The online community has made it convenient (and often pretty fun) to create better habits through innovative applications. In particular, there are a series of online tracking applications, many of them either free or at very low cost, that can be life-changing.

In the business world, they say that you cannot change things that you have not measured.

Tracking apps have been proven to work wonders for many people by giving them the tools to measure what might otherwise have been esoteric ideas (like sleep patterns).

Then they can create an atmosphere of lessened stress that allows them to perform more quickly and intelligently.  There is no downside to giving these kinds of apps a try.

That being said, it’s great to be safe!

The infographic put together by PandaSecurity.com is only has a diverse cross-section of useful apps, but has vetted them for safety.

Considering the state of cybersecurity today, you cannot be too careful. And no one wants to enter personal information into an app that might be compromised.

Under Armour’s My FitnessPal, a nutrition tracking app, was recently hacked in one of the worst breaches of all time, compromising the information of nearly 150 million users. You have to be secure that an app you use for tracking is safe before you divulge huge amounts of personal information.

Considering the source though, these apps have been vetted as safe and effective.

What Kind of Tracking Apps Are Out There?

Fitness Apps

Reaching fitness goals is a particularly arduous experience, but fitness apps use goal setting tools and resources that encourage you to succeed.

One popular fitness and nutrition-related app is MyPlate Calorie Counter.

Created by LIVESTRONG.com, the application gives you innovative ways to track your food and water intake. At the same time, it features a community platform where people share tips and trick and even preferred recipes.

Break the Habit

Data visualization is proven to have a striking effect on the human mind making any message more persuasive. There are apps that use this idea to address literally any bad habit, from biting your nails to overeating.

HabitBull allows you to take whatever goal you want and chart your progress.

Coach.me is a similar bad habit breaking application that adds a human element of encouragement and maybe some accountability.

The free version of the app lets you connect with a community of people many of whom may be facing similar issues as you. Paying a little more matches the user with an online coach who offers personalized advice and motivation.

Better at Work

Need a to-do list that follows you everywhere? Wunderlist shares goals across platforms allowing you to be more efficient at work and at home. It also features functions where tasks can be delegated to team members (or family members).

Another management task that can more easily be performed by machines is meeting scheduling.

If you have a random set of meetings and interviews that are constantly in flux, the application Clara is there to help. Taking the place of a personal assistant this app is a nimble way to plan ahead and take good care of job candidates too.

Be Prepared

And in terms of planning, weather apps like Accuweather are the best way to make sure you are setting out while wearing appropriate garb.

While it seems simple enough, not anticipating weather can lead to serious illness.

Sleep Better

You might think, what is the purpose of tracking sleep, is there anything I can do about my sleep patterns? Again, if you don’t have any measurements you won’t know if there is anything to be concerned about.

SleepCycle is an app that helps you fall asleep and also records snoring to make sure that you don’t have any problems that can lead to sleep apnea or other dangerous conditions.

Pillow relies on sensors to track your sleep. Then it coordinates with other applications to see how factors like lack of exercise or caffeine intake may have corresponded with nights of sleep deprivation.

Spend Smarter

Financial Apps like Mint.com are an important touchstone for those trying to manage finances.

All too often we ignore budgets and perilous financial situations follow. Using this kind of app is not only instrumental in avoiding pesky late fees (that build up fast), it also tracks specific kinds of spending to make sure we are spending in the right place.

It’s imperative to know where your money is going in order to be better with spending.

Apps like the ones mentioned above do everything from preventing stress to actually encouraging an improved lifestyle. Testimonials from thousands of users demonstrate just how important it is to get on this bandwagon.

Tracking certain aspects of your life simply allows you to get a better handle on what you need to work on and how you can best spend your time.