Checking In

I love a good mood tracking app, and I recently discovered a real gem. It's called CheckingIn. I have been using it for about a week and want to share it with you because it is an excellent mental health tool.

CheckingIn wants to be "your space for self-awareness and daily mindfulness." They set out on their journey in January 2019 with one goal in mind- "to create a toll that would elevate personal well-being through the simple act of a check in."

The core values of CheckingIn:

• Be Clear- clear, precise information.
• Keep It Simple- an easy and accessible process that streamlines your self-awareness.
• Build Trust- a safe space to facilitate vulnerability and transparency.

How It Works:

You have the option of electing to get a notification at whatever time works for you to remind you to check in. I decided that 8:15 a.m. was a good time for me, since by then I would have been awake for a few hours and should have a good grasp on how I feel. The first step of your check in is rating your energy level. You give your energy level a number rating that reflects how energetic you feel. Then, you describe how you feel using only one word. But, you are then given the opportunity to add notes right after, so if you feel like you have more to say, you can.

Next, you are given the opportunity to answer what the app calls "Reflection Questions." Before getting to the question, you are given a tip on how to improve you overall well-being that focuses on whatever subject the question is based on. These questions change daily, and will help you to tap into how you feel, and make you consider how you want to approach your day. 

Today my question was:

"What simple thing can you enjoy right now?"

My answer was "my coffee and the quiet."

You can try CheckingIn for free and have access to the check ins and reflection questions. But, you can also sign up for a Plus Membership which gives you additional features:

• Unlimited History- access your entire history through graphs and reports
• Deeper Insights- access reports that outline emotional patterns
• Unlimited Analysis- drill down into your data by exporting your entire history to a CSV file to analyze offline
• Unlimited Journaling- write as much as you want during your check in
• Weather Trends- discover how the weather influences your emotions

CheckingIn Plus is an auto-renewing subscription. When you sign up for the Plus Membership, you are give a 7-day free trial, and as long as you cancel at least 24 hours before your renewal date, you will not be charged. So there is no risk involved! The cost for a Plus Membership is $4.99 a month or $39.99 once annually.

Another great feature on the app can be found under settings. There is an Emergency Resources section to reference if you or anyone you know is in a crisis situation. 

One more thing- if you are worried about privacy, rest assured that CheckingIn has your back. You have the option to set up a pin entry so that only you can access your app. I highly recommend it for peace of mind. You want to be honest with your answers so that any reports or graphs you view are accurate reflections of how you really feel.

Overall, I really love this app. It is fun and easy to use and does really help me turn inward to focus on how I feel in that moment. One of my favorite things is how you can look back in your history for any patterns.

CheckingIn is available for download at the Apple App Store. It is not yet available on Google Play but you can sign up to be notified when it is available. You can also visit their website and on Facebook and Instagram.