These days, there are apps that allow us to keep track of pretty much everything we do, from what we eat to how many steps we take in a day to how much (and how well) we’re sleeping. Then there are those that focus on less-tangible phenomena, like our shifting moods. The Track Your Happiness app for iOS falls into the latter category, but with a twist: It helps users track their emotions over time and, unlike other happiness apps, also provides analysis.
According to Lifehacker, Track Your Happiness, which was designed by Harvard researcher Matt Killingsworth, is part self-help app, part academic experiment. The app records your information confidentially as part of a larger study, so any info you provide is also helping with ongoing research. But Track Your Happiness also wants to help you find out what actually makes you happy. When you sign up, the app begins asking general questions like, “How satisfied are you with your life as a whole?” Then it quickly moves on to the specifics, periodically sending you questions about what you’re doing, how you feel, and whether or not you actually want to be doing the task at hand. Eventually, once it has collected enough data, Track Your Happiness sends you an automated report that not only explains when you’re happiest, but provides information about the possible causes of your happiness.
The app is a great tool for anyone who’s interested getting more in touch with their emotions — or who wants to pinpoint the specific moments and activities that most affect their moods.
