According to the Mental Health Foundation, up to 1 in 20 people in the UK have a generalised anxiety disorder. And this extends to those working in financial services too of course. Moments of Space have been telling us how and why they’ve developed a practical tool to provide some help. It makes meditation accessible anytime and anywhere as they explain in this blog post, written as part of our series for Mental Health Awareness Week. Why not give it a try?
Recent official figures show that a record number of people not working in the UK due to long-term sickness has risen, with more than two and a half million not working due to health problems, and an increase in mental health issues among younger people.
With ‘anxiety’ as one of the themes for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week campaign, meditation and mindfulness is a well-supported and practised routine for many to combat anxiety. However, those attempting to build it into their daily routine are commonly faced with the ‘I don’t have time’ dichotomy, deeming a regular meditation practice too much of a challenge.
On more than one occasion we’ve heard about the success of mindfulness and meditation apps, and these have done a great job in bringing meditative practices to the mainstream, with the market estimated to reach $2,633.4 Million by 2030. Additionally, these apps are being utilised as part of staff perks packages, which is a great first step to businesses taking stock of workforce mental health. But do these apps really offer everyone the right kind of practice?
Co-founded by Kim Little (pictured) and Jules Murphy, who previously worked on launching the Apple iPhone and the App Store, Moments of Space is a tech-led and community-powered meditation platform created to provide advanced, tailored and transformative meditation to a curious community of users who are seeking a more profound meditation experience. The founders identified a gap in the meditation market where advanced meditation practices and techniques were underrepresented.
Moments of Space are challenging the misconception that meditation requires long stretches of time, stillness, and silence with closed eyes. Instead, they aimed to make meditation accessible anytime, anywhere using an eyes open modality, and also saw an opportunity to innovate in the space by introducing technology like AI for personalisation, and blockchain for user co-ownership of the platform.
“During Mental Health Awareness week, there is an opportunity for all of us to reflect and take stock of how we’re caring for our mental health, particularly those working long hours in business and finance. Commonly, people struggle to meditate because they don’t believe they have the time, but we’re here to dispel that myth” said Kim Little. “At a more crucial time than ever, we aim to challenge the misconception that meditation requires time, stillness and silence, introducing new styles of mediation that users can utilise during their busy schedules”.
Other apps on the market largely focus on beginner techniques and symptom management, but there has been a growing demand for more advanced forms of meditation, especially ‘awakening techniques’. In summary, meditating while walking your dog isn’t about retreating from the world, but fully engaging with it, bringing a quality of mindful presence to the simple act of walking. Moments of Space is designed to guide users on this journey, helping integrate meditation into everyday life.
National statistics now state that for every 13 people currently working, one person has long-term sickness, with mental health contributing to a large percentage of these absences in the workplace. This Mental Health Awareness Week could be a good time to investigate which apps are the right fit for your lifestyle and begin to introduce meditation and mindfulness into your daily routine when taking care of your mental health.
– Moments of Space is available on the Apple App Store with Android versions coming soon
