APP
OF THE
DAY
Pause: daily mindfulness
Focus, Energy & Clarity
This may be the hardest task you have to do all day. Download Pause, a meditation app, and try - just try - to move your finger around the screen very, very slowly for your chosen number of minutes without stopping to check how long you have left. If you succeed first time then you must be a Zen master.
If, like us, you love a bit of multi-screening, you might find this enforced break taxing, but also incredibly beneficial. Don’t worry, you won’t even have to put down your iPhone.
As the name suggests, the aim here is to get you to pause, to restore focus and find calm with a mindful activity.
You begin by following a coloured dot with your finger as it floats around the screen. Continue long enough and the colour fills your display. (Top tip: wait until the dot changes to a colour that you like before you start as you’ll be looking at this same shade for a while.)
Move your finger at speed and you’ll be chided for going too fast. Go too slowly and the meditation will temporarily stop. A bell will tell you when you’re allowed to press play on your day again.
Adjust the settings to suit you, with difficulty levels ranging from “Novice” to “Master” and durations of 1-30 minutes or the option of an endless session.
Mid meditation, Pause will challenge you to close your eyes and at this point it may feel like time itself has stopped. Listen to the soft music and birdsong to keep you going. Try not to cheat. Don’t peek. Relax.