Busy work days are often stressful and exhausting, especially when you're sitting at your laptop for hours at a time. So when I came across a new browser created to help reduce stress, I was pretty intrigued.
The creators of the Opera Browser, founded in the 90s, developed a new "mindful browser" called Opera Air that aims to lower stress and improve focus while working. The browser, launched early this month, is available for download on MacOS and Windows.
Via a floating sidebar, users can access its features pretty easily, including:
I used Opera Air for one week, and I don't plan on going back to any other browsers. Here's why.
Listening to binaural beats
I'm a fan of the types of "Lo-fi" music for concentration videos you can find on YouTube, so I was most excited to give the sound "boosts" function a try.
Binaural beats are an auditory illusion that occurs "when two tones of slightly different frequencies are played in separate ears simultaneously (usually through headphones)," creating what can be perceived as a new third tone, according to Psychology Today.
The beats can provide effects similar to meditation like improved focus, stress-reduction and increased creativity. Opera Air offers about 20 different types of binaural beats that are typically 30 minutes or longer.
Their most popular are:
When I listened to the "Creativity Boost" as I was writing, it helped me focus for a while. And even though the noise became a bit distracting eventually, I was still able to finish my work pretty quickly.
My favorite option is the "Energized Focus" that aims to help you relax while also increasing your attentiveness. On a day that I felt overwhelmed and drained, this boost helped me to calm down. I'm actually writing this story as it plays.
Taking mindful breaks
When you need a break, Opera Air has four options to choose from: neck exercises, guided meditations, deep breathing exercises and full body scans.
I started off with a neck exercise. Each option explains what they're helpful for — pain relief, unwinding, loosening up or releasing tension — and range in length from four to 10 minutes. The browser also offers a choice between two different voices to guide you.
I opted out of being on camera, but if you're comfortable turning yours on, the technology can track your movements while you're doing an exercise to make sure you aren't overextending.
Though I enjoyed how I felt after doing the pain relief exercise, my laptop started to overheat as I was using it — a common issue I noticed when using the browser's features.
I also tried one of the four guided meditations— the one for Inner Calm. It helped me better appreciate the things I have, and changed my perspective on what it means to take care of my belongings. It was also very relaxing.
Most breaks felt uncomfortable to do at my desk where my coworkers would see me, so I chose to use them mainly when I was working from home.
Overall, I enjoy having the option to take mindful breaks when needed and to listen to binaural beats for motivation. I haven't switched back to the browser I used before Opera Air, and I don't intend to.
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