This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure for more info.
In this fast-moving new age of technological distraction and overwhelm, there’s one thing that never fails to help me refocus (well, besides a tall Caramel Machiatto from Starbucks) – and that’s a great Spotify playlist.
There’s just something about music, right? It can get you into any mood, or enhance a mood you already find yourself in. Like, when your heart is broken into a million pieces, ain’t nothing like a heavy Toni Braxton “Unbreak My Heart”. Or when you’re getting ready for a much-needed #girlsnight out, a Drake “Nice For What” should get you there!
It’s the exact same for me when I’m needing some real focus time. The playlists listed here are ones that help me to drown out all the distractions of living with other people; to really tune into the task at hand (which, most of the time is writing), and make the very most of the limited time I have.
I’m sharing these playlists with you in hopes you love them as I do. But, most importantly, the hope is that they help you to get laser-focused, and get to accomplish those goals!
Spotify playlists for focus
1. My all-time favorite for quite a while used to be Brain Food. When I discovered this playlist, I was telling everybody about it. I couldn’t listen to it enough. It was the only playlist I went to when I sat down to work on writing and projects. It is still my #1 top pick, though, for refocusing when I’m distracted.
Things I love about Brain Food:
- It’s upbeat
- It doesn’t have any words (which is great for me when I’m working on a task that needs full mental engagement)
- Best for full mental engagement activities
Things I don’t love about Brain Food:
- It can be a bit too techno-y for my liking sometimes
2. Before I found Brain Food, though, I used to listen to Deep Focus all the time. It kinda reminds me of the music they play during Savasanah at yoga class, and I was really into yoga then, too. Makes sense that the two went hand in hand.
Things I love about Deep Focus:
- It’s atmospheric without putting me to sleep
- There are inspirational elements
- No words
- Good for full mental engagement work and activities
Things I don’t love about Deep Focus:
- It’s a little on the too-slow side
3. So, then that’s when I moved over to try out Focus Flow. I was like, “Heeeeyyy! Yaaas!” I had found a new groove to focus to.
Things I love about Focus Flow:
- It’s got some rhythm
- It’s upbeat
- It has minimal lyrics
- Still really great for hyper-focusing
Things I don’t love about Focus Flow
- If I’m honest, the beats kinda get on my nerves sometimes when I listen for a long time
Playlists for other kinds of focus
4. And then I tried out State of Jazz for a change. I wanted to see if my focus would suffer much with more lyrics. Surprisingly, I find myself going back to this playlist quite a bit. (I still like my playlists with songs without lyrics the best for when I’m really focusing, though!)
Things I love about State of Jazz:
- It has a pretty good mix of chill and upbeat songs
- It makes me feel like an adult to be listening to jazz – haha!
- Good for reviewing material already completed
Things I don’t love about State of Jazz:
- Sometimes there are too many lyrics, and then I have to start skipping songs
5. Soul Coffee is perfect for when my work isn’t too brain intensive. I’ve only very recently gotten into this playlist, and I like it so far!
Things I love about Soul Coffee:
- It pretty much is like coffee house music
- There’s a good mix of mainstream and non-mainstream music
- It has a nice, chill vibe
- Great for researching or brainstorming, or working with your hands (like making a vision board, or something like that)
Things I don’t love about Soul Coffee:
- The lyrics can be a bit distracting when I need to super-focus
6. Now, for the relaxing focused types, Lo-Fi Beats might just be the one. It’s a lot more chill than my top picks, but that can definitely be a benefit. As I said, those upbeat techno beats get me too high strung after a while. So, I’ve been trying this playlist on for size.
Things I love about Lo-Fi Beats:
- It definitely has a chill-out vibe
- No words, which I love!
- Still has a good, pacing for momentum with the beats
- Great for mentally engaging work, for sure (but might be best suited for a self-care activity, like journaling)
Things I don’t love about Lo-Fi Beats:
- Might be a little too chill for sustainable high-focus work
(Accessing these playlists does not require any paid subscription. All of the playlists can be found either by search or by the following path: Browse>Genre & Moods>Focus. They’ll all be listed there!)
My recommendations for music equipment
These are items I personally own and use to listen to my playlists just about on a daily basis. I want you to be just as happy with your newfound playlists as I’ve been! And, for that to happen, you at least need some equipment similar to (or better) than my own.
I was getting so sick of using those irritatingly hard little earbuds that come with the iPhone. After a while, the inside of my ears would get sore, and I’d find myself adjusting and readjusting them. They’re sooo uncomfortable, and I’m mad at myself for not having made the switch sooner.
Around August of last year, I did a simple search for wireless headphones (because why would you do anything other than wireless, right?), and found some pretty highly rated, pretty low-cost headphones – Beyution Wireless Headphones. They come in a velvety little pouch, the sound on ’em is crystal clear, and they fold up, too!
These are the exact ones I own, but they come in other colors for those of you who like that sort of thing. 
The other item I feel I MUST tell you all about is this BOSE Bluetooth speaker my mom got for me probably about four or five years ago now. This thing has taken quite a few lickin’s and keeps on tickin’! I love it, and will probably stick with Bose for any newer models when this one does finally decide to quit on me.
I think it’s too old to give you a way to purchase this exact one, but it’s on Amazon! This is what it looks like:
And that’s it! I hope it was helpful to you and all your musical focusing needs. Cheers to finding the focus you need to get through your to-do/task lists and getting a little closer to achieving your goals!
Do you have any pre-made Spotify playlists you love, that help you get focused? Share them in the comments below!
Talk soon.