man holding phone

We spend a lot of our time on devices. We work on the computer. We talk to our friends and families on the phone. We watch shows on tablets. Sometimes when we have nothing to do at the moment, we go to our phones. We click on social media apps and scroll mindlessly. We look at things that don’t have substance. It does us all a lot of good to pass the time with something more productive. Whether you are trying to learn how to play chess, speak a language, or simply improve your memory, below are five apps to help you pass the time productively.

Wordle

One of the most popular apps to pass the time is Wordle. A lot like Scrabble, this app prompts you to fill in words based on the number of letters they have and the other words on the list that use the same letters. Wordle is soothing, mind-expanding, and productive in several ways. It prompts you to grow your vocabulary and remember words you have forgotten. Whether you are trying to expand your vocabulary or just want a fun, efficient way to pass the time. There’s a reason this app has become so popular.

Alexa Games

Alexa is the voice assistant technology created by Amazon, but besides providing useful features like timers and weather updates, it can also play games. Alexa games have some of the classics you love from television, like Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Not all Alexa games are as brain-heavy as Jeopardy. There are plenty of options for all types of gamers to pass the time. Alexa is constantly improving as well as the quality and library of games available. Looking to challenge friends and family? Just ask Alexa what games are available.

Babbel

Another app that helps you expand your brain and learn something new is the language app Babbel. This language-learning app offers a wide range of techniques that help you strengthen your grammar, learn new vocabulary, and improve your accent. This gamified language app has prompts that are designed by language professionals and professors. If you are looking to learn a new language, brush up on a language that you used to speak better, or simply learn a few phrases for a trip, Babbel is a great way to learn something new and productively pass the time.

Chess.com

The world of chess has exploded in recent years. With artificial intelligence (AI) mapping out the best possible moves in every situation, humans have learned how to play chess more effectively. With the chess.com app, you can play against other players around the world. You can see where you stand in the world of chess with your rating. 

Playing a game of chess requires you to be engaged for the duration of the game, but the app allows you to play chess in different modalities and time intervals. Chess offers a way to greatly expand your mind and think critically. It beckons you to think ahead. It calls for you to strategize and solve problems. Chess is one of the best ways to productively pass the time, and the chess.com app makes it possible to play seriously anywhere.

World Series of Poker

Like chess.com, the World Series of Poker app can be a great way to practice your poker skills. There are plenty of gambling and betting apps, but poker is mind-expanding. While poker is very different when you play it online, it is still a good way to learn the game. Poker is a combination between odds, probability, and understanding the players at the table. When you are looking for a way to effectively pass the time, download the World Series of Poker app and get started.

There’s no excuse these days. You can use your time productively in several ways. You can download apps that expand your mind, not melt it. With so much social media and nonsense online, it’s important to utilize resources that will help you become a better person. Don’t just settle for doom-scrolling. You can find great applications that will help you learn, get better at something, and pass the time efficiently.