Mindfulness Matters

With the advancement of technology in the 21st century, we are now capable of controlling our lives in the palm of our hands. As this provides a way to boost our efficiency and productivity, we are now able to lead increasingly active lifestyles, constantly multi-tasking various aspects of our lives: our families, work, relationships, hobbies, social lives, and online presence.

However, this overload of tasks and persistent chatter in our minds can lead us to lose touch with reality, trapping us in technology and to-do lists. Whilst thinking and staying productive are good in moderation, excessive stimulation and fragmented, busy mindsets can impair our focus, increase stress, and increase the likelihood of work-related illness. As a result, we may struggle to develop a natural sense of calm and relaxation, as we have trained our minds and bodies to carry heavy burdens.

One simple way to declutter our minds and alter the way we think is to practice mindfulness. To be mindful means to be completely focused and absorbed in what we are doing, not worrying about the future or past events, and feeling calm, clear and connected to the moment. It means to be curious and open to experiencing thoughts, feelings and sensations, and accepting them without judgement.

A mindful person would be paying attention to what is actually happening rather than what they think is happening. If you find yourself struggling with stress, negative moods, absent-mindedness (e.g., forgetting where you left your keys), or feel controlled by your emotions and thoughts, five minutes of mindfulness a day is all you need to feel benefits.

Benefits of mindfulness:

• Improved focus and memory
• Greater creativity and productivity
• Greater cognitive flexibility
• Better control of emotions
• Reduced stress, anxiety, depression
• Less need for stimulation
• Less work-related illness and medical symptoms
• Less likely to dwell on thoughts

How to boost mindfulness:

Luckily for us, an easy way to boost mindfulness is simply a click away. Many developers have created applications for our phones that focus on boosting mindfulness through meditation. Meditation can help to improve mindfulness by using your breathing to anchor you in the moment, calm your nervous system and centre you. This means your daily dose of relaxation could be sitting in your pocket! To help get you started, here are our top 3 tried-and-trusted apps to boost mindfulness:

1. OAK: Available in the App Store (Apple only)

Key Features:

• Guided and unguided meditations (10-30 minutes long)
• Targeted deep breathing exercises to calm nervous system, heighten concentration or boost energy
• Short videos explaining benefits of meditation and giving deep insights into life and the nature of thinking

Why we love it:

• Suits all levels of practice
• Customisable meditations (e.g., nature sounds)
• Track progress with a growing virtual oak tree!

2. CALM: Available in the App Store & Google Play

Key Features:

• Goal-directed meditations: choose a goal (e.g., managing stress) and undertake singular sessions of week-long programs
• Sleep stories available to help adults and kids with insomnia
• Option for paid subscription to access exclusive meditations and programs

Why we love it: 

• Goal-based programs to target individual concerns
• Set reminders and share your progress with friends
• Listen to calming music and nature sounds

3.  SMILING MIND: Available in the App Store & Google Play

Key Features:

• Introductory meditations to ease you in
• Dashboard tracks your mood and meditations completed with a helpful graph
• Different modules of training, containing lessons to help engage different senses and connect to present moment

Why we love it:

• Also a podcast!
• Suitable for all ages, including kids over 7 years
• Can be used by educators in classroom contexts

If you meditate regularly, even when you don’t feel like it, you will make great gains, for it will allow you to see how your thoughts impose limits on you.