Mindfulness on your walk to work can help get you in good spirits for the day ahead
You can put your time on the train or bus to good use by meditating
Cycling to work is an excellent way to calm and focus your mind before a day's work
Make the most of your daily commute by using the time to train your mind to be present. If you do you'll arrive at work feeling relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on the day ahead.
Mindfulness has recently received much attention in the press and rightly so. It’s now prescribed by GPs as a tool to manage depression, anxiety and stress, top athletes use it to maximise their performance and even children are learning the basic principles in school.
Below are some books and apps that we've found helpful when practising mindfulness. Some are available free while others have a small cost.
There are lots of options out there so you can find one that suits you:
1. The Headspace App - grab your headphones and take 10 minutes to escape from the hustle and bustle with a gentle guided meditation to calm your mind and help you to approach the day with a sense of calm and clarity. Looking for more? For a fee you can subscribe to the app and download a range of meditations, longer times and less guidance.
2. Calm.com– this great website and free app allow you to set a meditation timer from as little as one minute. Monitor your progress and switch between meditations to figure out which works best for you.
3. One-moment meditation– this app allows you to learn to meditate quickly and powerfully, a perfect stress-buster for the busiest among us.
4. Try a mindfulness colouring book – if meditation isn’t for you why not try colouring? It works in a similar way to meditating by making you concentrate on the present moment. You can get one from your local bookshop or online via Better World Books.
5. Read Dr Ben Irvine's Einstein & the art of mindful cycling which can be bought from most online retailers.
6. Tend to travel on foot? You can do it mindfully once you know how, try some background reading here.
The beneficial effects of exercise on stress are well documented. Many people find that exercising after work really helps them to shake off any stresses from their working day. Walking or cycling home is an easy way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine.
Find out about the health benefits of walking or cycling to work.
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