Stressed out at work? Try these new apps to lift the burden!
According to the American Institute of Stress, 80% of American workers claim that they are highly stressed while at work. 50% also admitted that they need help in how to deal with that stress. Good news – we have found and tested 5 apps that are lifting the burden of stress and making our lives better – so we thought we’d pass them along for you to try. Afterall, with all the time we spend chasing the dollar, we might as well enjoy it!
Pacifica App (Free, IOS/Android)
- Tackle daily stress, anxiety, and depression with the help of Pacifica. This app provides a complete set of tools based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, relaxation, health, and mindfulness. The cool thing we loved about Pacifica is that it tracks your activities and reactive moods and emotions, like stress and anxiety and then provides you goals to set and gives you emotional homework. The goal is to help you recognize what triggers high levels of stress and anxiety so that you can break the cycle.
Breathe2Relax (Free, IOS/Android)
- It’s a proven fact that breathing deep from your stomach helps decreased stress. Focusing on breathing and controlling your breath can calm you down faster than almost anything outside of medication. This app provides several stress-relieving breathing techniques and information on anxiety, depression, stress, and more. These mindful breathing exercises were originally created to help soldiers and their familiar relieve stress and they worked wonders for us when we applied them at the FreshLime offices.
Happify (Free, IOS/Android)
- Based on scientific research, Happily focuses on teaching each user that they have greater control over their happiness than they realize. This app aims to have their users develop new habits based on your chosen thoughts, behaviors, and actions. Happily provides specific goals, tips, and positive-thinking activities to help train your brain to have an increased amount of positive emotional qualities (kindness, mindfulness) and cope better with all levels of stress. We were absolutely happier after putting it to use.
GPS for the Soul (Free, IOS/Android)
- Keep things in perspective and stay grateful with GPS For the Soul. This app provides “guides” to assist you in managing your stress with the help of calming pictures, meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga. GPS for the Soul helps improve your emotional well-being with various guides, including the ones you create. There is also a breathing pacer to help measure and steady your breathing. The goal is to help you create a positive perspective and remember the many things to be grateful for.
Headspace (Freemium – in-app purchases, IOS/Android)
- Headspace is an app that they say is like a gym membership for the mind. Who doesn’t love a good workout? 🙂 The app has tutorials that guide you through meditation for only 10 minutes a day and the science shows that regular meditation is an effective treatment for stress, worry, lack of focus and peace of mind. All great things for a productive stress-less day at work. After only a few tutorials we felt like our minds were in better shape than ever.
If you are feeling stressed at work, give these a try! If apps aren’t your thing there is another resource we have found that is AWESOME – Helen Sanders at Health Ambition actually gives specific physical and breathing exercises you can do while at work to help lower your stress-level. Check out her tips here! Everyone deserves a peaceful and productive work environment before getting to the point of making career-altering decisions. Know of another app we should try to reduce work-related stress? Tell us about it in the comments or tweet us at @freshlime_inc!