Let’s be honest; everyday life can be super overwhelming. With work, family life, not enough time and too many responsibilities, keeping our cool can be difficult at times. Well today, we’re bringing you some handy solutions, easily obtainable from our favourite accessory and lifeline – our phone. In this post, we’ll be chatting through our three favourite apps to help you find your calm in 2020. If embracing a calmer every day is one of your aims for this year, then just keep on reading!
Headspace
When the word ‘Headspace’ comes to mind, we also think of Andy Puddicombe; the sports scientist turned Buddhist monk turned meditation extraordinaire. Launched in 2010, Headspace is a round-up of Puddicombe’s learnings obtained from many countries over the course of a decade. His goal was to spread the wealth and knowledge of meditation and mindfulness to as many people as possible; thus, Headspace was born!
The app teaches its user’s mindfulness training and how to meditate effectively as part of your everyday routine. The benefits of meditation include stress relief, increased focus, an uplifted mood, and there’s also preliminary evidence of decreased depression and anxiety levels. All it takes is 10 minutes at the end of a long day. Three words: Sign. Us. Up!
Calm
The name speaks for itself: Calm. Their mission is simple: to make the world a happier and healthier place. The Calm app has a number of nifty features designed to improve your every day, such as breathing and meditation techniques, stress management, sleep improvement tips (including music and stretches to incorporate into your bedtime routine), and scenes, sounds and stories that are perfect for every occasion: relaxing, working, studying or winding down before bed.
Their “Daily Calm” feature can be used for 10 minutes in the morning to ease yourself into a new day/wind down in the evening, and their “Sleep Stories” have proven helpful in helping users fall asleep. In the chaos of everyday life, we could all do with a little Calm, right?
Daily Yoga
With almost 8 billion people on the planet, we’re not all designed to do everything the same way. Meditation and breathing techniques aren’t going to suit everyone. Some maintain their calm by placing their focus on something else – like fitness, Pilates or yoga. While some like the option of joining a class, others prefer staying in the comfort of their own home, pocket-sized instructor in hand.
Some of the known benefits of yoga are stress and tension relief, sharper attention-to-detail and a centred nervous system, which the Daily Yoga app can help you achieve from home. With over 100 yoga and meditation classes to choose from, it also includes Vinyasa, Pilates and HIIT for a well-rounded workout experience. Those post-workout endorphins go hand-in-hand with a level head, so make it your mission to chase ‘em and your calm this year!
