Browser History: Give Yourself a Break
Stress is a killer. But finding the time to pencil in an hourlong yoga class or de-stressing massage can become just one more errand on your ever-lengthening to-do list. Getting refocused and reenergized can take just a matter of minutes, though. And you do not even need to leave your desk. (Maybe flip the lock first so co-workers do not see you coloring.)
1. Calm
Can your phone actually help reduce anxiety? The tens of millions of people who have downloaded this app seem to think so. One of the top-grossing health and fitness apps, Calm offers more than 100 guided meditations covering everything from stress to stretching to sleep. Might be best to reserve the latter for after-hours.
2. Lemongrass Essential Oil
Essential oils are a staple of mood-boosting aromatherapy and have been prized for centuries for their whole-body benefits. One study found that inhaling three to six drops of lemongrass essential oil, in particular, reduces anxiety and tension.
3. Mindfulness Cards
Pick a card, any card, and you will be on your way to a calming experience. This contemplative deck is color-coded into four categories—rest and balance, insight and awareness, curiosity and joy, and kindness. Each card comes with a motivational message and mindfulness exercise. Whether you pick a card daily or tape them to your desk as inspiring reminders, they can help you refocus and relax.
4. Get Relaxed Herbal Tea
Sip stress away while enjoying the soothing aromas of lavender and rose with The Republic of Tea’s rooibos blend for relieving stress. The tea is caffeine-free and features the Asian herb eleuthero, thought to reduce anxiety and protect the body from the effects of stress.
5. Portable Color Me Calm
The adult coloring book craze continues because always-on adults still need to unplug. Reconnect with your creativity (or your inner child), grab a pack of Crayolas and get Zen with this portable, 70-page coloring book, co-designed by an art therapist.
Out for Blood
Theranos was the next big thing, until it became the next big scandal.
The rise and sudden fall of the health care tech company’s founder and CEO, Elizabeth Holmes, is documented in riveting detail in The Dropout, produced by ABC Radio and ABC News’ Nightline. In 2003, at the age of 19, Ms. Holmes dropped out of Stanford University to revolutionize phlebotomy. Her company claimed its technology could test for everything from diabetes to cancer with a single pinprick of blood. After raising more than $700 million from eager investors, Theranos signed a deal with Walgreens to install blood tests in its stores. The problem? It was all a lie. Through original interviews and deposition testimony, The Dropout tells the tale of someone who never let facts get in the way of ambition.
Available on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play.
This article appeared in the Summer 2019 issue of Insigniam Quarterly, with the headline “Take a Mindful Minute.” To begin receiving IQ, go here.
