This week’s Ed Tech Fitness challenge is one that you can do anywhere at anytime. That challenge is to do some mindful breathing for five minutes a day. Call it meditation if you like, but I prefer to call it mindful, relaxing breathing. Take five minutes at the beginning of the day, in the middle of the day when you need to reboot, or at the end of the day to unwind before bed. It’s amazing what five minutes of just sitting and breathing deeply can do for your brain.
An App for Mindful Breathing
If you want a little guidance and or reminder to stop, breathe, and think, try the free app with that name. Stop, Breathe, & Think is a free Android and iPhone app that provides five minute mindful breathing routines that you can use anytime and almost anywhere (don’t use it while driving). I installed the app on Saturday morning. My only complaint about the app is that it did take me a few tries to understand the sequencing in it. For example, I thought that timer I was looking at was for each inhalation and exhalation when it was actually supposed to be a pattern of inhale, hold, exhale, hold.
Stop, Breathe, & Think has an student version of their app. There is also a great collection of downloadable handouts and posters to use in your classroom in conjunction with the app.
A Final Thought About the Challenge
“Meditation” always feels like a big block of time where and commitment of mental energy. That’s not what this week’s challenge is about. Rather it’s about just taking a moment to recenter when your day is getting busy and you feel like there’s too much to do and not enough time. Try it this week and let us know how it goes.
Have a great week!