With midterm season well underway, collegiettes may be noticing that stress levels are also rising. It becomes difficult to prioritize self-care when you have a paper due the next morning at your 8:30am class. Taking the time to go to yoga, get a massage, or going to the spa is probably also not a possibility, not just because of time, but because of money. Well, what if I could tell you that your phone can help get you some stress relief, and that it is not related to looking at cute pet videos on Youtube? In this article, I have done the work for you. I have taking time to test out these apps, to talk to people who have used these apps, and am here to share the good news – conveniently with links included. You will find them listed below – hope they help!
Meditation game
Probably one of my favourite meditation apps out there! As a user, you sit down, and pick a music theme. Then you move your phone in ways to get your shining ball of light to go and touch other balls of light. The perfect combination of a game, which forces you to do something, while also incorporating music, breathing suggestions, and a never-ending cycle for the ball of light. This app is great for those of us who have trouble doing nothing in order to relax, and allows to get you into the headspace while also letting your hands stay busy. While This application is not available on IPhones, here is hoping it will come out there soon! Available on Google Play.
Pacifica
This application has so many different parts to it, some of which are for pay, others which are free. As the app says, the techniques used to create the tools within the app are based on “Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, mindfulness meditation, relaxation, and mood/health tracking”. If you are one of those people who is looking for that one app that is multi-functional, look no further than Pacifica! For free, you gain access to basic meditations and relaxation exercises, a mood, sleep and thought tracker, a goal setter, a “feel better” guided path, and access to the community discussion boards. If you feel like Pacifica benefits you, there is a Premium option available to gain more access to the app, there is a monthly, yearly, and lifetime subscription options available (currently 11.99$ Canadian a month, 69.99$ a year, and 244.99 for a lifetime subscription). Available on Google Play and IOS.
Calm
Have you ever just really needed something to help guide your breathing when you are on the verge of a panic attack? Well Calm has this awesome breathing exercise that will help you focus on getting your breathing under control in order to deal with whatever triggered the panic attack. The app also features ambient sounds and music, stories, and guided meditations to help with various situations. There is also a Premium option, currently valued at 59.99 per year, that allows you to subscribe and gain more stories, music, and exercises to help with stress. Not sure about the commitment? They have a seven-day free trial! But honestly, that breathing exercise alone is worth the download. Available on Google Play or IOS.
Daylio
I have always wanted to keep a journal, but I have always been awful at remembering to do so. Well, thanks to Daylio, I get a ping notification. If I do not feel like writing anything, I simply provide my mood for the day! What is awesome is that you can customize the quick add activity stickers to go with the journal entry, and then type up whatever you want to remember – just like a journal! Available on Google Play and IOS.
Forest
During exam season, and just in general with life, we tend to get very overwhelmed with our phones. So here is an app that can help you with leaving your phone alone, while also seeing something cute at the same time! The app’s premise is straight forward – set a timer, and you “plant” a seed in your forest. during the time that you are focusing on your work, the tree grows. if you do not stay focused and use your phone, your tree dies. There is also a pro version which actually allows you to help tree planting organizations plant real trees as you go! If you are working on a project with other collegiettes, you can work together on Forest and plant trees – and if one person gets distracted and uses their phone, everyone’s tree dies. Talk about motivation! Available on Google Play and IOS.
Disclaimer: All views in this article are personal and are not sponsored by these applications.