communication includes presenting evidence and supporting your conclusion—especially if there are a variety of different possible solutions. 

7 steps to critical thinking

Critical thinking is a skill that you can build by following these seven steps. The seven steps to critical thinking help you ensure you’re approaching a problem from the right angle, considering every alternative, and coming to an unbiased conclusion.

 First things first: When to use the 7 step critical thinking process

There’s a lot that goes into the full critical thinking process, and not every decision needs to be this thought out. Sometimes, it’s enough to put aside bias and approach a process logically. In other, more complex cases, the best way to identify the ideal outcome is to go through the entire critical thinking process. 

The seven-step critical thinking process is useful for complex decisions in areas you are less familiar with. Alternatively, the seven critical thinking steps can help you look at a problem you’re familiar with from a different angle, without any bias. 

If you need to make a less complex decision, consider another problem solving strategy instead. Decision matrices are a great way to identify the best option between different choices. Check out our article on 7 steps to creating a decision matrix .

1. Identify the problem

Before you put those critical thinking skills to work, you first need to identify the problem you’re solving. This step includes taking a look at the problem from a few different perspectives and asking questions like: 

What’s happening? 

Why is this happening? 

What assumptions am I making? 

At first glance, how do I think we can solve this problem? 

A big part of developing your critical thinking skills is learning how to come to unbiased conclusions. In order to do that, you first need to acknowledge the biases that you currently have. Does someone on your team think they know the answer? Are you making assumptions that aren’t necessarily true? Identifying these details helps you later on in the process. 

2. Research

At this point, you likely have a general idea of the problem—but in order to come up with the best solution, you need to dig deeper. 

During the research process, collect information relating to the problem, including data, statistics, historical project information, team input, and more. Make sure you gather information from a variety of sources, especially if those sources go against your personal ideas about what the problem is or how to solve it.

Gathering varied information is essential for your ability to apply the critical thinking process. If you don’t get enough information, your ability to make a final decision will be skewed. Remember that critical thinking is about helping you identify the objective best conclusion. You aren’t going with your gut—you’re doing research to find the best option

3. Determine data relevance

Just as it’s important to gather a variety of information, it is also important to determine how relevant the different information sources are. After all, just because there is data doesn’t mean it’s relevant. 

Once you’ve gathered all of the information, sift through the noise and identify what information is relevant and what information isn’t. Synthesizing all of this information and establishing significance helps you weigh different data sources and come to the best conclusion later on in the critical thinking process. 

To determine data relevance, ask yourself:

How reliable is this information? 

How significant is this information? 

Is this information outdated? Is it specialized in a specific field? 

4. Ask questions

One of the most useful parts of the critical thinking process is coming to a decision without bias. In order to do so, you need to take a step back from the process and challenge the assumptions you’re making. 

We all have bias—and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Unconscious biases (also known as cognitive biases) often serve as mental shortcuts to simplify problem solving and aid decision making. But even when biases aren’t inherently bad, you must be aware of your biases in order to put them aside when necessary. 

Before coming to a solution, ask yourself:

Am I making any assumptions about this information? 

Are there additional variables I haven’t considered? 

Have I evaluated the information from every perspective? 

Are there any viewpoints I missed? 

5. Identify the best solution

Finally, you’re ready to come to a conclusion. To identify the best solution, draw connections between causes and effects. Use the facts you’ve gathered to evaluate the most objective conclusion. 

Keep in mind that there may be more than one solution. Often, the problems you’re facing are complex and intricate. The critical thinking process doesn’t necessarily lead to a cut-and-dry solution—instead, the process helps you understand the different variables at play so you can make an informed decision. 

6. Present your solution

Communication is a key skill for critical thinkers. It isn’t enough to think for yourself—you also need to share your conclusion with other project stakeholders. If there are multiple solutions, present them all. There may be a case where you implement one solution, then test to see if it works before implementing another solution. 

7. Analyze your decision

The seven-step critical thinking process yields a result—and you then need to put that solution into place. After you’ve implemented your decision, evaluate whether or not it was effective. Did it solve the initial problem? What lessons—whether positive or negative—can you learn from this experience to improve your critical thinking for next time? 

Depending on how your team shares information, consider documenting lessons learned in a central source of truth. That way, team members that are making similar or related decisions in the future can understand why you made the decision you made and what the outcome was. 

Example of critical thinking in the workplace

Imagine you work in user experience design (UX). Your team is focused on pricing and packaging and ensuring customers have a clear understanding of the different services your company offers. Here’s how to apply the critical thinking process in the workplace in seven steps: 

Start by identifying the problem

Your current pricing page isn’t performing as well as you want. You’ve heard from customers that your services aren’t clear, and that the page doesn’t answer the questions they have. This page is really important for your company, since it’s where your customers sign up for your service. You and your team have a few theories about why your current page isn’t performing well, but you decide to apply the critical thinking process to ensure you come to the best decision for the page. 

Gather information about how the problem started

Part of identifying the problem includes understanding how the problem started. The pricing and packaging page is important—so when your team initially designed the page, they certainly put a lot of thought into it. Before you begin researching how to improve the page, ask yourself: 

Why did you design the pricing page the way you did? 

Which stakeholders need to be involved in the decision making process? 

Where are users getting stuck on the page?

Are any features currently working?

Then, you research

In addition to understanding the history of the pricing and packaging page, it’s important to understand what works well. Part of this research means taking a look at what your competitor’s pricing pages look like. 

Ask yourself: 

How have our competitors set up their pricing pages?

Are there any pricing page best practices? 

How does color, positioning, and animation impact navigation? 

Are there any standard page layouts customers expect to see? 

Organize and analyze information

You’ve gathered all of the information you need—now you need to organize and analyze it. What trends, if any, are you noticing? Is there any particularly relevant or important information that you have to consider? 

Ask open-ended questions to reduce bias

In the case of critical thinking, it’s important to address and set bias aside as much as possible. Ask yourself: 

Is there anything I’m missing? 

Have I connected with the right stakeholders? 

Are there any other viewpoints I should consider? 

Determine the best solution for your team

You now have all of the information you need to design the best pricing page. Depending on the complexity of the design, you may want to design a few options to present to a small group of customers or A/B test on the live website.

Present your solution to stakeholders

Critical thinking can help you in every element of your life, but in the workplace, you must also involve key project stakeholders . Stakeholders help you determine next steps, like whether you’ll A/B test the page first. Depending on the complexity of the issue, consider hosting a meeting or sharing a status report to get everyone on the same page. 

Analyze the results

No process is complete without evaluating the results. Once the new page has been live for some time, evaluate whether it did better than the previous page. What worked? What didn’t? This also helps you make better critical decisions later on.

Critically successful 

Critical thinking takes time to build, but with effort and patience you can apply an unbiased, analytical mind to any situation. Critical thinking makes up one of many soft skills that makes you an effective team member, manager, and worker. If you’re looking to hone your skills further, read our article on the 25 project management skills you need to succeed . 

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10 Best Brain Games to Keep Your Mind Sharp

Playing mind games is a no-brainer

 Mark Stibich, PhD, FIDSA, is a behavior change expert with experience helping individuals make lasting lifestyle improvements.

Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk,  "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.

Aaron Johnson is a fact checker and expert on qualitative research design and methodology. 

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Happy Neuron

Brain age concentration training, my brain trainer.

People of all ages use brain-training games to improve mental functioning and prevent brain aging . Backing them up is research showing that brain-training games may help improve attention levels, memory, response time, logic skills, and other measures of cognitive function if played over a long timespan.

The brain is just like a muscle - it thrives on exercise! As a neurologist, I'm thrilled by the incredible potential of brain games to help people flex their mental muscles, activating underused brain circuits to sharpen cognition and skills like focus, speed, and memory.

From pen-and-paper Sudoku and crosswords to specialized brain training apps, options for brain games are plentiful. To give your brain a workout while having fun, try these games and activities that may improve your mental focus and fitness.

Peter Dazeley / Getty Images

Sudoku is a number placement game that relies on short-term memory. To complete a Sudoku puzzle, you have to look ahead and follow trails of consequences—if you put a 6 in this box, that one must be an 8 and this one a 4, and so on. This type of planning helps improve short-term memory and concentration.

You can play Sudoku online, on an app, or on paper. Look for a regular Sudoku in your newspaper, buy a book with a collection of puzzles, or download a free app for your phone or tablet.

Sudoku puzzles are available in varying degrees of difficulty. When you're starting out, play the easy games until you learn the rules. If you're playing on paper, use a pencil!

Lumosity is one of the most established brain training and mental fitness programs. You can sign up for a free account to play three games per day, or choose the subscription service for more offerings. Either way, you can keep track of your results and improvement.

One recent study showed that participants who played Lumosity's exercises for 15 minutes a day at least seven days a week for three weeks experienced improved attention and motor speed. You can use Lumosity via their website or download the Lumosity app on iOS and Android. Lumosity also has a meditation and mindfulness app called Lumosity Mind.

Carol Yepes / Getty Images

Crosswords are a classic brain trainer, accessing not only verbal language but memory from many dimensions of knowledge. There are many ways to do crossword puzzles, both online and off. If you receive a daily newspaper, you'll almost always get a crossword there. Or pick up a book of crosswords specifically suited to your skill level and interests.

You will also find many options for crossword puzzles online or via free or inexpensive apps. The AARP website offers a daily crossword that's free to everyone, whether or not you're a member of the group.

Elevate's games center on reading, writing, speaking, and math, and you can customize your training to focus on whichever areas you prefer. As with most other brain games, you can track your progress to see how your skills are improving.

You'll need to download an app to play Elevate 's 35 (and counting) different brain-training games, which have a strongly educational feel. It's free (with in-app purchases) and both iOS and Android versions have tens of thousands of five-star reviews.

Peak is another app-only option (available for iOS and Android) that provides brain games to help you work on focus, memory, problem-solving, mental agility, and more cognitive functions. If you're a competitive person, you might be motivated by seeing how you perform against other users. The app is free to use, but an inexpensive subscription unlocks more features.

Happy Neuron divides its games and activities into five critical brain areas: memory, attention, language, executive functions, and visual/spatial. Like Lumosity, it personalizes the training to fit you, tracks your progress, and the games are based on scientific research.

You must pay a monthly subscription fee to use the site, and its simplified app version is available for Android users only. Happy Neuron does, however, offer a free trial offer so you can see if you like the approach.

Claiming to have the world's largest collection of brain teasers, Braingle's free website provides more than 15,000 puzzles, games, and other brain teasers as well as an online community of enthusiasts. You can even create your own puzzles to give your brain a super workout. Braingle has a wide variety of offerings, including optical illusions, codes and ciphers, and trivia quizzes.

Queendom has thousands of personality tests and surveys. It also has an extensive collection of "brain tools"—including logic, verbal, spatial, and math puzzles; trivia quizzes; and aptitude tests—for you to exercise and test your brain. If you'd like to save results and scores, you'll need a free account. Some tests give you only snapshot results for free, and charge a fee for full reports.

Brain Age: Concentration Training / Nintendo Life

Brain Age Concentration Training is a brain training and mental fitness system for the Nintendo 3DS system. It includes a huge number of games to hone your concentration, memory, calculation, and other brain skills. It's fun, portable, and challenging. Brain Age is also available for the Nintendo Wii U, but not for the Switch, Nintendo's most up-to-date gaming system.

My Brain Trainer calls itself an online "brain gym." It is similar in format to, although less stylish than, Lumosity and Happy Neuron. It's also less expensive; a three-month subscription costs the same as a month on the other services. The annual subscription is an even bigger savings. You can try a challenge for free as well.

This website is full of games, puzzles, and other challenges designed to improve your mental fitness. The website recommends 10 minutes of brain training twice a day for the best effects. It also has a basic training program that claims to improve your mental speed.

This web-based puzzle game from The New York Times exploded in popularity in early 2022 and now counts millions of users worldwide. The premise is simple: Users get six tries to guess a five-letter word. Wordle's combination of problem-solving challenges and easy-to-use interface makes for a satisfying mental workout.

Keep in Mind

Remember, brain training isn't limited to games and puzzles; staying socially engaged, maintaining creative hobbies, and even working out can help to flex your brain and improve cognitive functioning. Find what feels good and works for you.

Make brain training a daily habit and build the mental reserves to delay cognitive decline!

Al-Thaqib A, Al-Sultan F, Al-Zahrani A, et al. Brain training games enhance cognitive function in healthy subjects .  Med Sci Monit Basic Res . 2018;24:63-69. doi:10.12659%2FMSMBR.909022

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The best doja cat needle drops in movies and tv, ranked, we tossed grains, boiled water, and cooked fried rice and beef to find the best woks for any chef, the 5 best (hbo) max shows of 2024, ranked, discover the hidden gems: health & household best sellers of 2024 reveal, reverse 1999: the best balloon party build, 8 best luxury crossbody bags for women worth investing in this year, “””batman could be anybody””: 11 best batmen who aren’t bruce wayne”, espn analyst says dak prescott is best qb in nfl, kalamazoo river valley trail: best hike near kalamazoo michigan, the best apps to improve your problem-solving skills.

As humans, we face problems every day, ranging from the simple to the complex. From making decisions to analyzing data to finding solutions, problem-solving skills are essential for success in today’s world. Fortunately, there is an array of apps available in the market to help you improve your problem-solving skills. In this article, we will explore some of the best apps that can help you enhance your ability to solve problems creatively and efficiently.

1. Lumosity Lumosity is a popular app that offers a range of games and puzzles designed to improve your cognitive skills. Its goal is to help you improve memory, attention, speed, and problem-solving skills. The app uses a personalized approach to develop your brain’s abilities through a series of fun and challenging activities. With Lumosity, you can track your progress and compare your performance with other users.

2. Solve It Solve It is a problem-solving app that provides a range of challenges and puzzles to help you improve your problem-solving skills. It offers different levels of difficulty, enabling you to choose the level that suits your skill level. With this app, you can develop your reasoning skills and enhance your critical thinking abilities. Solve It challenges your mind with puzzles, riddles, and brainteasers, keeping it sharp and active.

3. TED TED is an app that offers a vast collection of talks from experts in various fields, including science, technology, psychology, and business. The talks offer insights and ideas that can help you develop your problem-solving skills. TED covers topics that can help you understand the world around you better, providing you with a new perspective that can help you tackle problems creatively. The talks vary in length, from 5 min to 20 min, making it easy for you to fit one into your schedule.

4. Elevate Elevate is an app that offers a variety of games designed to improve your critical thinking skills. The app provides personalized training to strengthen your cognitive abilities, including your memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. You can track your progress and performance and compare it to other users in the app’s community. Elevate offers daily challenges that keep you on your toes and help you improve your problem-solving skills over time.

5. Duolingo Duolingo is a language-learning app that can help you improve your problem-solving skills. Learning a language challenges your brain to think in a different way, helping you develop your cognitive flexibility and problem-solving abilities. Duolingo offers bite-sized lessons that are easy to fit into your daily schedule, making it the perfect app for those who want to improve their problem-solving skills while learning a new language.

In conclusion, problem-solving skills are essential for success in today’s world. These five apps can help you improve your problem-solving abilities creatively and efficiently. While each app offers a different approach, they all challenge your mind, keeping it sharp, and active. With these tools, you can take your problem-solving skills to the next level.

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10 Mobile Games That Will Sharpen Your Mind In Your Downtime

Mobile gaming apps have come a long way in the last few years, and that’s probably a bit of an understatement. The rise of Apple Arcade has meant that folks are actively choosing to pay for and play quality mobile games. It’s a far cry from the days of “this is a game I have to play while on the toilet.” Though I’m sure those still exist. What we love most about the developing platform is that there are dozens of game genres available for our phones: shooters, RPGs, puzzle games, etc. But, if we’re talking about simple, brainless entertainment and time-passers, brain training games and puzzle apps have emerged as one of the most wildly popular mobile game genres on the planet.

We love brain training games because they aren’t just fun, they condition our brains to be better and sharper. Memory retention, abstraction, divided attention, word memory — a good brain game has it all. And if you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet, we think it’s about time you did. Here are 10 of the best mobile brain games, puzzle apps, and concentration games out there.

Can Games Make You Smarter?

Playing games can make you smarter in a number of ways. For example, strategy games like chess can improve problem-solving skills and critical thinking, while memory and attention-based games can improve memory and attention. Learning games, such as those that teach coding or math, can help to improve specific skills and knowledge.

And you don’t have to sit down in front of a board with a group of people to get the benefits. Mobile games can be just as good for brain health if they’re designed to challenge cognitive skills. Of course, not all mobile games are created equal in terms of their cognitive benefits (no, that first person shooter isn’t going to help with memory loss).

Good Sudoku

Vocabulary Builder

Monument Valley

Scrabble GO

GEIST combines the best parts of a brain game with a proper meditation app, keeping your mind calm, sharp, and focused. Play through memory and concentration games to improve your brain connectivity. Or, you can use GEIST as a way to relieve stress with simple meditation and mindfulness exercises. As with most of the apps on this list, GEIST will keep track of your performance and offer updates on your progress. The base app is free but opting for GEIST premium offers personalized workouts with brain training games tailored to your personality. iOS

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The 5 best meditation apps for 2024

Tune in, turn on and bliss out..

Meditation is often touted as a mental cure-all, purported to help with stress, sleep, mood, focus and even certain medical conditions. I’ve been meditating most of my adult life. I’ve done silent retreats. I’ve been formally trained in various techniques. I’ve had someone in my contacts list who I referred to as a “guru.” So I feel I’m relatively qualified to give some bad news: Meditation won’t fix your life, despite what David Lynch says. However, there’s also some good news: Despite not actually being a cure-all for everything bad in the universe, meditation can certainly take the edge off. This is where meditation apps can come into play. Of course, practicing mindfulness doesn’t require an app; people have been doing it for thousands of years, with nary a smartphone in sight. But mindfulness apps can be useful in a number of ways. They provide access to all kinds of guided meditations to suit different styles. Some even offer social connections, which can motivate you to keep up your practice via the magic of peer pressure. They are also particularly well-suited to beginners, with many of them offering a free trial. With all of this in mind, I downloaded some of the most popular meditation apps and set about sitting calmly on a comfortable chair to test them out. What follows is a comparison aimed at real people just looking to squeeze a bit more joy and relaxation out of daily life.

The best meditation app overall

Runner up - best meditation app overall, insight timer, best budget meditation app, smiling mind, best free meditation app, best meditation app for social connection, how we tested meditation apps.

Every brain is different, so I did not rate these apps based on if they sync up with my preferred meditation style. First and foremost, I looked for apps that cater to various methods and those that offer guided meditations that go beyond what’s free on YouTube. All of the items on this list are available on both Android and iOS, so you won’t have to worry about something being only for iPhone owners.

Of course, there’s lots of free stuff out there, from podcasts and videos on YouTube to audio tracks on streaming services. You can even find guided breathing sessions on an Apple Watch or Fitbit, as well as meditations in Fitness+, Samsung Health or any number of workout video providers. For this guide, I focused on apps that stood out in some way. I liked apps with huge libraries of guided meditations and those that offer additional mindfulness activities, like yoga routines. I also looked for easy-to-use apps with well-designed layouts. You don’t want to start your meditation journey with a clunky app that actually increases anxiety.

The most important thing with meditation is to keep doing it, so I awarded points for clever gamification elements, simple social network integration and anything else that encourages repeat visits. Finally, I considered extra features that set an app apart from the glut of competitors out there. For example, some meditation apps offer novel ways to track your progress, access to yoga routines and a whole lot more.

At the end of the day, each of these apps has its strengths. But if installing an app or using a device is not how you prefer to meditate, you can always turn off your phone and find a quiet room or environment. For those of us who need a little help from a digital guru, though, here are our favorite apps for meditation.

Headspace has been one of the most popular meditation apps for nearly 15 years, boasting 70 million regular users . The actual software is a joy to use. Everything’s clearly labeled, the interface is snappy and the design is colorful and pleasant. It offers much more than just meditation, with modules for sleep tools, yoga, music and more.

The main reason Headspace snagged the top spot on this list is its dedication to gradual progression. Most of the courses advance through multiple sessions, each one building off of the last. You can also pick from numerous instructors for each course, which I find really helpful. Sometimes the person leading the guided meditation is just as important as the content itself, and some brains react better to, say, deep, gravelly voices while others prefer softer coos.

Beyond the vast selection of courses, which are aimed at everything from mindful eating to increasing productivity, there are thousands of standalone guided meditations. These are all searchable as well, and you can easily save the videos and courses you like for a revisit down the line.

Headspace costs $13 per month, or $70 for the year if you pay upfront. There’s a free trial, which grants you access to everything, but you have to sign up for a plan before it kicks in. In other words, make sure you cancel if you don’t like it before the trial period runs out so you’re not charged. On the plus side, there are some well-priced group plans for families, coworkers and even friends. You can get six full subscriptions for $100 annually , which brings the price down to $16 per person each year.

Headspace may have the broadest appeal of all the apps I tried, but it’s not without its issues. You can search for meditations by length, but there aren’t that many to choose from beyond the 30-minute mark. This isn’t a huge deal for beginners, but advanced practitioners may want longer sessions. Also, there isn’t much content available for non-paying members beyond a few simple guided meditations. A free trial unlocks the entire library, but also locks you in for a charge if you don’t cancel in time. I also found that many competing apps were better than Headspace at checking in on my mood and overall mental health, but that’s a personal nitpick.

• Courses include multiple sessions that build on one another
• Members get access to music, yoga routines and podcasts
• A search engine makes it easy to find the perfect routine
• Various instructors available for each course
• Aesthetically pleasing design with calming colors
• Not much free content after the trial ends
• Meditations are primarily for new practitioners
• Rival apps are slightly better at checking in

If Headspace is Coca-Cola, then Calm is Pepsi. The two are extremely similar. They both record an array of relevant stats, like how often you meditate, and offer a diverse catalog of guided meditations. There are just a couple of minor nitpicks that put Calm squarely in second place. Calm’s $15 monthly fee is a bit higher, though its annual cost is the same. Also, I found that Calm’s various menus were slightly trickier to navigate than the Headspace app. Finally, Calm doesn’t offer any useful content for free users beyond the trial period.

Still, Calm is a good option for meditation beginners. There’s a lot of flexibility here, so you can try different things to see what works for you. The app offers short daily meditations, guided sessions organized around goals, philosophically minded discussions, sleep-centric content and audio clips that combine meditation with music therapy. There are also plenty of meditations for those who balk at the 20 to 30 minutes typically required for a daily practice. You can find a decent meditation even if you have just 90 seconds to spare.

Calm goes out of its way to emphasize mental health improvement and provides plenty of metrics as to the actual benefits of meditation. The app regularly asks about your mood and many of the guided meditations I tried offered actionable advice for those suffering from anxiety and depression.

A paid Calm membership also gets you plenty of perks beyond meditations. There’s a kids section with guided meditations and narrated children’s stories. There’s also a lot of sleep-focused guided meditations and bedtime stories, as well as a curated selection of music and a decent selection of philosophical discussions. Finally, there’s a section for mindful activities, which provides journaling prompts and other types of check-ins.

• Great for beginners, with clearly labeled content for newbies
• Dedicated kids section
• Membership gets you perks like access to a music library
• Many short and focused meditations
• Slightly more expensive than the competition
• No free content available once the trial ends
• Meditations max out at 30 minutes

Most of the big meditation apps, including our top picks, are stingy when it comes to free content. That’s not true of Insight Timer . The app offers access to a massive library of around 120,000 guided meditations. That’s enough to watch two unique videos a day for roughly 165 years. These include a bevy of longer-than-average videos for experienced meditators.

As the app’s name suggests, there’s also a useful meditation timer available to free users. Most meditation apps focus exclusively on guided sessions, but a simple timer allows you to skip the “guided” part and go it alone. Sure, you could use your phone’s timer, but Insight’s timers are designed to gently pull you from a meditative state (Nothing ruins a good meditation like the iPhone’s annoying alarm.) To that end, there are all kinds of sounds to choose from, including standard fare like wood blocks, chimes and bells. You can even space out these sounds to occur throughout the session as reminders to stop thinking about nonsense and return your focus to your breath or mantra.

The app offers a premium subscription for $10 a month or $60 per year, but you can use the free stuff for as long as you like. Insight Timer isn’t pushy about leading users into a payment portal. However, a subscription unlocks thousands of multi-session courses similar to those on Calm and Headspace. Many of these courses are taught by real big-wigs in the meditation world, like Tara Brach and Kenneth Soares. You also get access to a library of calming music, podcasts, discussions and an option for offline listening. The journaling system, which is bare-bones for free users, gets a hefty upgrade as well, complete with check-ins. Finally, the eponymous timer itself gets some improvements, with the addition of hundreds of alarm sounds to choose from.

A huge caveat to Insight timer is that, while its massive library of videos is fantastic, it can be utterly baffling to navigate. There’s just so much there and the app doesn’t have a great way to sort and filter it all. It does offer a folder option to organize meditations according to personal preference, but that’s only for paying members. The app also offers some group events, like shared meditations and yoga sessions, but I found them to be fairly buggy. I experienced some stutters and sudden app shutdowns, but not to the point where I threw the phone at the wall or anything.

• Plenty of free content
• Includes over 120,000 guided meditations
• Half of the proceeds from subscriptions go to teachers
• Timer tool is great for standard meditations
• Courses are led by known figures in the wellness community
• Difficult to find the right video via the search bar
• Multi-session courses are only for paying subscribers
• Live group events can be buggy

Looking to dive into the world of meditation without putting your credit card on file somewhere? Smiling Mind has you covered. This not-for-profit app costs nothing — there aren’t any paid memberships, period, so you’ll have access to everything as soon as you sign up. On top of that, it’s good enough that I would have considered giving it a spot on this list even if it had a subscription fee.

It offers hundreds of guided meditations, which is less than a paid membership via other platforms, but still more than enough for those looking to start developing a regular practice. Smiling Mind even offers multi-course programs, just like our top picks. These programs are organized into topics like the foundations of mindfulness, sleep improvement and stress management. I found myself returning to the digital detox program on multiple occasions because, well, who couldn’t use some tech-free time ?

The meditations come in a wide variety of lengths, from two minute quick-bites to 45-minute marathon runs. Like many of the apps on this list, there are only a few of those longer meditations, so advanced practitioners may want to look elsewhere. There are several unguided meditations, however, for those who want to practice at their own pace.

Beyond meditating, there isn’t a whole lot else to do on the app. Smiling Minds does offer mental health check-ins and journaling options. One big feature that’s worth mentioning is the massive amount of content for children and teens. The app was originally designed for kids, and it shows in both the interface and the content library. The child-friendly meditations are cleverly designed and separated according to several age groups. Even kids get multi-course programs that cover back to school jitters, sports, sleep improvement and, of course, studying.

Just because Smiling Minds is free doesn't mean we can overlook its shortcomings. There’s no way to see who is hosting the meditation before you start listening to it. This is annoying for people who gravitate toward specific practitioners, forcing them to start the meditation before deciding to carry on. It also means you can’t look for your favorite teachers. There’s also no search function to speak of; you just have to scroll until you see something you like.

• Absolutely free
• Many useful multi-course programs
• Large amount of kid-friendly content is great
• Cute interface that’s easy to understand
• Hundreds of guided meditations available
• No search function to find a specific clip or teacher
• You have to actually start a meditation to find out who is leading it
• Not many lengthy session for advanced users

Meditation is often considered a lonely pursuit, but it doesn’t have to be. Sattva knows this better than any other app on this list. It’s designed like a social media app, and uses the addictive nature of such platforms to encourage a daily meditation practice.

The app features a standard social media feed that shows you exactly when people are meditating and what type of meditation they’re doing. You can like and comment, and the app even has a global feed to keep track of all users at once. There’s plenty of gamification elements here, too, from badges for keeping streaks going to achievements for trying new meditation types. Mindfulness isn’t a competition, but the app does include a leaderboard that tracks who has meditated the most.

Gamification and competition may seem antithetical to the very concept of meditation, but social media has taught us that these can be powerful motivators. It could take a friend nudging you on the main feed or the prospect of a colorful badge to help build a daily practice. Sattva does the whole “pull your friends from Facebook” thing when you sign up, and I found someone I hadn’t talked to in years using the app. It was a neat way to catch up.

As for the actual meditations, there’s plenty to choose from, including guided audio, simple soundscapes, mantras, timers and a decent amount of content for advanced practitioners. Sattva is big on mental health tracking, so the app has journaling tools, check-ins and a wealth of statistical information. Most of these are only available to paying members, but the free version still offers access to the social feed and a whole bunch of audio clips.

Unlike other apps I tested, Sattva doesn’t have any multi-course programs that build on one another, so users have to design their own practice. There also isn’t a dedicated section for kids or teens, and the search function is bare-bones. It missed a whole lot of meditations when searching by subject and was even less useful when looking for a specific teacher.

• Social features are great for those who need a little push
• Plenty of different meditation styles from around the world
• Games and challenges help keep things from getting stale
• Free version is actually useful
• Clean and easy-to-navigate user interface
• Search function is limited
• No multi-course sessions
• No content for kids or teens

Other meditation gear we tested

Brain-tracking wearables have been around for years, but there are some newer devices that have been tailor-made for meditators. These gadgets track the brain during meditations and offer real-time feedback. It’s a real boon for the data-obsessed, but also a real bank account drainer, with some gadgets costing thousands of dollars. I took two of the more-popular options for a spin to see what they’d make of my brain.

Sens.ai Neurofeedback System

Sens.ai is a weird contraption that not only claims to track brainwaves, but gives real-time feedback to “teach” people how to meditate and enter a flow state. The device involves a giant headset that’s stuffed with brainwave sensors that detect beta, alpha, theta and gamma waves, in addition to heart-rate sensors. It also comes with a truly bizarre companion gadget that uses light stimulation (transcranial photobiomodulation) to keep an eye on focus and attention levels. The whole thing is combined with an app that keeps track of dozens of data metrics and allows access to various guided meditations.

I’m as surprised as you to say that this thing appears to work, with some caveats. It’s uncanny how well it monitors the brain during meditations. If I got lost in a thought spiral about lasagna at six minutes in, sure enough, there would be a dip in analytics at the six-minute mark. It’s also fairly easy to use, despite a process that involves wetting a number of electrodes. As magical as the accurate brain-tracking seems to be, however, I wasn’t as keen on the actual training portion, which often involves staring at a screen throughout the entirety of the practice. It’s also not for the financial faint of heart, as the Sens.ai device costs $1,500.

NeoRhythm Omnipemf

NeoRhythm’s Omnipemf is another wearable to help people get into that ever-elusive flow state. It doesn’t track your brain, but rather floods it with electromagnetic fields at specific frequencies to make it more susceptible to meditation and focus. This is supposed to prime your brain for the meditative state and, in theory, make it easier to capture that zen. However, I didn’t get much from it, other than a placebo-esque buzzing in my head.

To use it, you simply pop on the wearable and go about your day. You aren’t tied to an app, so you can meditate in whatever way you like. There are multiple modes that go beyond meditation, as this thing is supposed to help with focus, pain relief and sleep. I’d wait for some peer-reviewed studies, however, before buying this.

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