One reason that games and apps are popular is that they're fair. Real life rewards diligence, character and kindness, but also throws in pesky curveballs and setbacks. The right productivity app will mimic the videogame psychology of achievements followed by praise, opening the floodgates for a sweet dopamine rush. There's a lot to like about Lift: its layout is simple, attractive and user-friendly, and the tone is positive, not nagging or scolding. Users choose habits they want to assume and these actions are tied into their calendar and profile. Habits are broken down into categories, such as "trending", "easiest", "fitness" and "mindfulness". I chose "write for 30 minutes", "no email before breakfast" and "sleep by midnight". After you've done one of these good deeds, you log it, and the app collates a nice chart to visualise your progress. Friends and strangers give "props", which are symbolised by thumbs up. This makes it similar to Facebook "likes" but a prop, inevitably, feels much more earned.