So, recently, I jumped on the Apple Watch bandwagon and got myself one. Truth be told, I wasn't sure why I'm getting one, except for the fact that it looked rather nice. Ok, perhaps, I was taken in by all the hype (Slightly cringing at that thought that I'm becoming a #hypebae).

Anyway, so far, the watch is a watch to me. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the functionality of the piece. It notifies me of the messages and emails that are coming in and it allows me the time to figure out if I want to whip my phone out and respond or wait till a later time. But other than that, It's mostly a watch for me. Now, a little bit about me - I don't wear watches. I've long replaced wearing a watch with Chanel bracelets and Givenchy cuffs, so having a watch strapped to my wrist needs a bit of getting used to, to be honest. So far, so good, though.

The one thing I do love about the watch are the Activity app, which notifies me when to stand up when I've sat down for far too long; when to move when i've been stagnant and staring at my laptop for a long time. Those are great. And it really forces me to go out and walk about to breathe in some fresh air. Ok, it's also because I want to close the three coloured circles. I realised it made me determined to go out for more walks or do a bit more strenuous activities, just so I can complete the Activity tasks.

So far, I think i've been doing well. Some days, though, I'm just not feeling it. Anyway, another app that I truly appreciate on the Apple watch is the Breathe app. Now, the spiel on the app is this:

“The app guides users through a series of deep breaths, intended to help manage everyday stress. By default, the app offers a one-minute session of seven breaths, but these can be extended to longer sessions, and breathing can be slowed to four breaths per minute, or expanded to ten per minute. Once users begin, the app informs them to “be still and bring attention to your breath.”

A series of circles on the Apple Watch display gradually expand, accompanied by taptic feedback on the wrist, letting the user know to slowly inhale.

The use of feedback in the app can allow users to focus on their breathing and following along with their eyes closed, without a need to look at the app on their wrist.”

I love the taptic feedback. It tells me when to breathe in and when to breathe out. I can then just close my eyes, concentrate and go into a semi-meditative state. For those 60 seconds (ok, one minute. I'm just trying to be dramatic), I can clear my mind and just bring myself to center. I like this process. It lets me take a break from work or from the daily routine and stresses of life and just be present.

To be honest, I don't know the specific timing that the Breathe app will notify me. But I suspect it's when the the watch calculates my heartbeat and figure out that my heart rate is high. That's usually when I get the taptic notification to take a moment to breathe.

It works. Because I immediately calm down and when it's all done, my head feels lighter and I'm slightly more energise. Ok, maybe it's just me trying to convince myself but whatever it is, I think it works very well.

Also, I love seeing the word "WELL DONE" across my watch screen when the session ends.