It’s no secret that being a PA/EA is stressful. The job can be very full on, with little to no time to relax and compose yourself. We all know that taking a moment for yourself can benefit your work and your health. Vincenzo Ferrara finds out if this is where Headspace comes in.
Headspace is a meditation app aimed at people on the go. It can be used by complete beginners to those who are more advanced. It allows users to work though bite-sized meditation sessions, perfect for working around a busy schedule. These sessions can take place in a matter of minutes, whether you’re behind a desk, on a bus or taking a lunch break.
Logging on for the first time
Logging on to the app for the first time, you are greeted by multiple cartoon characters, explaining why learning to breath is so important and how meditation can benefit you as a person.
Setting up an account can also take a matter of seconds, as the app allows you to join via your Facebook and Spotify accounts. However, if you want to create a separate account (Using a work email perhaps), it will take you less than two minutes to complete the set up.
The meditation sessions are completed in days. The first of which takes around seven minutes to complete. After this though, the sessions become a lot quicker and easier to do whilst on the move. The first session is all about learning to breath in the right way to relax the body.
What can I do on the app?
The app is filled with features based around your lifestyle and about giving you the choice to work meditation into your daily routine.
The app allows you to add customisable packs, which cover everything from grief to productivity. It can be used to relax at home and manage your personal life to producing a more productive you at work.
For those of you on Spotify, Headspace have also created playlists, meant to help you relax whilst on the move. Perfect for the end of day commute, to set your mind free from work life and relax before you arrive home.
The science bit
Headspace see meditation as both a practice rooted in ancient history and a topic of modern science. They are equally committed to providing authentic expertise in meditation and also studying the science of meditation. Science has been an integral part of the Headspace business since day one.
There are over 2000 meditation apps out there, but Headspace is one of the only ones committed to advancing the field of mindfulness meditation through clinically-validated research on their product. They are currently in progress on research studies with large national institutions that could be among the largest mindfulness meditation trials ever conducted.
- Seven-person, in-house science department: led by Chief Science Officer Dr. Megan Jones Bell, who has +14 years of experience running National Institute of Health (NIH) and European Research Council (ERC)-funded clinical trials on digital health interventions
- Currently in-process on 65+ research studies: to scientifically validate the Headspace approach to meditation. The majority of these studies are being conducted by external third-party researchers with no association with Headspace.
- Studies are in partnership with 35+ of the most prestigious scientific research institutions and organizations: such as Stanford and USC, run by leading mindfulness experts.
- Headspace has 16 published studies in the leading mindfulness peer-reviewed journals: showing the impact of Headspace on health outcomes such as stress, focus and compassion.
Can I use it with work?
Happier and healthier employees have been shown to be more productive, resilient and creative. This is the reason that Headspace encourages business to embrace the app and help its employees.
Can I download the app?
The app is currently, free to download and the base package is free to use. With extra packages and choices within the app that need to be paid for.
The app is currently available on the Apple Appstore, Android PlayStore and on most other smartphone device app stores.
The overall
This app allows you to calm yourself and improve on your mental well-being. It can steady your mind and set you up for the day. It’s the perfect way of separating the work/life balance and only takes a few moments of your day. Even those with no spare time, can generally find a couple of minutes in a day to log into the app and breath.
It’s a great quick app that allows you and your work-force to focus and improve your mindfulness.
