For thousands of years, people have claimed the many benefits of the practice of meditation, mindfulness and cognitive therapy. Finding a sense of “zen” can help reduce stress, boost creativity, increase focus, decrease anxiety, and improve your relationships. However, despite the benefits, it can be difficult to find the time to fit mindfulness into our busy schedules. As we run around from meeting to meeting and city to city, meditation can sometimes be last thing on our minds. Luck for us, in this digital age, there is a new wave of apps which can help you find (and keep) your zen.
Koko
Oftentimes, when we feel stressed out or anxious about a situation, we can become isolated or withdrawn. Sometimes we might feel nervous or too embarrassed to ask for help. That’s where Koko comes in. It’s a social network that aims to calm your mind using a form of crowdsourced cognitive therapy.
When we’re stressed, we often become our own worst enemy. We tell ourselves that we can’t do it. That we aren’t good enough. That things will never get better. Koko offers a new solution to an old problem.
You can log in to the app and anonymously post about your problem. Other users will then chime in to help you rethink your problem, offer advice and ideas for coping in an effort to help you find the best way to move forward.
It is based on the idea that we are stronger together. It offers those suffering from stress, anxiety or depression the chance to tame their thoughts and learn how to stay calm during difficult situations.
Headspace
Headspace is like a gym membership for the mind. It’s an app which allows you to practice mindfulness and meditation on the go. It helps you reduce stress, increase calm, overcome anxiety and live in the moment.
Headspace helps you train your mind for a healthier, happier and more enjoyable life. The app, which you can download it for your phone or your computer offers a free ten day session where you can learn the basics of meditation for only ten minutes a day.
If you choose to subscribe, you can gain access to hundreds of hours of original content which helps boost your creativity, increase your focus and reduce your anxiety. If there is a particular area that you would like to focus on, like health, performance or relationships, there is a meditation for you.
You can listen to Headspace on the go and download sessions to use offline on your smartphone or tablet. You can track your progress with statistics, join in with friends or get rewarded for a job well done. Also, for each paid subscription, Headspace donates a subscription to someone else in need.
Calm
A recent brain imaging study published in a Harvard journal concluded that “mindfulness meditation sessions alter regions of the brain associated with memory, awareness of self, and compassion.”
Relax with Calm is a simple mindfulness meditation app which helps bring more clarity, joy, and peace of mind into your life, at work or at home. You can choose one of the guided or unguided sessions when you want to meditate on the fly or in the comfort of your home.
With a variety of options you are bound to find the appropriate session for your specific needs. Examples include guides that help you ease mental tension, have a restful night, focus your mind, unlock your imagination, have a spiritual awakening, and much more.
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