BAY CITY, Mich. -- Mindfulness. It's a straightforward idea, suggesting that your mind is fully attending to what's happening, what you're doing, and space you're moving through. This might seem simple, or even trivial, but in our modern world that seems to move at the speed of light and is full of distractions, a seemingly simple practice like mindfulness can become overly difficult. But never fear, the world of apps is here! Check out our picks for the top 5 tools in your app store to bring the science of calm and cool into our lifestyle.
1. HEADSPACE
If you've always wanted to try implementing meditation techniques into your daily schedule but never thought you'd have the time, this is the solution for you. It teaches basic mindfulness strategies in a fun and engaging way, in addition to offering 2-3 minute guided meditation sessions that explore topics like sleep, stress, focus and exercise. If you're still having a hard time sticking with the app, you can add friends to keep you motivated and on track.
2. MINDMEISTER
Does your brain move a million miles a minute? Welcome to the club. Sometimes the issue doesn't necessarily have to do with mental capacity, but the ability to organize and focus on the thoughts that lead us towards health, organization, and success. Enter mindmapping. This process allows you to brainstorm in your usual chaotic manner, visually chart them out in no particular order, and then organize them into cohesive ideas and strategies. MindMeister can be used on it's online interface or from the app. You can create unlimited thought maps, add files and images, and export them to a PDF or PNG!
3. AMBI PRO
For most of us, especially those that live in major cities, our surroundings are boisterous, distracting, and can even be stress-inducing. Fill your day with ambient sounds to relax and concentrate your mind, focus more on your important thoughts, and block out the almost inescapable white noise of modern life. Ambi Pro utilizes looping audio recordings with a special algorithm that creates a blend of changing, soft noises that doesn't bore your agile brain. In addition, it utilizes special digital reverb to give the sounds a sense of wholeness and depth. You can design and save your own presets, as well as program the sounds to switch on and off at specific times for total ambiance control.
4. DAY ONE
For some of us, the best way to identify, understand, and manage our thoughts are to write them down. Day One is a journaling tool that offers a beautiful, easy to use interface that aims to help you keep a clear mind. There are no ads, no distractions so you can focus, uninterrupted. It's full of fun features that will make journaling seem like a hobby, and less like a chore, like the ability to add pictures, import iPhone metadata so you can flesh out your entries with information like weather, news stories, and music you played that day. It also features numerous organization options so you can browse your entries by calendar, timeline, maps or photos!
5. CALM
Created by a software company, of the same name, Calm is one of the highest-reviewed mindfulness and meditation apps on the market, and is even therapist recommended! It offers a wide range of guided meditations to assist you in bringing relaxation into your life, with selections ranging from 3-25 minute sessions. Other features include Daily Calm, a 10-minute program you can practice at the beginning or end of your day, breathing exercises, sleep stories, and more!
Have you tried any of these apps? If so, what did you think? Tell us in the comments, we love hearing from you!
Hank Graff Chevy is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706 and we are here to help our community grow to become an even better place to call home! For more information on Hank Graff Chevrolet, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our website: www.GraffBayCity.com.
