Looking for some apps to help you concentrate? We've tested a stack of them
Wednesday, 05 April 2023
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Download some apps to help concentration and reduce stress.
Not getting distracted while studying can be challenging at times, we've tested some of the online apps and websites that are designed to help you stay focused or reduce your stress.
Portal
Portal is an app that allows you to indicate if you'd like to focus on sleeping, concentrating or escaping. Then you pick a soundscape from around the globe, such as the bird filled Redwood National Park in California, an Amazonian rain forest, or the sound of a spring dawn in a park in London. You can set off a guided mediation or breathing exercise, and set a timer for how long you want the ambience to run for. If you have smart lighting in your house, this app even adjusts your lighting. One of the nice features is it continues to run while you use other apps on your phone.
Check it out in the Apple Store
Inner Garden
This is a great app if your feeling a little stressed or anxious and just want to focus your thoughts. You select a scenario such as a lotus pond or cherry blossoms growing on a branch. The app uses the camera in your phone to track your eye movements, its only when you concentrate on the scene that it will come to life. Take a moment to stop and block out all the outside noise. This app has a strong "use the force Luke" vibe.
Download it from the Apple Store
Forest
If you want to set yourself a specific amount of time to study or do revision, and not be distracted by your phone, this is the app for you. You set an amount of time to work and while you don't touch your phone a virtual tree grows. If you pick up your phone the tree will wither and die. It's surprisingly effective. You can even link it up with your friends who have the app and then if you break concentration, not only your tree suffers, you sacrifice a whole forest.
Check it out in the Apple Store or at Google Play.
BFT
Bear Focus Timer allows you to set a succession of study periods and rest breaks. You have to turn your phone face down to activate it, which will stop your phone being a distraction. You can set a background white noise to help aid your concentration. This a great app if you have trouble remembering to take regular breaks, it's celebrates the end of a study period, but also reminds you to get back to work after your break. The bear is kind of cute too.
Download from the Apple Store.
Lo-fi Hip-Hop Radio
This popular YouTube channel features an animation of a girl writing in her journal, while her cat stares out the window. Lo-fi beats play in an endlessly stream that runs for about 4 hours. Want to know more about the sub-genre of lo-fi beats, take a listen to this episode of the podcast Switched On Pop. Tune in on YouTube or bring up the playlist on Spotify.
In-build white noise on your iPhone
If you have an iPhone listening to some white noise, or a the sounds of some waves crashing, is easy. It's built into your phone. To switch it on, go to: Settings > Accessibility > Audio Visual > Background Sounds.
Looking for more tips on how to stress less and focus more? ECU's Psycholoical Counselling Support have a range of tip sheets.