In honour of World Mental Health Day, this month we decided to check out Headspace, the popular app designed to help people train their minds using meditation and mindfulness techniques.

Cost: Free for the first course, subscriptions ranging from $7.99/month to $12.95/month

Versions: Available for iOS and Android

Website: http://www.headspace.com

Meditation and mindfulness for mental health in the workplace

With more than 8.7 million users, Headspace is the app that’s bringing meditation to the mainstream.

The app was founded by, and features the voice of, Andy Puddicombe, a Buddhist monk turned entrepreneur (for more, check out Andy’s popular TED Talk).

Headspace provides access to a range of courses designed to help users train their brains on a wide range of topics, including general mindfulness as well as specific areas such as relationships, health, sport  and performance.

Headspace help users train their brains on a wide range of areas, including relationships, health, sport  and performance.

As well as daily meditations, Headspace offers on-the-go exercises that bring mindfulness to activities like walking, cooking and cycling.

While meditation and mindfulness may seem a little out-there to some, there’s growing evidence that shows a number of mental health benefits, including reduced stress, increased resilience and peace of mind. Meditators have also been shown to be less prone to depression, less likely to be obese and more patient in their relationships.

Meditation for any occasion

Headspace contains a number of courses we believe would be particularly useful to encouraging better mental health in the workplace, covering topics such as stress, anxiety, self-esteem, happiness and balance.

Courses are broken up into a number of short guided meditation sessions, delivered by Andy. Each session lasts roughly ten minutes, and they’re designed to be completed daily.

For our review we completed the introductory Take10 course, which is available free of charge and teaches the basics of mindfulness, as well as the Stress Management course which is available through a paid monthly subscription.

We found the courses highly valuable, providing a great way to take a short mental break and refocus during the work day, enhancing both peace of mind and productivity.

More than mindfulness

All the courses we looked at were supported by a host of content, including animations, articles and videos delivered in a playful, quirky style which made them easily digestible. Perhaps the best thing about Headspace is the support it provides you in sticking to your mindfulness regimen

What we loved most about Headspace was that it was designed to be easy to slot into your day – by providing content in short digestible pieces supported by gentle reminders and gamification Headspace is well designed to help you turn meditation into a daily habit.

There’s no silver bullet for managing mental health in the workplace, and we recommend using a combination of strategies to reduce workplace stress but if you’re looking for ways to promote mental wellness in your employs we think Headspace makes a great addition to your toolkit.

Each month we spotlight apps and websites that help health and safety professionals stay ahead of the game. If you have an app or resource you think your peers or colleagues need to know about send us a suggestion.

Images courtesy of headspace.com.