10 Mindfulness Apps to Keep You Calm and Focused

Are you too busy to meditate, cynical about the benefits, or just turned off by the hype? The truth is, in an information-saturated world with multiple screens all competing to grab your attention, meditation can be a real blessing. And, if eking out 20 minutes in the morning and another 20 in the evening is simply impossible, not to worry — “There’s an app for that.”

Here are some of the most highly-rated mindfulness apps available to help you catch your breath, calm your fevered brain, and restore the focus you need to succeed.

1. Stop, Breathe & Think. “Stop what you are doing. Check in with what you are thinking, and how you are feeling. Practice mindful breathing to create space between your thoughts, emotions, and reactions. Broaden your perspective and strengthen your force field of peace with personalized meditations and activities.”
2. Buddhify. “Meditation sessions are organized by theme according to where you are in your day…comes with over 80 custom meditations for you to explore that have been created by experts in the field. Buddhify is great for people in the modern working world who tend to be on the go.”
3. Calm. Free trial available. “Includes 100+ guided meditations covering anxiety, focus, stress, sleep, relationships, and more. Premium version includes Life-changing Calm Masterclasses taught by world-renowned experts.”
4. Aura. “This mindfulness app provides the user with daily micro-meditations that last only three minutes a piece…Aura allows users the option to keep a gratitude journal, track moods throughout the day, and listen to the sounds of nature…This may be the right app for you if you have limited time throughout the day to practice your meditation.”
5. Breethe. “Breethe follows users throughout the day…and provides…supportive tools and guidance to help them stay on track with their meditation practices. It offers five-minute meditations, along with tips for overcoming pressure, feeling love, and living with intention and inner peace. It is fully customizable, making it a user-friendly app to help support your practice.”
6. Mindfulness Daily. “Designed around your unique daily life, Mindfulness Daily helps you build a practice with just a few minutes sprinkled throughout your busy day.”
7. Smiling Mind. “A daily mindfulness and meditation guide at your fingertips. Australia’s leading wellness app trusted by nearly four million people. 100% evidence-based. FREE Programs for children and adult. 10 minutes a day is all you need to see real changes.”
8. Simply Being. “Meditate easily as you are voice-guided step-by-step. Choose a meditation length of 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 minutes. Listen to the meditation with or without music or nature sounds. Relax deeply and experience the present moment completely.”
9. Headspace. Free trial available. “Hundreds of themed sessions on everything from stress and sleep to focus and anxiety. Bite-sized guided meditations for busy schedules. SOS exercises in case of sudden meltdowns.”
10. InsightTimer. “Magic happens when you give meditation away for free. Most meditation apps say they’re free but the reality is quite different; once the starter pack finishes they quickly lock you out. We offer the largest free library of guided meditations on earth and the world’s most loved meditation Timer, for free.”

For loan officers juggling multiple clients, each at different points in the loan approval process, these mindfulness meditation apps offer a peaceful respite and renewed focus in the midst of a hectic day. Most are free to start and the amount of time you choose to use them is up to you. Why not give one a try?