Take a moment to Pause, regain focus and relax
Finding ways to relax, release stress, and reclaim focus can be very difficult for many people. But, if you have just a few minutes to spare, the new app Pause can help bring you calmness and serenity with the touch of a finger. Based on the principles of Tai Chi and mindfulness, Pause provides a new interactive approach with soothing visuals and peaceful sounds.
Using Pause
When you open the app, you will be instructed to place your finger over the dot on the screen. You will then slowly move your finger and see the dot gradually grow and elegantly change colors, which vary with each session. As you do this, the background music and sounds provide a calming effect. You will continue to slide your finger as you begin to feel more tranquil, eventually closing your eyes for complete relaxation. When your Pause time is complete, you will hear a subtle bell and if you stop moving your finger before time is up, your Pause session will end.
Pause features
The app has a few settings that you can control for difficulty and duration. You can also take a look at your Pause statistics for the number of pauses, the total time, and the longest time. Once you are familiar with the instructions, which just basically tell you if you are moving your finger too fast or when it is time to close your eyes, you can disable them.
For more history on the Pause concept, you can take a look at this video. Just click here if you are unable to view it:
Overall thoughts
Not really knowing what to expect when I first opened Pause, I was pleasantly surprised. Being one of those people who often has trouble relaxing and finding complete calmness, I found the visuals, especially at the start of the session, to be almost hypnotizing. The soothing music and nature sounds add to the experience nicely. And, being able to set the sessions for different times is a great feature allowing total flexibility.
Pause is designed for iPhone and available for $1.99 on the App Store.
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