Mala McAlpin Here’s how you can make a difference to your and your team’s mental wellbeing – wherever you are.
No matter your working situation, now is the time to prioritise your mental health and wellbeing. The constant negative news, isolation and uncertainty around the current situation can be incredibly draining and have huge emotional consequences. Thankfully in such a connected era, we have an abundance of technology and apps that can help make the journey to wellness a little easier.
If you aren’t already doing so, we recommend you keep the wellbeing of your team, your clients, and of course your own, top of mind at all times. Here are a few of our favourite wellness apps for you to use at home and share with your loved ones.
TIFFXO
We know how crucial physical health and exercise is when it comes to mental health. Created by renowned fitness trainer, Tiffiny Hall, TIFFXO facilitates all facets of physical, emotional and psychological fitness. While you won’t find it in the App store, the online program offers daily 20-minute workouts along with healthy meal plans and meditations. Plans start at $39.99 per month.
Headspace
Headspace has a great app for those wishing to start meditation. The Basics pack is free and offers a 10-day beginner’s course that guides users through the essentials of meditation and mindfulness. This will provide a solid foundation to build a more advanced practice on.
Moodpath
This is ideal for those suffering a little more than some, particularly those experiencing depression and anxiety. Moodpath provides a place to reflect and get information, encouragement, and guidance. It allows users to assess their mental health, answer questions about emotional and physical wellbeing, receive bi-weekly mental health assessments and share them with mental health professionals, as well as receive supportive insights to understanding patterns and triggers. You can choose from a library of audio and written exercises based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Smiling Mind
Said to be Australia’s most popular free meditation app, Smiling Mind offers a nice wide variety in terms of age groups and environments it can be used in. Designed by psychologists and educators to help bring balance to one’s life, programs are designed to assist people in dealing with the pressure, stress, and challenges of daily life, including programs for age groups 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, 16-18, along with programs for adults, sport, mindfulness in the classroom, mindfulness in the workplace, and sleep aid.
Youper
Want something a little more interactive? Created by a team of doctors, scientists, and engineers led by Dr. Jose Hamilton, Youper uses artificial intelligence (AI) to personalise various techniques to you. It incorporates strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, mindfulness, and other approaches. It facilitates quick conversations with the apps that can help change a user’s outlook, or if your’e not feeling talkative, you could instead listen to Youper guiding you through mindfulness practices. It’s free, though premium features are available with a subscription option of $99.99 per year.
Daylio Journal
If journalling offers you comfort and clarity, maybe this one’s for you. Daylio is a free no-writing-required daily journal app that allows users to pick their mood and add activities from throughout the day, all in a big, bold and friendly-looking aesthetic. Those wanting to add notes can do so if they wish. Collecting moods and activities in a calendar is designed to help you understand habits and triggers.
We hope that checking out one or more of these apps will improve your stress levels, especially if this week of bad news has taken a toll on your mental health. If you have any tips on how to deal with the current situation, let us know in the comments!
