With the racket of keyboards clacking, the ceaseless hum of traffic, and the phone screeching from a barrage of notifications, mindfulness often feels like a farfetched thought, lost beneath the clutter of daily life.
But as much as the experience of being present, aware, and—despite it all—calm and focused seems elusive and otherworldly, it is actually a cognitive skill that can be fostered through thoughtful practices like meditation and single-tasking.
In this post, Coehl takes a dip into the ethereal concept of mindfulness, exploring how it can shape our world.
Introducing Mindfulness, Inner Peace in a Fast-Paced World
It is through mindfulness that we can find reprieve from the chaos of everyday. Restoring peace and balance, mindfulness is the natural antidote to the poison of a restless mind. It is derived from the word sati, which signifies memory and retention, and is most commonly described as the practice of directing your awareness towards full engagement with the present moment.
Many falsely assume that mindfulness is a luxury of time, yet this is not so. It can be gracefully woven into fleeting moments, effortlessly slipping into the most unexpected nooks and crannies of your day.
How Your Phone Can Support Your Mental Health
The phone doesn’t always have to be an enemy, it can be an ally to manage pressure and support mental well-being.
Indeed, that may feel paradoxical at first—after all, it is the one device that so often fuels our stress 24/7. It is the tether to our work, family and societal duties. But here’s the thing: your phone exists to serve you, not the other way around.
Carving Out Time for Mindful Moments with Your Phone
Inviting mindfulness into your life does more than helping you tide through rough waters. It can bring about palpable effects, from clocking in a better night’s sleep and improving your relationships to supercharging your day-to-day productivity.
Mindful Breathing
Mindful breathing, or breathwork, is one of the simplest but most effective forms of meditation. While you can achieve this by solely concentrating on your breath, particularly as you inhale and exhale, apps and timers can help precisely pace you through deep, slow breathing. They also provide structured techniques and customisable settings to fine-tune your practice.
Apps: Headspace, Calm, Breathless Academy, Othership, Breathing Zone.
Guided Meditation
New to meditation? Guided meditation can serve as your gateway, allowing you to ease into the practice with the support of a teacher. This guidance doesn’t have to be in person—it can also be virtual. Apps enable you to perform meditation in short sessions, making it easy to weave mindfulness into your busy, on-the-go lifestyle.
Apps: Happier Meditation, Calm, Insight Timer, Buddhify, Smiling Mind.
Nature Sounds
Bird songs, flowing water, rustling leaves. These sounds mimic the natural environment to comfort the soul. Nature sounds don’t only calm our psyche but also sharpen our focus, lower our blood pressure and reduce our anxiety.
Apps: Atmosphere: Relaxing Sounds, Rainy Mood, Naturespace: Sleep Relax Focus, aSleep, YouTube.
Relaxation Music
Music can have a profound effect on our body and emotions, and much is said about the power of relaxation music. Though it may not be a formal genre, it certainly serves a distinct purpose: to cultivate a sense of peace, alleviate stress, even trigger the release of serotonin and endorphins. Hallmark features are soothing melodies and gentle rhythms; a stark contrast to the energising beats and intense rhythms you want for a high-adrenaline workout.
Apps: BetterSleep, Calm Radio, Calm for meditation music. However, other types of music can also be incredibly effective, including ambient music, classical music and binaural beats—to each their own.
Mindful Check-Ins
When you’re just starting with mindfulness, mindful check-ins offer a simple and accessible way to dip your toes into meditation. These one- to five-minute sessions provide an opportunity to check in with yourself—reflecting on how you’re feeling, what your body needs, and acknowledging your surroundings.
Apps: Headspace, Calm, Breethe, Insight Timer, Moodfit. Consider also setting daily or hourly prompts using Apple Reminders, with questions and reminders like “How am I feeling right now?” and “Pause and take stock of your surroundings”.
Journalling Prompts
Journalling can reduce stress by allowing us to express and process the events that impact our mood, helping us reflect and organise our thoughts (we know how many thoughts we have racing through our minds always). Journalling prompts serve as seeds for our thinking, guiding us towards deeper understanding and offering a pathway to clarity.
Apps: Day One, Journey, Penzu, Gratitude: Self-Care Journal, Reflectly.
Mindfulness and Sleep Podcasts
Adults need bedtime stories too—and these exist in the form of sleep podcasts, which provide soothing narratives and sounds that prime you for a knockout rest. Meanwhile, mindfulness podcasts cater to those of us who seek to unlock more from our mindfulness sessions, touching on topics like tips and strategies for meditation, anxiety management and more.
Podcasts: Sleep with Me, Game of Drones, Headspace sleepcasts. The Daily Meditation Podcast with Mary Meckley, I Should Be Meditating, Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris.
Removing Distractions to Stay Present
Although there are lots of amazing meditation and mindfulness apps and resources out there, one key aspect that goes without saying when using your device for mindfulness is keeping distractions to a minimum.
Since your phone is often the source of interruptions, take conscious control by adjusting your settings—whether that means disabling notifications, enabling Do Not Disturb mode, or temporarily muting alerts—to create a more intentional and focused experience. We admit it can be painful to go offline, but remember, one single buzz is all it takes to break you out of your flow.
Integrate Mindful Practices with Coehl’s Picks
Consider a tangible manifestation of your desired tranquility with Coehl’s aesthetic selections, featuring soft colours, minimalism and natural elements. Evoking calmness and a centred state of mind, our products are the very embodiment of balance and serenity—from how they visually complement your presence, to how they feel in your hand or nestled within your pocket.
Eliminate distractions with designs that prioritise ergonomics and all-day comfort, all without being an eyesore when you’re trying to nurture a mindful, carefully constructed space. Explore the Coehl collection now, and discover why we see ourselves as one with the world.
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