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Harmonize your mind and body to soothing tunes with this iPhone meditation kit

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Wave Bolster
This special meditation kit includes comfortable headphones and a bolster that vibrates your body in sync with the mind-mending beats.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

More and more people are realizing that mindfulness and meditation can help with a more balanced daily life. But anyone who tries meditating knows it can be hard at first. Calming an active mind is difficult enough, but distractions are everywhere, so this meditation kit aims for full immersion.

Distraction-free apps won’t help you focus. Here’s what will.

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Like a Vegas casino carpet, our devices overstimulate our brains. Distraction-free apps won't help.
Like a Vegas casino carpet, our devices overstimulate our brains.
Photo: Michael Winters/Flickr CC

“Distraction-free” apps are ridiculous. They don’t help at all. In fact, if you have trouble focusing on the task on hand, then the problem isn’t the app. The problem is you.

Removing clutter from an app’s interface won’t stop you from flipping to Twitter every five minutes. A carefully chosen font won’t stop you from whipping your iPhone from your pocket every time a question pops into your head.

The problem is not even distraction. The problem is overstimulation, and it’s going to take some effort for you to fix it.

Turn your iPhone into a focus-enhancing machine [Deals]

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This app offers specially curated music that's designed to help keep you focused and on-task.
This app offers specially curated music that's designed to help keep you focused and on-task.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When we think about the effects of our always-on culture on our minds, the picture isn’t always pretty. Our smartphones often cause us plenty of distraction, so it might be surprising to learn that they can actually help us stay focused.

Moby’s latest album is an exclusive to top iOS meditation app

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Moby
For those days when you want to take your lounge chair into the local park.
Photo: Calm

Music exclusives are nothing unusual when it comes to streaming music services, such as Tidal and Apple Music. But electronic music legend Moby has thought different with his approach to releasing his latest album.

Fans wanting to get hold of Moby’s “Long Ambients 2” can do so only by downloading the Calm meditation app.

Score a second phone number, sweatproof earbuds and more [Deals]

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Check out the 4 best deals in the Cult of Mac Store this week.
Check out the 4 best deals in the Cult of Mac Store this week.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

As spring approaches, we’re stocking up on discounted gear, gadgets and more. This week, we’ve got deals on a burner phone number, lessons in social media marketing, a music subscription that fosters focus, and a set of workout-ready earbuds.

Most of these hot deals are discounted by 70 percent or more!

Tap into the ancient wisdom of the Apple Watch Breathe app

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Chill out with the Apple Watch Breathe app.
Chill out with the Apple Watch Breathe app.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

In today’s fast-paced, connected world, the demands on our time seem endless. We spend much of our day in a state of constant hyperactivity. Apple Watch and iPhone add to the pressure, with their endless notifications telling us what we should be doing, who we should be speaking to and where we should be going.

Fortunately, Apple also offers an oasis of calm that can help us slow down this frenetic pace. The Apple Watch Breathe app draws on the ancient wisdom of Buddhist monks and yogis who practice a technique called “resonant breathing.”

Luckily, you don’t need to be a master of meditation to use the Breathe app that comes built into your Apple Watch. With clever visuals and smart features, it will guide you through this time-honored method for relaxing your body and clearing your mind. It’s a surprisingly subtle and relaxing experience that you might really enjoy.

In this quick guide, we’ll take a look at the origins of the Breathe app, how it works, what the benefits of resonant breathing are, and how to take advantage of this calming tech. So take a deep breath and let’s get started.

Turn your phone into a tool for relieving stress [Deals]

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Your iPhone doesn't have to be a distraction. With the Aura app, it can actually help you get back in touch with the moment.
Your iPhone doesn't have to be a distraction. It can actually help you get back in touch with the moment.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

For all their many uses, let’s face it: our smartphones are a major source of distraction. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, with the right app, your phone can actually help you regain focus and reduce stress.

Use your iPhone to improve your state of mind for once [Deals]

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This meditation app offers guided meditation sessions and breathing exercises with tools for tracking your practice over time.
This meditation app offers guided meditation sessions and breathing exercises with tools for tracking your practice over time.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Let’s be honest, many of us have pretty unhealthy relationships to our phones. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Your phone can become a reminder to take your eyes off the screen and keep your mind centered.