Everything, 30 at a time
Every meditation, breathing exercise, sleep story, focus session, guide and essay on SoftlyStill — 6,878 pieces, newest first, 30 to a page.
45-minute focus session for coding with a library, when you want to finish something
45 minutes on coding — one function at a time, not the whole system. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.
Start the block →How to use Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing for Monday morning, if you are sceptical about all of this
Rounds of 2 · 1 · 2 · 1, with the counting done for you.
Breathe →15-minute guided breathing practice for panic — at bedtime
Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 15 minutes of breathing for panic, at bedtime.
Begin →5-minute guided letting go practice for physical tension — before you talk
When physical tension shows up before you talk, this 5-minute letting go session gives you somewhere to put it down.
Begin →Using your body to come down after something stressful, without the usual nonsense, when you are doing this for the first time
After a stress response, the body is left with fuel it did not use. Some of the recovery is physical, not mental.
Read →50-minute focus session for practising an instrument with distant traffic, when you are doing this for the first time
50 minutes on practising an instrument — slowly, with the metronome. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.
Start the block →Uneven box breath (4 · 4 · 6 · 2) for physical discomfort, when you are cold and want to be warm
Rounds of 4 · 4 · 6 · 2, with the counting done for you.
Breathe →Grounding for loneliness: 3 minutes, at night
Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 3 minutes of grounding for loneliness, at night.
Begin →Test anxiety: 10-minute gratitude meditation, after a conflict
When test anxiety shows up after a conflict, this 10-minute gratitude session gives you somewhere to put it down.
Begin →Do you actually need eight glasses of water — the version for a bad week, if you are doing this in the middle of the day
Eight glasses is a number with no particular evidence behind it. Thirst and urine colour are better guides.
Read →Deep work timer: 25 minutes of exam revision (forest at dusk), if you are doing this in the middle of the day
One block of exam revision with forest at dusk underneath. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →4-8 breath (4 · 8) for exam nerves, when you only have a few minutes
Rounds of 4 · 8, with the counting done for you.
Breathe →Letting go meditation for sleep (7 min), at 3am
Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 7 minutes of letting go for sleep, at 3am.
Begin →15-minute breathing meditation for deadline pressure, after bad news
When deadline pressure shows up after bad news, this 15-minute breathing session gives you somewhere to put it down.
Begin →Breathing exercises that help during panic — explained without jargon, when you need to stop thinking about work
Deep breathing is the wrong advice during panic. What helps is a longer exhale and something concrete to count.
Read →Deep work timer: 45 minutes of data work (a washing machine), when you need to stop thinking about work
One block of data work with a washing machine underneath. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.
Start the block →5-2-7 breathing — 5 · 2 · 7 — for the morning, when you want something simple
Rounds of 5 · 2 · 7, with the counting done for you.
Breathe →Meditation for morning energy: 12-minute gratitude session, in the office
Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 12 minutes of gratitude for morning energy, in the office.
Begin →Meditation for better sleep: 3-minute grounding session, when nothing went right
Slow, spoken guidance for better sleep. A grounding session you can do when nothing went right.
Begin →A morning routine that survives a bad night — what actually works, if you are doing this instead of scrolling
Most morning routines are designed for people who slept well. Here is a version that works on four hours.
Read →Deep work timer: 90 minutes of editing (brown noise), if you are doing this instead of scrolling
One block of editing with brown noise underneath. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
Start the block →Coherent 4-4 breathing — 4 · 4 — for a study session, when you want to finish something
Rounds of 4 · 4, with the counting done for you.
Breathe →Body scan for appreciation: 20 minutes, on a meeting break
Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 20 minutes of body scan for appreciation, on a meeting break.
Begin →Letting go for self-criticism: 7 minutes, when you are at your limit
Slow, spoken guidance for self-criticism. A letting go session you can do when you are at your limit.
Begin →Why anxiety shows up in your body first — a short, honest guide, when you need something unremarkable
Racing heart, tight chest, churning stomach. Understanding the mechanism makes the symptoms less frightening.
Read →25-minute focus block for brainstorming — a library, when you need something unremarkable
A timer, a short prep list, and 25 minutes to generate options.
Start the block →Box breathing — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — for a long illness, when you are doing this for the first time
Simple counts — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — and a circle that keeps time.
Breathe →5-minute guided softening practice for anxiety — before a busy day
Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 5 minutes of softening for anxiety, before a busy day.
Begin →Noting meditation for a mindful pause (12 min), before sleep
Slow, spoken guidance for a mindful pause. A noting session you can do before sleep.
Begin →Tired eyes after a long day of screens — a straightforward guide, after a difficult conversation
Eye strain is mostly about distance and blinking, not about blue light glasses.
Read →Newest first. Everything here is free — no account, no streaks, nothing to install.