Eight apps to help you unwind – and train your mind

There are countless mobile apps that’ll help boost productivity, get you organised and keep track of your daily schedule.

But what about when you’re off duty and hoping to forget about work? Given the majority of us still have one hand glued to our phones over the weekend, mobile apps can provide a great way to rest your mind and gain some inner calm.

Below are eight apps that’ll help you forget the past week at work and aid your ‘mindfulness‘.

1. Yoga RELAX

There’s a good reason why yoga is an industry worth $960 million in Australia.

When it comes to mindfulness and stress release, yoga’s known to provide plenty of benefits. If you can’t get yourself to your nearest yoga studio, this app is the next best thing. With detailed images and spoken instructions to lead you through the downward dog, sun salutation and 30 other yoga moves, this app will be your very own pocket instructor, guiding you to a relaxed state of mind.

2. Mental Workout – Mindfulness Meditation

Meditation can boost your brainpower, reduce stress levels and help you find core balance. This app was designed by meditation teacher and psychotherapist Stephan Bodian and provides guided meditations to talk you through each step, so it’s perfect for beginners, as well as those a little more experienced. So even if you’ve only got five minutes to commit to reducing your stress levels, this app will help you out.

3. The Mindfulness App

Finding time in a busy schedule to actually remember to be mindful can be the biggest hurdle in getting there. But thanks to the power of technology, it doesn’t take an awful lot to commit to meditation these days. This app will take care of your reminders, sending you pre-scheduled alerts to let you that it’s time to find some inner peace.

4. Walking Meditations

Want to start meditating but can’t find a moment to stop and relax? There’s an app for you, too. Meditation Oasis’s app guides you through three different walking meditations. So if you’re seeking a bit of a reprieve, have 15 minutes to spare and a set of headphones on hand, you’re halfway to mindfulness already.

5. Flipboard

If your idea of a perfect weekend is catching up on the week’s biggest stories, then Flipboard will become your new favorite download. Collating stories from top publishers and recommendations from your social media streams into one beautiful magazine layout, you can read through all of the stories you’ve missed during the week in one go.

6. Ted Talks

Is watching reality television a world away from your idea of a pleasurable way to unwind? The antithesis of a brain-draining session in front of the television, the Ted Talks app gives you access to the entire library of over 1400 talks. All less than 20-minutes long, these talks share wisdom from a range of individuals including thought leaders, musicians, educators, researchers and scientists. Great conversation starters for a Saturday night dinner party.

7. Pinterest

Sometimes, the perfect way to unwind is to lose yourself in inspirational pictures. One of the most popular websites to emerge in recent years, Pinterest lets you ‘pin’ inspiring images you find across the web, recipes you want to try, and stories that have inspired you. There’s no limit to what you can find, and now that it comes in an app it’s all at your fingertips. Don’t forget to follow Women’s Agenda on Pinterest.

8. Stress Check

Developed by clinical psychologists experienced in stress management, Stress Check enables you to see how you rate on the stress chart. Taking you through a series of stress-related questions, the app explains different stressors in detail, along with helpful tips on how to reduce anxiety in those areas. It’s a great way to recalibrate for the upcoming week, plus it saves your previous scores to monitor your stress management.

This article was first published on LeadingCompany’s sister site, Women’s Agenda.