Mindfort
no nonsense meditation
MENTAL FITNESS TOOLS FOR MEN
The Problem
The scientifically proven benefits of practicing mindfulness and mediation are numerous, yet it is estimated that only 14% of US adults have tried meditation at least once. There is also a difference in the gender of of those who meditate; only 12% of men practice mediation in the US, compared to 16% of women, showing a significant 25% difference.
We believe that there is a reason for this 25% differential between genders, and the relatively low overall participation in a practice which is proven to bring numerous health benefits.
We believe there are a number of reasons that individuals don’t include mindfulness in their routine:
– There is a lack of awareness of the science behind meditation and the benefits it can bring.
– Some are put off by the spiritual and religious connotations around meditation.
– Most mindfulness apps are marketed as a way to fix poor mental health, rather than a way to strengthen the mind.
– The look and feel of most meditation apps is not particularly masculine which may reduce the appeal to male users.
Some individuals, particularly men, assume that mindfulness is about being mellow and it will rob them of their edge.
The Opportunity
To create an app which provides mediation and mindfulness tools for a more masculine audience, who want to build resilience and mental toughness (some may also want to recover from existing mental health issues) without having to ‘lose face’ by using a ‘self-help’ app. Instead of taking away their ‘edge’.
We believe that there is an opportunity to position mindfulness and meditation as something which, as part of a broader routine, could be the thing that gives them their winning edge.
hOW WILL WE ENGAGE THIS MARKET?
supercharge your mind with meditation
We believe that to engage those who do not buy into the idea of meditation and mindfulness in its current form, we should be communicating the performance benefits and neuroscience behind it to compel this huge dormant market to make meditation part of their regular fitness routine.
reduce stress
Research has shown that those who practice meditation regularly begin to experience changes in their response to stress that allow them to recover from stressful situations more easily and experience less stress from the challenges they face in their everyday lives.
Increase Focus
Bringing attention back to the breath each time you feel your mind wandering during meditation helps strengthen the brain’s neural circuitry for focus. Translating that into daily life, when we notice that we’re off track, distracted by a text or our phone buzzing, we’re better able to come back to the task at hand.
Build resilience
Resilience is what gives people the psychological strength to cope with stress and hardship. It is the mental reservoir of strength that people are able to call on in times of need to carry them through without falling apart. Psychologists believe that resilient individuals are better able to handle such adversity and rebuild their lives after a catastrophe.
make better decisions
Meditation is proven to calm the mind. This gives an individual a clear picture of all parameters and possible repercussions of a decision. It also helps you to maintain energy and enthusiasm which, in turn, improves clarity of thought and enables you to handle a greater workload and cope with pressure and more easily.
BOOST CREATIVITY
Creativity lives in the subconscious mind. We only use a small portion of the brain, the rest houses our subconscious mind that holds our memories, dreams, and creativity. The subconscious is like a big reservoir.
Meditation can allow you to dive deeper into the powerful subconscious part of the mind.
IMPROVE SLEEP
Sleep is vital to maintaining optimal cognitive performance, and the benefits of a routine which supports good sleep are well documented. Meditation can improve sleep quality, leading to lower levels of stress, and improved mental clarity and memory. Improved sleep also supports physical health through better eating habits and weight management.
A programme tailored to your needs
Instead of an app with a huge array of resources and content available to every user, our platform will analyse user self-reported information to prescribe a plan using the appropriate tools to help them achieve their goals and improve their lives, with step-by-step, easy to follow instructions.
No nonsense meditation
Our guided meditations are all spoken in plain english with no spiritual or technical jargon, in a variety of accents, so you can feel completely comfortable when completing a session. We believe this will allow users to continue using the app more consistently, meaning they can access all the benefits of meditating which come after a longer period of use.
EXCLUSIVE EDUCATIONAL masterclasses
We intend to create masterclass content with well-known celebrities as well as experts in mental and physical health to inspire and motivate our users. These masterclasses will cover a range of topics and scenarios that users might experience in everyday life – unlimited access will enable users to overcome adversity and build resilience.
TAILORED TO YOUR GOALS AND NEEDS
By completing a short questionnaire upon sign up, the app can identify where a user should focus their attention to achieve the most significant benefits to their mental and physical health. From here, the user is prescribed a tailored plan to get them to where they want to be.
neuronutrition plans
As part of a routine which supports mental health and optimsied cognitive function, the app will provide users with information and educational content on diet and nutrition in relation to its impact on the brain. They will also have access to a full nutrition plan designed to optimise mental health and performamce.
EASY TO DO
The simplicity of the app in both visual design and practical usability terms is what we believe will keep users coming back to use the app day after day. Users will only be shown the tools they need to use, when they need to use them so they are not faced with a yet another decision which might deter them from opening the app altogether.
Sleep tools designed to work
In the same way that many individuals are reluctant to meditate, many are also unwilling to make changes to facilitate better sleep. Alongside educational content on the benefits of better sleep, the app will also include tools to help users build a better evening routine and audio sessions to help them prepare for a high quality, restful sleep.
The concept
We came up with the concept for the app based on our own experiences as men who knew the benefits of meditation, had tried it once or twice, but who had never made it a habit which formed part of our daily routines.
With the growing mental health crisis and the ever increasing rate of suicide in the UK and beyond, we felt that men were perhaps the group most in need of the benefits that meditation and mindfulness can provide.
The animation on the right is a basic explainer of how we see the issue playing out for a lot of men, and how we think a new solution could have a much needed positive impact on this demographic.
