The world's obsession with productivity is being catered to by productivity apps designed to help you achieve more, in less time. 

In the face of this, we want to bring you apps that help you relax, unwind, and switch off. Mindsets that are perhaps even more important in this fast-paced world.

Here's our download on the best apps to aid you in your downtime. 

1. Calm

Best for: meditation and mindfulness

If you're new to mindfulness, Calm is said to be a great beginners app.

With Calm you get access to over 100 guided meditation sessions which can help you lower stress and anxiety.

Emma, our product manager, uses Calm regularly. "I use it to drift off to sleep at night. It helps me switch off and relax by getting me to focus on my breathing and the story I am listening to". 

2. White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds  

Best for: blocking out unwanted noise and forming sleep associations 

Say goodbye to sleepless nights, this app claims to lull you (and your baby) off to sleep with calming and relaxing sounds. 

On top of that, much like a baby you'll learn sleep associations that will help cue your brain for sleep time. 

There are 26 professionally recorded and customizable soothing sounds to help you drift off.

We especially love "roaring fire". 

3. Pause 

Best for: giving yourself a time-out 

If you find a task is giving you stress, Pause can help you stop, step back, and reset. 

The app simply shows a small ink blob floating across your screen amongst multiple smaller dots. The aim is to use your finger to slowly guide the ink around the screen collecting the smaller dots and subsequently growing your blob.

If you deviate away from your selected speed, the app will pause and remind you to allocate your full attention to it. The theory behind the app is that stress levels will decrease if you devote your attention to an entirely different task.

4. Breathe2relax

Best for: simple breathing techniques to manage stress  

Focusing on teaching deep-breathing techniques, Breathe2Relax is an ideal solution for quick relaxation. 

We love this app for its simplicity. It displays instructions that teach the individual a variety of breathing exercises with a handy on-screen chart that shows how long you should hold each breath. 

These techniques can help with mood stabilisation, anger management, and anxiety. Not a bad app to have on hand if your days starts to get a bit too much. 

 5. Audible

best for: helping you switch off without zapping too much energy

While the Audible app's main purpose isn't de-stressing, it does a great job at helping you switch off with little energy expenditure and limited screen time. 

When you need a distraction from your own thoughts, but you're too tired or wound up to read, an audiobook is a great tool.

We recommend listening to the comforting, dulcet tones of Stephen Fry as he reads aloud Harry Potter. You'll switch off quicker than you can say alohomora. 

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