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.

Breathing2 min

4-6 breath (4 · 6) for anxious moments, when you have more time than usual

A 4 · 6 rhythm — in for four, out for six.

Breathe →
Meditation20 min

The inner critic: 20-minute breathing meditation, in the late afternoon

Slow, spoken guidance for the inner critic. A breathing session you can do in the late afternoon.

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Meditation10 min

Deep work: 10-minute letting go meditation, early on

A 10-minute letting go session for deep work, early on. No app, no account — press start.

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Guide3 min read

A wind-down that starts before you are tired, when you want to finish something

Waiting until you feel sleepy usually means waiting until midnight. The wind-down is what creates the sleepiness.

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Focus25 min

Focus session for portfolio work: 25 minutes, forest at dusk, when you are cold and want to be warm

25 minutes of portfolio work, with forest at dusk and a note on what to do when you drift.

Start the block →
Breathing2 min

4-2-6 breath (4 · 2 · 6) for a grey day, when you have been putting it off

A 4 · 2 · 6 rhythm — a short hold in the middle, a long way out.

Breathe →
Meditation5 min

Softening meditation for physical tension (5 min), on a Saturday morning

Slow, spoken guidance for physical tension. A softening session you can do on a Saturday morning.

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Meditation15 min

15-minute gratitude meditation for shame, at midday

A 15-minute gratitude session for shame, at midday. No app, no account — press start.

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Guide3 min read

Waking up anxious for no obvious reason — a practical guide, when you are doing this for the first time

Morning anxiety is common and usually chemical rather than psychological. Cortisol rises steeply in the first hour after waking.

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Focus45 min

Focus session for problem solving: 45 minutes, birds at dawn, when you only have a few minutes

45 minutes of problem solving, with birds at dawn and a note on what to do when you drift.

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Breathing2 min

Coherent 6-6 breath (6 · 6) for a hot day, if you are sceptical about all of this

A 6 · 6 rhythm — six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing.

Breathe →
Meditation10 min

Meditation for test anxiety: 10-minute self-compassion session, on a plane

Slow, spoken guidance for test anxiety. A self-compassion session you can do on a plane.

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Meditation3 min

Meditation for restless legs: 3-minute body scan session, in the mid-afternoon

A 3-minute body scan session for restless legs, in the mid-afternoon. No app, no account — press start.

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Guide3 min read

When to be careful with breathing exercises — the short version, if you are doing this in the middle of the day

Breathing exercises are generally very safe, but there are situations where the standard advice needs adjusting.

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Focus90 min

Focus session for coding: 90 minutes, white noise, when you want something simple

90 minutes of coding, with white noise and a note on what to do when you drift.

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Breathing2 min

Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing — 2 · 1 · 2 · 1 — for deep focus, when you are cold and want to be warm

Rounds of 2 · 1 · 2 · 1, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Meditation15 min

Noting for burnout: 15 minutes, on the road

Slow, spoken guidance for burnout. A noting session you can do on the road.

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Meditation7 min

Softening for anticipatory anxiety: 7 minutes, during the evening wind-down

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 7 minutes of softening for anticipatory anxiety, during the evening wind-down.

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Guide3 min read

Releasing tension you did not notice you were holding, in the order that helps, when you need to stop thinking about work

By mid-afternoon most people are holding their shoulders, jaw and hands without knowing. Here is a two-minute check.

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Focus25 min

25-minute practising an instrument session with a stream and a timer, when you want to finish something

Sit down, press start, and drill the hard bars for 25 minutes. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.

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Breathing3 min

Uneven box breathing — 4 · 4 · 6 · 2 — for the hours after people leave, when you only have a few minutes

Rounds of 4 · 4 · 6 · 2, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Meditation3 min

3-minute guided body scan practice for better sleep — before an appointment

Slow, spoken guidance for better sleep. A body scan session you can do before an appointment.

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Meditation12 min

Self-compassion meditation for irritability (12 min), in the hour before sleep

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 12 minutes of self-compassion for irritability, in the hour before sleep.

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Guide3 min read

Using the commute as a boundary between work and home — where to start, if you are doing this instead of scrolling

The commute is the only transition most people get. Used deliberately, it stops the workday following you into the kitchen.

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Focus50 min

50-minute exam revision session with rain on a window and a timer, when you are doing this for the first time

Sit down, press start, and test yourself for 50 minutes. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.

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Breathing2 min

4-8 breathing — 4 · 8 — for a lonely evening, when you want something simple

Rounds of 4 · 8, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Meditation7 min

Self-criticism: 7-minute softening meditation, before an interview

Slow, spoken guidance for self-criticism. A softening session you can do before an interview.

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Meditation20 min

Meditation for study focus: 20-minute noting session, late at night

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 20 minutes of noting for study focus, late at night.

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Guide3 min read

Ten minutes outside is not a wellness cliché — the unglamorous version, when you need something unremarkable

It is the least fashionable intervention available and one of the most reliable. Here is what it actually does.

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Focus90 min

90-minute data work session with a train carriage and a timer, if you are doing this in the middle of the day

Sit down, press start, and work through the numbers for 90 minutes. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.

Start the block →