3 Meditation Apps to Improve Your Creativity, Focus, and Work Engagement
It’s no secret that meditation—and more specifically, mindfulness—have been linked to a plethora of health benefits. According to the Mindfulness Center at Brown, mindfulness is a $1 billion industry just in the US, and it’s no wonder why. Studies suggest that practicing mindfulness can alleviate stress, boost attention and short-term memory, and make complex cognitive activities easier to perform. Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings published a study in 2018 showing that mindfulness had a positive impact on work engagement.
It’s clear that cultivating a regular meditation practice is beneficial to your work life, but it can be intimidating to carve out the time to get started. Luckily, there are several apps that make it easy.
Calm
If you listen to podcasts, you’ve probably heard ads for Calm. It’s one of the big names in the meditation industry and is available on the App Store and Google Play. The app is free to download, but you’ll need to pay for Calm Premium to get access to all the features, including meditations, sleep stories, music, and masterclasses. An annual subscription will run you $69.99, but if you love the app and know you’ll use it for years to come, you can save big in the long run by paying $399.99 for a lifetime subscription.
Calm has world-renowned instructors, including Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love and Big Magic. Check out masterclasses such as “Creative Living Beyond Fear” and “The Power of Rest.” You can also kick off your meditation practice with meditations like “Mindfulness at Work,” “7 Days of Focus,” and “Commuting.”
InsightTimer
This is a great option if you want to start out with the free version. Unlike Calm, you’re not limited to a 7-day free trial; InsightTimer has a lot of free content. However, you will want to pay for MemberPlus if you want access to courses and other premium features. An annual subscription costs $60.00, but if you can convince your boss to shell out for a company membership, it’s just $99.00 per year for the entire team. Insight Timer @work includes special live events, groups, and the ability to set up group meditations within your company.
Get InsightTimer on the App Store and Google Play, and check out meditations such as “Manifesting Boundaries For Work + Life” and “De-Stress At Work.” You can also listen to courses by experts like Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance. Start with “Mindfulness Daily At Work,” “Enhance Your Performance At Work,” or “Overcome Anxiety At Work.”
CHANI
This one might seem a little out there if you’re familiar with Chani Nicholas—how is an astrologer going to help you achieve mindfulness? But Chani is well known for advocating for better work-life balance. Her employees receive a generous living wage, an exceptional benefits package, and a stipend for growing wealth. Oh, and her guided meditations are some of the best out there.
Download the CHANI app on the App Store (it’s not available on Google Play just yet) and check out her quick affirmations, including “Creativity” and “Manifesting.” Then dive into her longer meditations, such as “Success,” “Focus,” and “De-Stress.” The app is free to download, but you’ll need to become a Premium subscriber to get the affirmations and meditations. A monthly subscription is $11.99 and an annual one is $107.99.
Give yourself the support you need to be the most creative, focused, and engaged person you can be. Start a meditation practice today, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with being mindful—and all the work and life benefits that come along with it.
Written by: Em Wooden