According to a study by Assocham published last year, 42.5 per cent of employees in private sector companies are afflicted from depression or general anxiety disorder. This was based on the views of 1,250 corporate employees from 150 companies across 18 broad sectors like media, telecom and KPO. Forty eight per cent of the respondents said that they felt fatigue on a regular basis due to general anxiety and close to 27 per cent admitted that they suffered from regular headaches.
Today we spend more time with technology then we spend with people. The beauty about technology is its neutral nature. The power lies with how you use it. Like fire for cooking we can use it for our benefit. From gadgets to apps, we can use technology to alleviate stress.
Thync claims to be the first wearable technology that actively changes the way you feel. Developed by a team of neuroscientists from MIT, Harvard and Stanford universities, Thync is priced at Rs 13000. Thync changes your brainwaves on demand. According to Thync, you will know it’s working when calm vibes will slow your thoughts down, making you feel more centred and feeling a pleasurable sensation run up the back of your neck.
Brainwaves Management Our moods vary according to the brainwave we are experiencing. The difference between a stressed out and a calm person is the state of his brainwaves.
Binaural beats were discovered by German scientist Heinrich Wilhelm Dove in 1839. In 1973 biophysicist, Gerald Oster, brought its benefits into the mainstream through an academic paper called ‘Auditory Beats in the Brain’ (Scientific American, 1973). Simply Google for some good binaural beat recordings. You will know if it’s working if it changes your mental state. Normally it shouldn’t take more than half an hour for changes to show. However, do make sure the binaural beats are good studio quality recording.
Great AppsIf you are on a budget or maybe want something simpler and cheaper yet powerful here are two apps that can help you.
Zenify: This is one of my favourite apps. Available on Playstore and iTunes, it comes in a free as well as a premium version. You could practice simple exercises varying from a few seconds to a minute, sitting in a cafe or in your office or just about anywhere. I have had the premium version on my phone for over a year and it’s an absolute delight to be taken through simple assignments that make you aware that we are living beings not just digital beings.
Bliss: It is a positive psychology app featuring a series of exercises that take less than a minute to do but leave a lasting effect of well being. The app helps you cultivate an attitude of gratitude and optimism. One of the assignments is called “Could be Worse”. It destresses you in a few seconds when you realise your problem isn’t the worst in the world. There are other great exercises like Savoring, Honoring and Best Possible Future.
The Stress Free ChoiceOur power is in the choices we make in life, how we use technology and almost everything else. Stress is a choice of the autopilot mind. Being stress free can be a conscious choice.
Mehrotra is an author and columnist. He can be contacted at puneet90@gmail.com
Guest Author
Puneet Mehrotra is an author and columnist who loves inspiring people and writes on business and technolog
