Music streaming site aims to boost concentration

focus@will hopes to boost people's concentration through tailored playlists that calm the brain.

Hot on the heels of our coverage of Digipill, the audio subscription service that aims to alter mental states with psychoacoustic therapy, we’ve discovered a similar service – focus@will – which hopes to boost people’s concentration through tailored playlists. The site has already collected a range of music that has been tested to determine if it has a calming effect on people wanting to focus their mind while studying or working. According to focus@will, humans tend to have concentration cycles that last for around 100 minutes at a time. The tracks selected by the company apparently affect the limbic system, a part of the brain responsible for alerting the rest of the brain to potential danger. When users listen to focus@will, characteristics of the music encourage the limbic system to enter a state of calm, boosting concentration. The service is currently available for free in private beta but the company hopes to begin charging around USD 25 per year for a subscription. Whether students or professionals, this kind of work aid could help increase productivity and prove invaluable to some, although its merits should be judged by each individual user. Are there other ways to help people prepare for a stretch of work?