How to Use Headspace

 

There isn’t
much “how-to” for this app. It’s mostly click and watch the vids or
listen to music or voice recording.
Explore it and find out what works for you. Nothing too complicated and very
user-friendly.

Create an account for the program by logging in with
Facebook, Spotify, your Apple Id, or simply an email address. Spotify is an unusual app to
use for login. Perhaps Headspace will use your music lists for meditation.
Since I don’t have Spotify, perhaps someone can comment on how it works. As
mentioned before, Headspace has a free trial, but users must sign up for either
a yearly membership or a monthly one before getting the free trial.

Next, the app asks what you would like to work
on—stress, sleep, trying something new, staying focused, or anxiety. As you use
the app, you can add to the list of things for focus. It also asks for you to
make an intention. It’s
an open-ended response where you can put in anything.

The main screen of Headspace has at the top—a person
icon at the top and a search option. At the bottom of the screen, there are
five icons with labels—Today, Meditate, Sleep, Move, and Focus. No matter what
you are working on, these other options are available.

Today: This shows a daily article, video, or
mediation in the middle screen. Scroll down to see programs in progress,
favorites and recent items, and featured collections. Click on any of these to
participate. If you are new, you may have the Basics tutorial listed here.
These are 3-5 minute guided meditations to get you used to the practice and the
program. I highly recommend going through at least the first Basic course of
ten sessions.

Meditation: Click on this icon for featured and daily
meditations. Again, the
Basic course is here. This section features a new meditation every day. You can
opt for up to 20 minutes for some. Other features include courses of meditation
and single sessions. There is a huge selection to choose from, starting with
Acceptance through Grief down to Waking up. The SOS features six meditations to
deal with: feeling overwhelmed, being burned out, panicking, losing your
temper, being flustered, and being in pain. These are short guides to deal with
tough issues. There are timers for guided, semi-guided, and unguided
meditations. Also, a variety of videos can be found under Techniques and Support
to assist you with your mediation. Lastly, there’s a group meditation invite at
the bottom of the list.

Sleep: Click the small crescent moon to find the
sleep meditations. These are longer and are to assist you in falling asleep. The
main screen features a long sleepcast. Hit the play button to enjoy. Below that
are recent and other featured sleepcasts. Scroll down for the Explore Sleep
section. Here there are more categories of meditations, sleepcasts, and help,
including wind-downs, nighttime SOS exorcises, sleep music, soundscapes (vids
with music), and sleep radio (8 hours of music).

Move: Click the triangle icon to find the workout
features. Yes, the app is for your mind and body! Again, a featured workout is
front and center. Scroll down for other workouts including featured and recent,
mindful cardio, feel-good yoga, quick workouts, move minis (when you have no
time), “Get moving with
Kim” which is touted for beginners, “Get moving with Leon” also good for
beginners, rest day meditations, and performance mindset.

Focus: Click the triple circle to find the Focus
section. This section has a variety of activities to help you concentrate.
There are meditations, music, exercise, immersive experiences (vids), life
coaching from Kevin Hart, and soundscapes.

Phew, so much to do with only a 14-day trial. But
honestly, check out all the features listed above to discover if this app works
for you.

Here
are a few more tidbits.

The person icon at the top takes you into your
account. Here you can add Buddies (others using the app) by sharing a link on
social media. You can also check out your stats—how many days in a row you’ve used the app and how long
you’ve meditated, how many sessions you’ve completed, and the average duration.
There is also Journey. This section has you check in once a month to see how
you’re doing with stress, anxiety, and mindfulness. It charts your stress
level. It also has ideas to consider based on your experience and stress level.
Lastly, it has your timeline. See what meditations you’ve already tried and when
you used them. It’s great for creating a routine or circling back to one you
loved.

Click, listen,
enjoy.