LIFE HACK
Take the time to learn something new
Sure, you’ve mastered the art of making fajitas and can recite every word to Backstreet Boys’ I Want It That Way, but there are still a few strings you could add to your bow, right?
Upgrade some downtime with these apps and take a fresh look at those classes you wish you’d taken years ago.
Become bilingual
Languages don’t need to be foreign to you. If you’ve always dreamed of dabbling in dialects, Duolingo could be the answer.
First, tell the app whether you want to be fluent in French, proficient in Portuguese or even killer in Klingon (yes, Trekkies – dreams do come true).
Depending on how much you want to learn each day, the app conjures up the perfect lesson plan – with handy audio clips to help hone your ear.
The app is friendly. It reminds you that making mistakes is all part of the process. Before you know it, you’ll be able to chat to your Spanish-speaking in-laws without pause, and understand what they’ve really been saying about you.
Crack coding
Chances are, coding classes weren’t a thing when you were at school. But don’t let that stop you opening up a whole new world of possibilities.
With Mimo you get step-by-step guidance tailored to your experience level. Even if you have no coding know-how the app makes everything super easy to understand.
Answer a few quick questions and Mimo will calculate your curriculum. The instructions are clear, taking you through the nuance behind HTML, Swift, Python and just about any computer language. You’ll be coding your own apps, games in no time.
Understand art
Can you appreciate a nice picture but don’t know the difference between postmodernism and a passe-partout? Fortunately, Smartify is your digital cheat sheet and a way to instantly unlock the history of art.
It uses image recognition technology and machine learning to identify works of art. All you have to do is scan an image and the app will show you details about both the piece and the artist.
Want to learn about more than the replicas hanging on your wall? Think of this as your own pocket tour guide, even if you’re sitting on the sofa. Listen to carefully curated audio tours of some of the world’s most renowned galleries and learn facts you’ll be able to recount the next time someone starts talking art.
Upskill yourself
This is one for the lifelong scholar in you, because Skillshare covers everything you can possibly imagine. Open the app and you’ll see a “Best in” shout out for a specific category. Tap here and you can filter by areas of interest, such as entrepreneurship, film production, marketing and photography.
There are free classes available but unlocking a premium subscription will significantly broaden your horizons. You can watch courses on everything from writing believable characters in your novel and lighting for videography, to becoming an Instagram influencer. And if you miss having a timetable, the app will even send you reminders to watch classes at a time to suit you.