What is a self-care pet app, and can a virtual pet help me build habits?

A self-care pet app pairs a short list of small daily goals with a virtual pet that reacts when you finish them. A virtual pet can help some people build habits because it makes small goals feel warmer and gives each tick a little moment of its own. It does not do the habit for you, and it works best when the goals are tiny, like a glass of water, a five-minute tidy or a short walk. Migachi is an iPhone app of this kind, coming soon to the App Store, for adults 18 and older. You pick a few daily goals, and when you tick one your pixel pet gets a treat, hops and sends up hearts, and you earn 5 coins. Tick 3 different goals in a day and you get a prize.