Productivity and mindfulness don't often go together, but Opera wants to change that with its new browser, Opera Air. The design is minimalist and user-friendly, with a transparent UI that adapts to your wallpaper and several built-in mindfulness tools.
The start page "speed dial" comes preloaded with mindfulness sites like Headspace and Calm, but the sidebar is the focus of the browser's mindfulness approach. "Boosts" are binaural beats for everything from a creativity boost to dream recall. "Take a Break" has built-in reminders and its own keyboard shortcut, which takes you to a selection of neck and breathing exercises, guided meditation sessions, and a full-body scan.
Opera Air asks for camera access during the neck exercises "to scan your face, so it can track your movements to ensure they are performed safely and correctly." However, when I deliberately performed the stretch wildly incorrectly, it didn't attempt to correct me. It works fine with the camera turned off.
Aria, Opera's free AI, a free VPN, and an ad-blocker are all built-in. Like the regular version, Opera Air is Chromium-based and supports Chrome extensions natively. It is in early access and available for MacOS, Windows, and Linux.
I wouldn't say that it delivers the "stress-free" experience promised because the internet is still the internet, but having calming music, stretches, and meditation so easily accessible makes it easier to relieve stress once it's there.
Previously: Employees who practice mindfulness meditation are less motivated, having realized the futility of their jobs
