Music and Work
Ever since university, I’ve loved to jam out to music while I am working as a way to calm my brain. As an instructional designer, there are plenty of opportunities to get in the zone with some good tunes.
Done correctly, music can increase focus, improve memory and processing, and lead to better performance overall.
Here are my recommendations:
Modern classical composers like Ludovico Einaudi or Max Richter. The Modern Classical Melancholy playlist on Spotify is great for this.
My all time favorite: The live “lofi hip hop radio” YouTube video. It’s playing in the background for me almost nonstop.
Fugazi’s Instrument soundtrack, when I want to drown everything out with a wall of punk noise.
Ambient electronica in the form of the Deep Focus playlist on Spotify, or video game soundtracks. This is useful for entering a state of flow.
Obviously this only works when you are NOT working with audio files.
Tasks like building presentations, writing scope documents, or creating project plans are perfect for getting in the zone with ambient background music.
