by Jessica Duemig
For the last year and a half, like most other people, I’ve been working from a home office. I don’t have people coming in and out of my home all day, and I have minimal interruptions – a massive departure from the environment I have become accustomed to over the years. I like the quiet. It allows me think and focus in on specific tasks. However, it can sometimes be overwhelming. The silence of the room, against the hum of the fan. The incessant keystrokes. Out of nowhere, they become deafening.
I’ve tried a number of tactics to lessen the effects of being alone in my home, but I’ve found that music has been the best solution. Here are FOUR musical solutions for you to tune out the silence by tuning into your favorite digital music service.
Classical Music
I love classical music, and this is my #1 go-to when I need to tune out the silence and focus on a spreadsheet or a blog post. I grew up playing the concert French Horn, and fell in love with orchestral and symphonic arrangements.
Classical music has no words to distract you, and the ebb and flow of tempo and dynamics keeps you alert and engaged. I get a little annoyed with some of the more high-pitched, violin-centric pieces (read: Tchaikovsky), so I skip them or remove them from a playlist.
If you’re going to go this route, I highly recommend listening to Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade and Holst’s The Planets in chronological order. Want to ease yourself into classical music? Start with a John Williams medley and start humming along to the most popular movie themes of all time.
90s favorites
Sometimes when I’m overwhelmed with a specific task or long to-do list, I like to transport back to an easier time in life. For me, that was the 90s and early 2000s and all of their boy-band glory! Because the melodies are catchy, and I know all the words, I tend to play this through a sound bar in my living room. The reason for this is that it’s easier to tune out. Sounds crazy, right?! Turn it on to tune out the silence, then tune that out too? I know! However, I realize now that I took ambient office noise for granted.
I recommend keeping this music on in the other room at a volume that is audible, but not invasive is the key to being productive. But be warned! That one song will come on every now and then and transport you back to a school dance or vivid memory. This playlist is great when you need an afternoon pick-me-up as you’re replying to emails and writing blog posts of your own.
The Piano Guys
The Piano Guys offer a great mix of the first two. Despite their name, The Piano Guys are made up on one pianist and one cellist. They play everything from Top 40 to Beethoven and are known for their mashups and crossovers.
I love the dichotomy of the pop tunes with the old-school melodies and their playlists usually go back and forth between ballads and up-tempo pieces. I recommend this when you’re reading articles, commenting on blogs or taking a break during lunch.
Study Music
A quick YouTube search for Study Music will reveal a plethora of options for focus and concentration music. Depending on your mood, or the type of work you’re doing, you can choose anything from celestial sound waves to babbling brooks. This type of playlist is perfect for zoning into formulas on a spreadsheet, or a presentation. I don’t recommend this for brainstorming or creative processes.
Adding background noise can really up your day-to-day performance and throughput, but you have to find what works for you. Comment below with tactics and playlists that you love! Have you tried any of my suggestions? Let me know what you thought!