If you're the type of person who gets easily distracted, listening to music might not serve you well when you need to focus. But, if you still need to block out noise from your surroundings, you should consider white or ambient noises instead.
Varying between natural and artificial sounds, these types of noise have characteristics that allow you to drown out your environment and focus on the task at hand. Check these examples below.
1. Forest River
Natural sounds, like flowing springs, chirping birds, and the movements of leaves and trees in the wind, can help block out unwanted noises, so you can focus on whatever you're doing. This track from the johnnielawson channel runs over 8 hours, which is more than enough to get you through a workday.
It also features a looping video of a flowing stream. So, if you want to play it on your television or tablet, it can serve as an alternative outside view, especially if your workspace doesn't have any windows.
You can also use this track to help you sleep, as the calming effect of the water can help lull you to bed.
2. Rural Night
If you find the flowing water too loud and the chirping birds too boisterous, this track of the rural night might better help you focus.
Composed of cricket and swamp sounds at night, with a subtle effect of flowing water, the quiet sounds you hear in this track can help drown out environmental noise and chatter around you.
Ideal for focus, the natural random noise can ensure that your train of thought isn't distracted by what you hear. You can also play this video to help you sleep, as its 10-hour length is more than enough to last throughout the night.
3. Heavy Rainstorm
For those who find peace when it rains, this live track is for you. Featuring the sounds of a thunderstorm and heavy rain hitting a window, this track has a corresponding live video to match it.
Made by Relaxing Ambience ASMR, this live track can help you tune out the world so that you can focus on the task in front of you. Alternatively, you can also find several other rain effect video streams from the channel, allowing you to have variety in what you're listening to.
4. Fireplace
When the weather outside is too gloomy, you can turn up the warmth or coziness of your working space by listening to the pops and crackles of a fireplace instead. This track is perfect if you have your own space and find the silence deafening.
Filling the stillness with sound without distracting instruments or vocals, this track can emulate the peace from staring into a fireplace as you relax at the end of the day.
5. Boiling Water
There are times when you need a relaxing white noise when you want to drown out the sound of conversion around you. This 10-hour track from Relaxing White Noise will help you cover up those sounds while keeping it random, so you don't get distracted from the audio track.
This boiling, bubbling sound is ideal for those who love to cook or relax in a jacuzzi. You can even use it to motivate yourself—imagining that the bubbling sound is the sound of the food you'll feast on after your task while it's being prepared.
6. Long Flight
People who have been on an airliner would probably remember the low rumbling sound it makes while it is in cruise. This noise rumbles through your body and helps you relax during the flight. It is this low-frequency sound that makes many passengers fall asleep over long-distance flights.
The Long Flight track can also help you by taking away the stresses of your environment and encouraging you to focus on the task at hand. You can also play this with a pair of noise-canceling earphones or headphones to drown out unnecessary and distracting noise around you.
If you miss flying and traveling, then the least you can do is listen to this airplane sound while you're working.
7. Public Library
Libraries are inherently quiet, but they're not zero-sound places. In fact, you will still hear the quiet movement of people, the subtle sounds of typing and writing, the rustling of books and papers, as well as the sound of ventilation.
If your work area is deafeningly silent, this eight-hour track to fill up the void. This YouTube video can be your companion as you focus, giving you the vibe that you're not working and toiling alone.
8. Downtown
While many people find the sounds of nature quite relaxing, some people prefer the bustling sounds of the city. The sound of cars passing by, people talking as they walk past you, the occasional honks and screeches, and other urban sounds can help bring life to an otherwise drab working area.
This track makes you feel as if the world is bustling about as you accomplish many things. You can also use this to remind yourself that you're not alone in the world. This is especially helpful for work-from-home professionals who haven't traveled to their offices in a long time.
Block Out the World and Focus
When it comes to helping you focus, these tracks from YouTube give you several options. There are sounds from rural and urban areas, and you can also find natural and artificial sounds. Whatever you prefer, there's a track that you can use to help you drown out distracting noises around you and replace it with something else.
Of course, remember that you need to be aware of your surroundings as well, especially if you're working in public. You should also not play these sounds too loud, as prolonged noise can damage your hearing.
It's recommended to have noise-canceling technology to help balance the volume when using earphones or a headset. That way, you don't have to push the sound level way up to drown out the ambient sound that distracts you. At the same time, it can still let some environmental sounds in, allowing you to be aware of your surroundings.