Stressed at work? A zen garden might be the answer to helping you relax | CNN Underscored

CNN —  

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There’s plenty of calming products out there that are perfect for your home — weighted blankets and light therapy alarm clocks among them. But what about when you are stressed out during your 9-to-5? If you need some peace and serenity at work, consider investing in a desk zen garden.

These are miniature versions of the large-scale Japanese zen gardens, which are dry-landscaped gardens often stylized with rocks, water features or sand. These tiny versions are thought to help increase mindfulness and meditation. It’s believed that raking the sand of these desk zen gardens and creating swirling patterns help calm your mind.

While we can’t say conclusively that these mini gardens relieve stress for everyone, we can see why they’re such a popular option. Tending these mini landscapes are a great escape, if even for just a few minutes.

CNN

The good news is that many of these relaxation garden kits are less than $30, so you can have a few minutes of mindful meditation every day without having to spend too much money. Some high quality and favorite options on Amazon include Paintspiration’s Zen Garden Kit ($29.99; amazon.com) — which also is an Amazon Choice product — The Titus Shop’s Zen Sand Garden ($19.95; amazon.com) and Nature’s Mark Mini Meditation Zen Garden ($14.99; amazon.com).

These gardens are so affordable, you can buy one for your home and another for your desk, so no matter where you are, you can find tranquility when you need it.

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