Mini meme
SIX APPS
TO LET YOU
TAKE FIVE
When you’re feeling stressed – perhaps
you’re an Everton fan – or need a
breather, these friendly downloads cancalm your mind and help you relax
O Oak
When you want to keep things
simple, Oak offers a streamlined
approach to relaxation. Rather
than bespoke courses for
individuals, you get a selection
of three meditation types,
three breathing exercises
and a couple of wind-down
soundscapes for bedtime.
The immediacy of the app
is welcome, and the breathing
stuff can be very effective when
you need to de-stress.
£free / iOS
OBloom: 10 Worlds
A mix of instrument, composition
and visual art, this collaboration
between Brian Eno and Peter
Chilvers serves up generative
worlds. Tap the screen and you
create patterns and melodies
that repeat and evolve. Each
of the 10 experiences has a
distinct personality, and all are
great to unwind with when you
want something mildly creative,
interactive and hypnotic, but
without any pressure.
£7.99 / Android, iOS
OPocketcoach
If anxiety is why you often feel
the need to take some time
out, try Pocketcoach. Presented
as a messaging app, it leads
you through a kind of virtual
therapy, helping you deal with
internal responses, worries and
more. It’s no replacement for an
actual human being; but when
it’s just you and your phone,
with a handful of minutes to
spare, Pocketcoach is always
there when you need it.
£free / Android, iOSOSmiling Mind
The idea behind Smiling Mind
is to retrain your brain using
‘mindfulness’ techniques. You
outline which areas of your
life you’d like help with, and are
offered programmes to work
through. The app is without
stress or expectations. With
it, you can transform short
breaks into sessions where
you recharge, release the
pressure, and better deal with
the challenges of the daily grind.
£free / Android, iOSO Lake:
Colouring Books
Adult colouring books litter the
shelves, with publishers having
twigged that slapping down
colours is a great way to relax.
But you needn’t faff about with
messy real-world media when
you can use Lake. There’s a
heavy subscription but plenty
of free stuff to try, and the
interface is lovely whether
you’re using a finger or a stylus.
On Android? Try Pigment.
£free (IAPs) / iOSO Mini Metro
Subways don’t usually spring
to mind when you think about
relaxation, and Mini Metro’s
traffic management simulation
can be a fraught juggling act,
seemingly designed to drive
you bonkers. But in its endless
mode, everything changes.
There’s no fail state, so you can
just noodle about, optimising
lines and listening to the gentle
plinky-plonky soundtrack made
by the tiny virtual commuters.
£3.99 / Android, iOSAPPS