For many of us, being “too busy” seems to be a common excuse for not spending enough time on ourselves, and that could possibly take a toll on our mental health and well-being.
These nine mental wellness apps help you carve time out of your day—even if it’s just a little bit—for self-care through meditation, workouts, and more that can fit seamlessly into your schedule.
Happify
Founded in New York in 2012, Happify is a self-improvement app that uses games to boost your mood through cognitive behavioural therapy skills and positive psychology. The app’s goal is to provide fun, individualised, and science-based pathways to greater happiness in a world that is increasingly stressful and complex.
It features short courses known as “Tracks” which are created by medical professionals. Each Track includes activities that can be completed in 5-15 minutes, designed to help you overcome negative thought patterns, build mindfulness and reduce stress or anxiety. With the free version of the app, users can access 18 out of more than 100 learning Tracks, a Community Hub to connect with other users, all the in-app games and journals, three of the 30 guided meditations, and a library of educational articles.
More information: Happify
MindFi
MindFi was created by Singaporean entrepreneur Bjorn Lee, who founded a B2B mental wellness company of the same name. The app focuses on mindfulness meditation, aiming to help people with busy work schedules stay calm and productive.
Users can incorporate bite-sized open-eye meditations into their busy work schedules. You can start by meditating for one minute a day, and gradually meditating longer. It has a unique feature which allows you to select a mood at any given moment, so you can get short, relevant meditations catered to how you’re feeling. Another feature is the Focus Timer which trains your focus and keeps out distractions to help you be more productive when working.
More information: MindFi
Calm
Based in San Francisco, Calm is the #1 app for Sleep, Meditation and Relaxation, with over 100 million downloads and over 1.5M 5-star reviews. Experience better sleep, lower stress, and less anxiety with the help of Calm’s guided meditations, Sleep Stories, breathing programs, stretching exercises, and relaxing music.
Guided meditation sessions are between 3 and 25 minutes long, and you get to choose the perfect length that fits right into your schedule. Having trouble falling asleep? A unique feature of the app is Sleep Stories that help to lull you into a deep and restful slumber. Listen to over 100 exclusive bedtime stories for adults and children alike, featuring the soothing voices of top celebrities such as LeBron James, Matthew McConaughey, Leona Lewis, and Rosé from BLACKPINK. Drift off to dreamland and wake up feeling refreshed.
More information: Calm
Wakeout
Wakeout is an exercise-based wellness app that makes use of movement therapy. Each exercise is fun and may involve using all sorts of household objects you’ll have easy access to, from plant pots to watermelons. The app is also big on inclusivity, with workouts designed for people of all abilities including those in wheelchairs. You can even create your own exercise routines using the app, anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes long.
With our modern lifestyle making us increasingly sedentary, Wakeout has a mission to make movement a part of people’s lives, as people that are physically active are generally happier people. They believe that if people have a vast range of fun, easy and convenient exercises at their disposal, they’ll do more of it. If you find that meditation is not quite for you, this app could possibly do the trick by helping you get on your feet and start moving instead!
More information: Wakeout
CARA Unmask
Based in Singapore, CARA Unmask is an community-based platform that provides a safe space for anonymous conversation through peer and counselling support.
Users gain access to a community made up of CARA Therapists who guide with coping and recovery strategies, and trained CARA Friends who provide peer support with a listening ear. There is also a Mood Journal feature for users to reflect on their day, and help to spot triggers or positive actions to work on.
More information: CARA Unmask
Intellect
Intellect is another app designed in Singapore which aims to fix bad habits through psychological training programmes packaged into bite-sized exercises, with a goal to help users achieve higher self esteem and overcome mental barriers to happiness. It uses cognitive behavioural therapy to help users hone and develop new behavioural traits, changing one’s negative thoughts and behaviours that can contribute to anxiety and depression.
A feature of the app is Learning Paths, which are personalised training plans that suggest ways to help users on a weekly basis that could last for a month. Another is their Rescue Sessions feature, where you can listen to short audio clips on topics such as stress, emotional burn-out and low self-esteem. If there are certain personality traits, relationship problems and work habits you want to improve but not sure where to start, this psychologist-developed app might be the solution for you.
More information: Intellect
MindShift
Similar to several other mental wellness apps, MindShift uses cognitive behavioural therapy to help users learn to relax and be mindful, develop more effective ways of thinking, and use active steps to take charge of anxiety.
The app has a variety of features including Quick Relief, which provides you with quick and easy tools to help you take a breath, ground yourself, shift your thinking, and take steps to cope in situations when you need anxiety help fast. It also has a Community Forum where you can share stories with other users, thereby providing and receiving peer-to-peer support in a safe, moderated space. Another feature is the Chill Zone where you can listen to audio recordings of guided relaxation and mindfulness meditations to help you get in a more relaxed and mindful headspace.
More information: MindShift
Balance
Balance brings an innovative, personalised meditation experience that helps users improve their stress, sleep, and more. The app also won an award for Google’s Best App of 2021.
Answer questions each day about your meditation experience, goals, and preferences, then the app creates a daily meditation that is catered to your needs. Learn how to bring awareness to your day, increase your focus among distractions, and find deep relaxation in stressful moments. Its Singles feature consists of bite-sized meditations you can use anytime, even on the go—perfect for when you need a morning meditation after waking up, or a customised meditation while you’re commuting from one place to another.
More information: Balance
Headspace
Headspace was started with one mission: to improve the health and happiness of the world. Through meditation and mindfulness tools backed up by science, Headspace helps users create habits to support their mental health and eventually become a happier version of themselves.
Choose from hundreds of guided meditations that help with managing stress, everyday anxiety, sleep, focus, and mind-body health. Whether you’re only able to squeeze in a quick 3-minute session or you’re in need of longer meditations, Headspace has something that would fit your lifestyle. Its Weathering The Storm collection includes meditations for coping with feelings and emotions like sadness, anger, and adapting to change. Try its Move Mode feature if you’re looking to release stress and tension by staying active with at-home workouts and 28-day mindful fitness courses led by expert trainers Olympians Kim Glass and Leon Taylor.
More information: Headspace
