If You Want to Improve Your Focus, Infuse Your Home with These Scents

Sizzling bacon on Saturday mornings, old books, and days of studying—imagining the scents that come with these scenes evokes emotions and triggers memories. You may already know that smell has the power to transport you to a different time and place, but lighting a candle could also be just what you need to tackle your to-do list.

Some scents are naturally associated with feeling relaxed or invigorated, and you can use them to set the mood and create connections to certain situations, like when it’s time to unwind at the end of the day. Knowing this, you can choose to fragrance your home with scents that help you feel more focused on days you need to get a lot done.

We spoke to an expert to get a rundown on how to use this sense to your advantage and specifically which candles he recommends to get you started.

The Scent-Productivity Connection

Your sense of smell is directly linked to the part of your brain that controls emotions and memories, bypassing the part of your brain that “thinks.” This is why the smell of cookies baking could make you smile, as it triggers the memory of holidays with your family, or disinfectant could automatically make you anxious because it reminds you of the hospital.

“Fragrance has always been deeply tied to emotion,” says professional perfumer Erwan Raguenes. “There’s a growing awareness, especially in the U.S., that scent can have a broader, more purposeful impact on emotional well-being.”

But how does this help your mental focus? The benefits can be broken down into specific categories depending on the mood you’re trying to set.

“Certain scents have been shown to boost productivity by enhancing focus, mental clarity, and energy levels,” Raguenes says. “For example, peppermint and rosemary sharpen alertness and memory, while citruses, like grapefruit or bergamot, lift mood and fight fatigue. Eucalyptus resets the mind, while cardamom and basil help cut through mental fog, and vetiver grounds you for sustained concentration.”

Homesick’s Getting It Done Candle, created in collaboration with Yelp, was designed to help you complete spring cleaning tasks and features many of those notes, along with black pepper, magnolia, clove, and patchouli—inspired by a citrusy clean kitchen, fresh cut grass, and a new patio. All of these fragrances combine to give you that extra boost of motivation.

How to Boost Your Focus with Candles

Now that you know how scents affect your mood and memory, how do you harness that power for productivity? “Using a scented candle to boost productivity is all about the intention while selecting the scent and the timing to use it effectively,” Raguenes says.

First, select a candle (or three) that features the previously-listed energizing scents, then set up your workstation with the candle nearby. Burning it in the space where you need to get focused will help strengthen the association with productivity.

“I would recommend lighting the candle 10 to 15 minutes before starting your task to create a sensory ‘start cue’ to signal your brain that it is time to focus,” Raguenes says. “The candle being used should only be lit up when performing a task that requires focus.” So blow it out as soon as you’re done with your work, as burning it at other times would negate the association with productivity.

If you find that burning a focus-related candle works for you, you can also have a light a different, calming one at the end of the day to signal to your body that it’s time to unwind.

Candles for Clarity, Recommended by a Pro

Here are some of Raguenes’s choices for candles to help maintain focus:

• Hinoki Fantome by Boy Smells: Warm and woodsy, there are also hints of cardamom to support concentration.
• Nuance by 27.9 Fragrance: A complex combination of bright and toasty scents, this candle includes both vetiver and citrus notes.
• Teakwood & Tobacco by P.F. Candle Co.: This orange-forward scent has a peppery undertone to perk you up. (It’s also highly concentrated, so perfect for those who prefer strong scents or want to perfume a large space.)