It’s guest post day here at Duct Tape Marketing, and today’s guest post is from Rusty Brett  – Enjoy! 

It’s no secret that personal growth and development is easier said than done. Like setting a New Year’s resolution, setting goals for self-improvement is easy — it’s the execution where most people run into issues. Incorporating personal growth into your lifestyle requires effort and perseverance, but the ROI is worth it.

Where did this personal development trend come from?

Personal learning has transformed industries – from business to healthcare – in the last decade. With the proliferation of search engines and the popularity of social media, there’s no question people have been placing a priority on self-development. Technological advancements have led to the widespread availability of knowledge, which has enhanced elements of self-development in all industries. When we zero in on personal development as it relates to technology, we can see trends pointing to more personal growth involving technological integration, social sharing, and mobile applications.

Technological Integration

In the 21st century, technology has become part of our lives and society. New technologies have allowed more efficiency and productivity while also allowing for more enjoyment. We use our mobile devices to track our health, pay bills and store schedules and contacts. There are endless uses for these devices, and they vary from person to person. The introduction of Apply Pay shows there is no sign of technological integration going away.

Social Media

Social media platforms have allowed us to become more aware of others. Social media users are sharing aspects of their lives including self-improvement, which becomes a positive form of peer pressure that we see every day.

In terms of personal growth, social media serve as a supportive and motivational role. For instance, many people learn about new workouts from Instagram and then feel motivated to try them out at the gym. When people see healthy recipes shared on Pinterest, it changes what they choose to make for their meals that week. And plenty of LinkedIn users read up on industry trends and learn from other professionals through the platform. In addition, LinkedIn can be gratifying for users when they get promoted, endorsed for skills or congratulated on a new job. As addictively entertaining as social media is, the time spent on it can be beneficial for personal development.

How to Bring Personal Growth into Your Life

According to a 2014 Nielsen report, mobile users spend an average of 30 hours and 15 minutes per month on mobile apps. About 65 percent of this time is spent on social media, search engines and entertainment apps — and only 6 percent of this time is spent on productivity apps. Prioritizing your time on your mobile apps can increase your personal development. It’s time to utilize apps that are beneficial to all aspects of your personal growth. .

Lift [Free]

In a nutshell, Lift is designed to facilitate the formation of desired habits. If you are looking to change negative habits or learn new skills, then this app is perfect for you. It allows you to customize your goals and provides support and motivation to stick to them. It provides data on how often you have accomplished a task or goal, which in turn gives you feedback.

Mint [Free]

Budgeting your personal finances and staying on budget is a constant problem for many. Mint provides a great service to track instantly how you are doing financially. Not only will Mint organize all of your accounts and investments, but it will also notify you about your bills, create budgets and save your money.

Argus [Free]

Finding motivation to maintain your health can be hard, but Argus makes it a priority to motivate and inspire you. Argus works with Apple’s Health app, but you can also use it on its own. Beating your health goals from one day to the next can be fun and fulfilling, especially when you compete against other users.

Tempo [Free]

Organization is key to your professional and personal life. One problem with staying organized is scheduling your time. Tempo is a smart calendar that allows you to pool together your personal and professional calendars and contacts. This way, all of your meetings, events and people are in one place on your phone or tablet.

Rusty Brett is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Lift Division as well as an investor in a handful of other start-ups. With several years of entrepreneurship, business ownership and marketing experience under his belt, Rusty has a passion for not only launching businesses, but also helping other businesses grow their sales and client base.