young woman with many thoughts
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Sometimes you decide to meditate, but it feels like your mind didn’t get the memo. As soon as you sit down, your head starts bubbling with thoughts of all kinds: memories, plans, worries, that terrible Kars4Kids jingle. (Is that last one just me? If so, count yourself lucky.)

To me, the most irritating thoughts are the ones that go something like, “How long have I been sitting here?” or “How much longer until this is over?” These “how much longer” thoughts can trigger a sort of panicky impatience. You might feel a powerful urge to stop meditating or to open your eyes and check your timer. More than once, I’ve had the (objectively crazy) thought, “What if my timer is broken? If I don’t check, I might sit here forever!”

As you meditate more often, these “how much longer” thoughts quiet down, but that can take some time. In the video below, I share a simple strategy that will help speed up the process.

Student review: Simple Habit Meditation by Simple Habit, Inc.Read review here

MaryAnne A., fourth-year undergraduate, University of Rochester, New York

“I took a yoga class one semester, and besides the pretzel folding, the meditation was great for decluttering my brain. While I don’t always have 30 minutes in my day to roll out my yoga mat and just sit (ain’t nobody got time for that, amirite?), the Simple Habit app helped me get back into meditation. It’s like pocket-sized Zen! Just five minutes of closing my eyes and listening to a calm voice and background ocean waves helps me stress less about my mile-long to-do list.”

USEFUL?
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
I’ve got a lot going on this semester, enough to make me want to go “WOOSAH” fairly often. Simple Habit’s been so useful as my go-to for taking the edge off. 

FUN?
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
There are rewards for streaks! Think less Snapstreak fire emojis and more medals. Even a one-day streak! So even if I get nothing else done that day, at the very least I earned myself a medal.

EFFECTIVE?
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
I’ve definitely felt calmer since starting to use this app. So much so that I listen to the meditations sitting up, because the teacher’s voice is so soothing I’d be lulled to sleep #MadChill.

Subscribe on iTunesGet it on Google Play


Get help or find out more

Free guided meditations: UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center

Learn to meditate: Jon Krop



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