Guide / 02

The cloud-watching break: relax with one song

You don’t need an hour. One song, played properly, is a real break.

1. Pick one song, not a playlist

A playlist invites skipping. One song you’ve chosen asks nothing more of you. Pick a cloud, or take today’s relax song.

2. Get horizontal, or close

Lie on the floor, lean back in your chair, or put your feet up. If you can see a window, look at the sky. If not, press Lie back and watch these clouds instead.

3. Follow one cloud

Pick a single cloud and follow it across the sky until it leaves the edge. Then pick another. It’s a small, gentle job for your eyes, which leaves less room for the to-do list.

4. Let it play twice

Most lofi songs are two or three minutes long. Turn on Stay and the song loops for 15, 30 or 60 minutes, then fades out on its own. The second time through you’ll notice things you missed.

5. Come back slowly

When it fades, don’t jump up. Take one slow breath, look around the room, then go back to your day.

Questions