Here it comes, that time of year when your social media feeds are bound to be filled with MRMs (Mercury Retrograde Meltdowns). According to our in-house astrologers, Mercury is in the 'grade until the 22nd. That means we could be experiencing some communication breakdowns, and everyone will have to keep an eye on their bank accounts, making sure to “budget, plan, and think before we spend.” Ladies and gentlemen…cue that MRM.
If you’re like me, Mercury retrograde is enough to make you lock yourself in a closet with a tub of Nutella and a spoon, and just wait for the month to end. WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?!
Before you click “post” on that nuclear Facebook rant, take a minute to breathe…and read our Tech Horoscope. That’s right, we’ve done a sign-by-sign breakdown of the apps to get you through retrograde. Whether you're a dedicated horoscope-reader, a dabbler in the Zodiac, or you avoid astrological nonsense like the plague, it never hurts to download a new app — especially if it's going to make your month a little easier.
So, inquisitive Gemini, have we piqued your curiosity? We've got an app picked especially for you — and the other 11 zodiac signs, too.
TAURUS
It’s the oldest meme in the (online) book, but it’s also never been more appropriate for you, Taurus: This month, “It’s gonna be MAY! ” According to our own astrological divas, this is going to be one killer bday month, Taurus! Your career is going to be on fire, when you’re “manifesting magic at every turn.” A full moon on the 6th will "swing open doors to opportunity.” Damn Taurus, shit’s looking good for you: If you’ve ever felt the desire to release a top-secret visual album about your personal life, this is the time to do it.
But before you pick the release date , think twice. Although your hustle is gonna be on point this month, beware Mercury retrograde in your sign until May 22. Mercury is a communication planet, which means that all those good opportunities could go out the window if you’re not communicating effectively. Not to worry, though, we’ve got the perfect app to support you during communication meltdowns, and ensure your ability to turn retrograde into Lemonade.
Evernote is an app that lets you take notes, create to-do lists, and store crucial links. Your notes will be saved on Evernote, and synced to all your devices: phone, tablet, and computer. But that’s not all — you can also create a group notebook and share it with your collaborators on any project. For the creative Taurus, this is the perfect app to keep communication flowing, even when Mercury retrograde threatens to take down your empire.
Photo: Courtesy Evernote.
GEMINI
OMGemini! The past four months have been a hellish Jupiter retrograde in your domestic sector. But all that comes to a merciful stop on May 9th when, according to our in-house astrologers, the end of Jupiter retrograde “makes being at home more enjoyable.” They encourage you to “set up Chateau Gemini to feel like more of an oasis.” The vibes are all domestic goddess, but don’t overwhelm yourself with color swatches or you may become a domestic demon. Fortunately, we have the perfect app to help you with all your post-retrograde design plans.
Wondering if that new credenza is gonna clash with your couch? Try-before-you-buy may work on grapes at the grocery store, but it’s a bit tougher when it comes to designer furniture. Fortunately, Autodesk Homestyler is an app that will ease all your pre-purchase design anxieties. You just upload a photo of your room, and the app magically turns it into a “3D design playground.” It creates 3D renderings of potential furniture purchases, light fixtures, paint potions, or wall hangings — allowing you to see how your redesign will look, before you actually buy anything.
Photo: Courtesy Autodesk.
CANCER
Well Cancer, here’s the good news: You’re gonna be winning the popularity contest this month. Our Refinery29 astrologers predict that “your popularity just keeps on expanding this May.” Yaaaaaaas (prom) kween!! But now for the bad news: With great popularity comes great responsibility. Keeping your calendar on lock when all your frondz are clamoring to hang can be very, very tough. Thankfully, we’ve got the app for all your scheduling needs, so you can live your popular truth without double-booking yourself.
UpTo is the calendar to end all calendars, and the perfect app for the ever-popular Cancer. UpTo is a calendar with two layers. The front layer is your personal calendar — filled with all your work lunches, friend hangs, and Tinder dates. Then, there’s a back layer that lists all the calendars you “follow.” You can follow your favorite concert venues to see when Bey is coming to town, your fav TV shows so you never miss an episode of Scandal, or even your friends who are also on UpTo. UpTo will sync all your other cals (Outlook, Google Calendar, iCloud, and Facebook events), so you don’t have to shuttle back and forth between apps just to figure out what’s going on in your damn life. It’s streamlined, simple, and perfect for Cancer this May.
Photo: Courtesy UpTo.
LEO
Get ready, Leo, 'cause this May is all about the Benjamins, baby (or should we say Tubmans?). Regardless of who is on your bills, one thing’s for certain: You’re going to be getting a lot of them. Here’s what our astrologers have to say: “When Jupiter snaps out of retrograde on the 9th, your money mojo will rise again too.” It’s gonna be a good month for your career, too, “with the sun and cosmic creator Venus paired up in your 10th house of success.” But before you go spending that money like a rap star, take a minute to think about putting some away for a rainy (May) day. Fortunately, we have just the app to help you manage all that cash.
Mint takes all your financial information and puts it in one place. It’ll sync your mutual funds, bank accounts, credit cards, bills, even your 401(k). Mint then gives you an easy-to-read assessment of your financial status. You can monitor your spending patterns and earnings, and even get super-fun infographics to help you track your cash. Have a hard time budgeting your life? Well, no more, thanks to Mint. It’s a must for all Leos this month.
Photo: Courtesy Mint.
VIRGO
This month is gonna be a biggie, Virgo. There could be huge ch-ch-ch-ch-changes coming your way, ones that could deeply affect the rest of your life. It’s time, according to our astrologers, to look inward: “With your ruling planet Mercury retrograde until the 22nd, an introspective voyage can help you realize what's truly right for you.” That inner voyage will potentially be matched by an outer one, as well, because “a long-distance or travel opportunity could be part of the equation.” Where better to reflect on your life than from the shores of a beach in Puerto Vallarta? Our astrologers have the technology tip on this one, warning to “book wisely and with reputable agencies (read those TripAdvisor reviews!).” Apparently, Virgo, TripAdvisor could save your ass this month.
What is TripAdvisor, you ask? In short: a literal lifesaver. This app helps you avoid accidentally booking ratchet motels and crappy restaurants on your getaway. Download the app, and you’ll have millions of traveler reviews of all the spots you want to visit. The app can also help you book those flights, hotels, and restaurants (once you’ve checked out all their reviews).
Photo: Courtesy TripAdvisor.
LIBRA
Sexy soulmate alert, Libra! May could bring with it some steamy new romance, or at least a mind-blowing hookup. Our astrologers say that “a Venus-Jupiter mash-up could usher in a soulmate on the 10th — someone whom you feel safe being vulnerable around.” But where is this dream lover hiding? Apparently, right under your nose: “You could meet on the dance floor or while doing something spiritual, like a group meditation.” A lover who is in touch with his spiritual side sounds great, but what if you’re not in touch with your own? Don’t miss out on dream bae just because you don’t know where to find a group meditation class. Download the MINDBODY app, Libra — and you’re one step closer to finding your spring fling (and more importantly, inner peace).
MINDBODY is an app that has your back…and your spirit. This app helps users find local yoga classes, meditation meet-ups, group fitness classes, and even massage therapists. You can book any of these services through the app, using its easy interface.
Photo: Courtesy MindBody.
SCORPIO
What’s Love Got To Do With It? Well, Scorpio, this month love’s got everything to do with it. If you’re already bae-ed up, you and your soulmate could be having some serious convos. According to our astrologers, “Talks could turn to exclusivity, and if you've been together for a while, there could be a proposal or co-signed lease before the month is through.” Single Scorpios will be on the prowl for romance, and “you could meet your match through mutual friends.” Want to increase the odds of that mutual friend meeting? Well, fortunately, there’s an app for that.
Hinge is a dating app just like Tinder, with one big difference: Hinge relies on making connections through your Facebook friends. Because you’re getting connected to friends or friends of friends, there is a significantly lower creep-factor. Hinge could be just the trick to making your astrologically charmed love connection this month.
Photo: Courtesy Hinge.
SAGITTARIUS
All right, Sagittarius, get ready for a bit of a rocky road this month. Things in the career zone might be bumpy, according to our astrologers. Here’s what they have to say on the job front: “You have to pay your dues to get to the next stage of the game, especially with go-getter Mars retrograde in your sign until the 27th.” This could also mean potential work snafus if you’re not careful: “Mercury is retrograde until the 22nd, so you may even have to RE-do a project — or an aspect of it — in order to get the quality up to snuff.” Woof, that’s a whole lotta retrograde in one month. In order to avoid workplace drama, a smart Sagittarius will make sure they’ve got their projects organized and buttoned up. Don’t worry, we’ve got an app for this one, too.
Asana is a workplace app that is gaining serious traction with major companies. It helps you keep your team tasks organized, and allows everyone to track their progress on a group project. It’s a simple way to keep everyone on your team in communication, and avoid any Mercury retrograde screwups.
Photo: Courtesy Asana.
CAPRICORN
Get your "Freakum Dress" on, Capricorn. Here’s what our astrologers have to say about your very sassy May: “With the sun and fashionista Venus brightening your flamboyant fifth house for most of the month, you'll be a shameless head-turner.” Yes, it seems like you’ll be getting a lot of attention this month, which means you’ll want to be looking your absolute fiercest. As it turns out, May might even bring out your inner Rachel McAdams: “The stage could even call your name — did you have any clue that there was a performer living inside you?” Just don’t forget to pay attention to “fashionista Venus,” and make sure to buy some cute outfits to help you soak up all this attention. No time to shop? Don’t worry — we’ve got the perfect app for you.
As it turns out, you don’t need to be Rachel McAdams to have a personal shopper. Thanks to the people at PS Dept, there’s now an app to connect the everywoman to her very own stylist. Use it to tell your personal shopper what you’re looking for, review their selections, and check out on your phone. The best part? Your new looks will be delivered right to your door.
Photo: Courtesy PS Dept.
AQUARIUS
Aquarius, while everyone else is out hustling and bustling this spring, you’ll find yourself calling “Mayday” in May. You need a break from it all, according to our astrologers, and “while birds and bees are fluttering out of their nests, all you want to do is retreat to yours.” But don’t feel guilty about keeping it chill this month, you’ve earned it: “Take a well-deserved break from being the monarch of the social butterflies.” And while you’re relaxing, why not treat yourself to a little massage? Don’t feel like leaving your house to head to the spa? Well, there’s an app that will bring the spa right to your door.
Zeel is an app that will bring licensed massage therapists right to your home. They’ll bring their own massage table, oils, and magic hands. These are the best massage therapists in the business, and Zeel has carefully screened and vetted each one. Treat yourself, Aquarius — you’ve earned it.
Photo: Courtesy Zeel.
PISCES
Okay, Pisces, we’re not gonna lie to you: Work isn’t exactly going to be the most fun this month. According to our astrologers, “Career-wise, you may have some backtracking to do as motivator Mars will also be retrograde all month.” We know, it’s never fun to hear that you have a sucky work month ahead. But there are tips our astrologers have for surviving: “Are you presenting like the pro you are? Putting your best foot forward is a must, so polish things up and you could land a huge professional victory with the full moon on the 21st.” We know you’re gunning for that victory on the 21st (you’ll need it after this tough month), so how are you going to “polish up” to get it? Well, maybe it’s time to start dressing for success. Don’t have the time to coordinate those work looks? Not to worry, there’s an app that is the 2016 equivalent of Cher’s computerized closet in Clueless.
Stylebook helps you organize and coordinate your wardrobe. You can curate your outfits with the click of a button, taking the guesswork (and time) out of getting dressed every morning. By planning those work outfits the week before, you’ll free up brain space for putting out retrograde fires. And when your big work victory comes on the 21st, you’ll be looking great in your moment of glory.
Photo: Courtesy Stylebook.
ARIES
It’s mo’ money, mo’ retrograde problems this month, Aries. Although you’ll be raking in the dough, our astrologists recommend keeping track of that budget: “Mercury is retrograde until the 22nd, so budget with extreme care so you don't burn as fast as you earn.” Where is all this extra cash coming from, you ask? It seems that you may be receiving additional revenue from some unexpected sources: “While some elbow grease will be required, think outside the 9-5 grind...Maybe it's time to start an Etsy store to hawk some of your crafty wares that your friends are always drooling over.” But if you’re taking on a side-gig to make that extra dough, you’re gonna need to be militant about time management. We know, we know — sometimes it’s impossible to resist the pull of your Facebook feed. Fortunately, there’s an app to keep you on task.
Focus Booster is the perfect app for the busy multitasker (or the easily distracted freelancer). This app uses a time management method called the Pomodoro Technique, which divides your work into 25-minute sections, separated by short breaks. If you’re addicted to your social media feeds, this is the perfect antidote. You only get five minutes to check out Zayn’s Insta, Aries — and that’s probably for the best.
Photo: Courtesy Focus Booster.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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