Awesome Apps to Relax
In true paradoxical fashion, the same technology that can introduce a great deal of anxiety into our lives can also help us relax and minimize stress. Technology is nothing more than a tool and like all tools its effectiveness all depends on how you use it. When you need to unplug, refresh and unwind, here are 7 awesome apps that can help you do it.
1. White Noise
Whether it is a partner who snores, noisy neighbors or spending the night in an unfamiliar location, nighttime noises can sometimes make it difficult to sleep. Even if it is not sleep that you need, but just some calming soothing background noise, White Noise can help. You can play white noise on your cell phone or block outside noises even further by pairing the app with some noise cancelling bluetooth ear buds.
2. Freedom
No matter how much we know we need to relax, unwind, unplug – or just get off social media – actually doing so can be more difficult. Freedom is an app that you can use to block any apps and websites that are time wasters or simply suck you in, making it impossible to unplug. From social media sites to your work email, use freedom to stop yourself from getting sucked into the very things you most need to be free of.
3. Digital Detox
This app may be one of the more extreme apps, but it also may be one of the absolutely most important for some. Sometimes, you literally need to pull the plug on your electronics entirely, but there is no doubt that our tech can be addicting. Which is exactly why we sometimes need a total and complete digital detox. With the digital detox app, you can set a timer and it locks your phone entirely, rendering it completely unusable until the time you set expires. Again, this may seem extreme to some, but for others it may be exactly what they need to save their jobs, their marriages or their friendships.
4. Rescue Time
If you were to consult a financial planner about getting your finances in order, one of the first things they would tell you to do is to start tracking your spending. Before you can set a realistic budget, you need to first get a realistic picture of where all your money is going. The same is true of your time. Before you can budget your time realistically, you need to see just how much time you are spending – or wasting – on various sites. RescueTime runs in the background and tracks exactly how much time you spend online and on each individual site. RescueTime can also block websites entirely or limit the amount of time it allows you to spend on them.
5. Calm
Social media often tends to be our go-to when we need a break for a few minutes at work. Instead of calming us down, however, social media can actually stress us out more than we already were. Instead of taking a social media break, try taking a Calm break instead. Calm offers hundreds of guided meditations, relaxing music or even video lessons on mindful movements or stretching. Calm can even help you get a better night’s sleep.
6. Lumosity
While it may seem counterintuitive, one of the best things you can do to get a good night’s sleep is get plenty of exercise. The same thing that is true of your body is also true of your brain. You might think that the best way to relax and unwind is to sit and veg in front of the TV, but television is also full of advertisements, messages and even reminders of what you don’t have. Just like social media, watching television may actually increase your stress levels rather than decreasing them. Conversely, however, exercising your brain with stimulating games may actually be just what the doctor ordered to relax and unwind.
7. Flipd
If you just want to track the amount of time you spend online or on certain sites, there are plenty of apps that can help you do that. There are also plenty of apps that can help you block certain sites you don’t want to be distracted by. Flipd, however, can actually help you become aware of just how unconsciously you use and check your phone. Flipd allows you to set a specific amount of time you want to unplug – or not use your phone – and that begins a session. If you need to use your phone, there is a way you can pause a session, but you have to consciously think about pausing it. Otherwise, your use of your phone interrupts the session and the timer starts all over again. When you get to the end of the time when you feel a session should be complete, you may be surprised to discover the timer is only at a few minutes or seconds. This means you interrupted a session completely unconsciously.
Final Word
Just like everything else in life, different people will have a different dependence level to their electronics. The younger you are, however, the harder it might be to even understand how to function in the world without digital devices. Older people grew up without them and therefore know exactly how to function without them, even if sometimes they might need to be reminded. Younger Millennials and Gen Y, however, may have the most difficulty understanding why there is even a need to unplug. Sometimes, you just have to unplug completely to find out.
