The mind is a beautiful thing. It holds a universe of stories and ideas yet to be explored. There are days, however, when tapping into this bottomless well of creativity requires a lot of effort. When stuck in a creative drought, take a break, have a go at these apps, and get your creative juices flowing.
Brain It On! – Physics Puzzles
iOS and Android (Free)
Exercising is as essential for the body as it is for the mind. When the brain is constantly at work, doing a variety of tasks, it is more likely to render enhanced functionality, for a productive you. Playing games is a great way to stimulate and challenge the mind. Brain It On! combines puzzles with physics to create a game that not only keeps boredom at bay, but also improves your mental abilities. This level-based game has players draw shapes and figures to beat physics puzzles. From simply having a ball hit the left border of the screen to more challenging tasks figuring out how to catapult an object to an indicated area in-game, Brain It On! will have you put your game face on level after level.
Writer
Android (Free)
Ideas can strike any time of the day. Oftentimes, they come when you least expect them—e.g. while showering, on your commute to work, or even the slim moment before you fall asleep. The thing is, you neither have perfect recall powers nor do you always have a pen and paper on your person for archiving these bursts of inspiration. One item that people of the 21st century will always have around though, is a smartphone. Further optimize your handset with Writer. This notepad-style app enables users to jot down their ideas sans distracting elements. Its format is as simple as a blank notepad. You have basic options for customization such as different fonts and backgrounds, you can also opt for premium which gives you the text-to-speech function for improved note-taking. And maybe opening a blank page could also spark something great in your brain—an idea for a best-selling novel, perhaps.
Orphic
Android (Free)
Educating yourself on different topics is like investing in a brain bank. If you deposit plenty, you can also easily withdraw exceptional insights. You can pick up a new hobby, learn a new language, or simply download Orphic on your phone. This app showcases a huge catalog of words you probably haven’t heard of, all of which can be of use for when working towards expanding your vocabulary. It’s basically a dictionary that feeds you new words, complete with audio pronunciation and example sentences, each time you open the app. You can save words to your favorite list for reviewing, as well as share your new learnings to your social media accounts. Orphic also updates regularly to give you more words to learn. Isn’t it splendid?
Down Dog: Great Yoga Anywhere
iOS and Android (Free)
Physical activity helps boost brain function. It’s not hard to see why, as we experience that creative spark while on the move daily. Even mundane activities such as walking aid in boosting brain functions, so what more can dedicated practices such as yoga do to benefit your mind? If time doesn’t permit regular visits to a yoga studio, you can turn to your phone for help. Down Dog: Great Yoga Anywhere is a simple app that provides true energy, body and mind-centering content tailored for you. You can comfortably practice with its clear audio instructions and music to achieve zen and be all set for more rounds of creative thinking.
Also published in Gadgets Magazine June 2018 issue
Words by Mia Carisse Barrientos