I’ve never managed to really establish a “meditation” practice, but I do find value in some simple mindfulness aspects like breathing and taking small breaks during the day to reset.

This last week I’ve been using my Apple Watch to prompt me to Breathe and Reflect, the two modes it has. Is it simple? Hell yes it is. Is it effective? Actually, quite.

When you open Mindfulness on your watch, you are prompted to choose a mode. These are configurable for duration and offer a standard reminder schedule of beginning/end of day, and you can add additional reminders as you would like them.

Mindfulness: Reflect

Mindfulness: Breathe

After you start each model, the watch screen takes you through the process, with Breath you get an instruction to take slow deep breathes, and then the animation gives you the timing.

Breathe instructions

Breathe mode follow along animations

The Reflect mode plays this weird globule style animation to look at, I guess it’s supposed to just be “nothing” to help you blank your mind. I find it a bit weird but also oddly successful at it’s task.

Reflect animations

After you complete the mode, your stats are updated, activities are tracked over time and sync with your phone’s Fitness App where you can see trending information if you are someone that is data oriented.

And that’s it. Very simple, and yet as a way to either get started or even as an ongoing mechanism to take a break, pause and clear your mind when context switching or before meetings, very effective.

Be awesome.