When life gets very hectic, it is even more important to find your work life balance. The more stressed out we are, the more we need to find ways to unwind, exercise, eat healthily and put our feet up after a long day in the office. A good way to destress is listening to music, an audio book or read on your way home from work. Try to leave your work behind, physically and mentally whenever possible so you can really focus on your life beyond work.
To help you relax, I have compiled this list with the best free apps for relaxation that will help you unwind after a long day.
- Spotify, Pandora and Youtube for music
For this one the choices are pretty obvious. I love Spotify for music and Youtube for catching up on my subscriptions and just to relax to some of my playlists.
Of course no music app list would be complete without Pandora thrown into the mix.
- White noise or Rain app
These two options are really calming. I completely trust in White noise apps whenever I am confronted with annoying noises that I have no control over. Like a neighbor using a drilling machine when you want to catch up on your reading. There are a lot of good options for White noise or Sound apps , one of them is this app.
If you don’t like White noise, try this Rain app. It includes a lot of sound options.
It really helps me to use sound apps, especially during commutes to or from work using public transportation to blind out all those noises around you.
- Reading app of choice or audio book
These two are pretty self-explanatory. You can choose whatever you like. I prefer iBooks but the Kindle app does the trick, too. Maybe you prefer to listen to an audio book or podcast instead?
- Meditation apps
Give it a shot, some people swear by it. If you are not a fan, just set a timer for fifteen or twenty minutes and enjoy some quiet time to relax with this Meditation timer app. There are also a lot of free guided meditations on a variety of subjects that you can access on this app.
- Favorite magazine or Houzz
I love catching up with the online versions of my favorite magazines. If you are interested in architecture or interior design or plan to remodel your home, check Houzz out. You won’t regret it!
- Game Quizup / Trivia crack app for fun
You can compete with others and show off your specialty knowledge. I especially enjoy the trivia questions about TV-shows in QuizUp but you can also work out your brain with more scientific questions if you prefer that. You can choose a niche you want to get tested in.
Trivia Crack has only six knowledge categories to offer that get selected at random but it is as addictive in its competitive nature.
- Apps to block calls and notifications
I know it is tempting but sometimes it is great to just switch everything off for a while and take that nap or go for a walk without getting six Facebook notifications or a bunch spam calls. I just switch my phone off or mute the sound, but if you need extra help with that, I heard that for android phones Mr. Number is good for blocking spam calls, Motorola Assist has a Meeting option that helps you avoid interruptions and there are a lot of other apps with silence and selective silence options that will fit your needs.
- Water tracking app
Hydration is key! We need to drink lots of water to stay healthy and this Water app reminds you of drinking enough even during your busiest days.
- Pomodoro timer app
Schedule your breaks if you have to! This Pomodoro app lets you do exactly that.
- Inspirational apps
If you find it difficult to stay positive or you feel you need inspiration, try to find an app to inspire you and that does the trick most of the time. Besides checking on my favorite inspiring blogs, I also find visually appealing, creative apps like Pinterest or Instagram very uplifting and refreshing for my creativity. With these two apps it is vital to follow the right accounts though, so you might want to spend a little bit of your time on these platforms to find the stuff you like best.
I hope sharing my recommendations was useful for you. And I’m curious: What are your favorite apps that helps you relax after a long day at work?
(Photo by: © Julia Caesar )
