What is the founding story behind Sukha?
We founded Sukha because we needed it. We found the difference between 3 pm “Let’s go do something fun” and 6 pm “Where the $@#^ did the day go?” was whether we focused in the morning or not. My buddy Michael and I both work from home and love it, but we felt the pain of the real distractions that come with it. We wanted to create something that made it easier to focus while also being part of a fun community of other people like us, working from home all around the world. There are tens of millions of people out there working remotely, trying to do something great and it’s energizing to feel that you’re part of a global movement. We started with a focus app which we had already been working on with some friends…that idea was to take the techniques from all the smartest productivity books and put them in one app. Help us to block out the distractions and focus…
…and with Sukha, we added the option to be part of a community. You know, to be able to chat with others on your breaks, ask for help, or share focus tips. You can even see each other like in a coffeeshop if you want.
We didn’t want to have to pay $10-15 a month for a stand-alone music app, so we wrote over 1000 hours of custom focus music composed to best scientific practices for flow states – even some playlists with binaural beats:
When you pay for a separate website blocker for $5 a month, and another task manager for $8, a phone lock for $4, etc. – it adds up. We just wanted one button with everything for just a few dollars a month.
How does Sukha work and what features does it offer?
Sukha is a simple and intuitive website designed to help you focus. You open it in the morning, hit play, and let it run in the background while you work. As you work, you’re treated to beautiful focus music—over 1,000 hours of scientifically designed tracks optimized for productivity. These tracks follow best practices, such as specific beats per minute and key signatures, and are all non-vocal, so no distracting lyrics.
In addition to music, you can immerse yourself in natural sounds like streams, surf in Cyprus, rain in the Himalayas (recorded by audio engineers in Kathmandu), or even a stream in Japan. There are also options for pink noise, brown noise, and binaural beats, which some productivity enthusiasts use to stimulate creativity. It’s all about giving you a customizable soundtrack that keeps you in your flow state.
Beyond audio, Sukha includes features to minimize distractions. For example, if your phone is a big temptation, you can activate a one-click phone lock.
A friendly coach in the app will even chime in if you open your phone mid-session, asking, “Do you really need to be on your phone right now?” It’s a playful yet effective nudge to stay focused.
The app also supports time management with tools like task lists and time boxing. Time boxing means setting specific durations for tasks and it can be incredibly effective—when you decide something will take 45 minutes, it often does! Sukha helps you track your tasks, measure progress, stay on target, and also take healthy breaks.
In essence, Sukha is an all-in-one productivity tool, combining beautiful music, distraction tracking, task management, and more. It’s designed to replace multiple apps with a single, seamless solution to help you stay focused and productive.
What is the technology stack behind Sukha?
The technology stack behind Sukha is straightforward. It’s an Electron app built with HTML, React, and Tailwind CSS, running on Amazon Web Services and Firebase. However, the important part isn’t really the technology itself. Our goal was to make the technology invisible—to create a seamless experience that simply makes you feel great while using it. It’s not about the tools or buttons; it’s about how the app supports your productivity effortlessly.What sets you apart from your competitors?
What sets Sukha apart is that we’re an all-in-one solution with an amazing community. Instead of paying for separate apps for music, website blocking, phone locking, and task tracking, we combine everything into one affordable package. Plus, Sukha is more than just a tool—it’s a community where people can chat, support each other, and share their journey. It’s everything you need in one place, surrounded by a group of like-minded individuals working together toward their goals.
Are there any upcoming news or projects from your side we could be looking forward to?
We’re currently in beta with an exciting new dashboard! If you use Chrome, you can install a Chrome extension that transforms your new tab into a productivity hub. It features a beautiful nature photo, your task list for quick note-taking or updates, the time and weather in your city, and an inspirational quote from a great artist or thinker. You’ll also see who else is in the online coffee shop, and if a friend is there, you can join and work together, just like meeting at a real café. We’re aiming to launch this in the next two weeks, so stay tuned!
Is there anything else about your work that you’d like to share that we haven’t covered?
One thing I’d like to add comes from a conversation I had with one of our power members. I asked him why he chose us, given there are thousands of focus apps out there. He said something that really stuck with me: “I have a choice. At 3 PM, I could be playing with my kids, or, at 6 PM, I could be wondering where the day went. The difference is whether I opened Sukha in the morning to work.” That’s exactly where Michael and I started – and what we strive to provide—a tool that helps people make the most of their time. And feel great.To learn more about Sukha, you can visit www.thesukha.co
