8 great Spotify playlists to help you focus
I have the dubious distinction of requiring absolute silence while I work. Except if it’s too quiet, of course.
In that case, I require music. But no lyrics! Too distracting.
The good news is that there’s an almost endless supply of focus-friendly Spotify playlists spanning multiple genres and moods. Here are the eight I’ve found most helpful.
Peaceful Piano
I like to play Peaceful Piano really quietly. Loud enough to hear, of course, but just barely.
As its name suggests, it’s peaceful, all right–and there’s plenty of it: almost 300 tracks eating up 11 whopping hours.
These are contemporary but classical-sounding piano tracks, too, played by modern day artists. So there’s plenty of stuff to fall in love with for the first time.
Jazz in the Background
“Peaceful Piano is all well and good, Doug,” you say, “But just 11 hours doesn’t cut it.”
Very well. For you, there’s Jazz in the Background—an equally peaceful, contemporary jazz playlist that’s got almost 400 songs stretching 23 hours.
It, too, is a great candidate for super-low volume. It feels like walking into a swanky hotel bar with an on-staff pianist.
White Noise
Music, schmusic: The White Noise playlist is for those of you who have it even worse than me: distracted by both total silence and by gentle tunes.
You’ve got 10 hours and 260 tracks at your disposal, so don’t let anyone tell you that all white noise sounds the same.
Lofi beats
We may have reached peak focus with the Lofi beats playlist. How does 1,000 lounge-y/funky tracks sound?
Spotify gave up on trying to quantify the timing, simply calling it “over 24 hours,” so it sounds like you’ll have a tough time making it all the way to the end.
Focus Flow
Add a little bounce to your workday with Focus Flow, an 11-hour, 300-song playlist stocked with instrumental hip hop.
It’s a great mix of uptempo energy and mellow undercurrents–perfect for that post-lunch slump when you need to buckle down and do some actual work after procrastinating all morning.
Binaural Beats: Focus
Grab your best pair of headphones, strap ’em on, and crank up the Binaural Beats: Focus playlist.
If you’ve not yet been introduced to the brain-bending concept of Binaural Beats—whereby playing new-age music in various frequency ranges is meant to enhance your concentration—now’s your chance.
This one’s got 136 tracks and more than six hours of playtime to get you started. And, again, try listening to it with headphones for maximum effect.
Restaurant Ambience
But of course there’s a playlist with 60+ tracks and three-plus hours of . . . well, ambient restaurant noise.
The Restaurant Ambience playlist features such bangers as Paris Restaurant Sound and Coffee Shop Soundscape.
If you’re longing for the comforting din of your local coffee shop but you’re stuck at home, this one’s for you.
Peaceful Guitar
And last but certainly not least, there’s the wonderful Peaceful Guitar playlist.
Featuring nine and a half hours of gentle, classical acoustic melodies, this is a good mix for easing into your day while you’re shaking the sleep off or transitioning between work and family when it’s time to wrap it up.
(43)
