If you’re in a position where you’re doing a lot of studying or working from a home office, then you no doubt have relied on music to provide some much-needed background noise and offset the solitude. Even having banter between disc jockeys can be a great source of white noise to help keep you from finding other distractions while you’re focused on the work in front of you.
Perhaps the music you listen to while working or studying is integral to your productivity, helping to keep you in a calm, focused rhythm. Without the music, you might be able to get things done, but you will find it much harder.
Let’s take a look at some sources of music you can try when studying or working from home.
1. Chill music radio
A great source of music that’s a perfect accompaniment for work or study is chillout radio stations. You can find them on terrestrial radio, but there will be a much wider variety to browse if you go online.
Like many genres of music, the chill is named after the feeling it evokes in you while listening to it. For a song to classify as ‘chill’, it is normally low-tempo, has a minimalist vocal presence (if any) and is more progressive in its structure, rather than building to a peak and breaking down again.
Unlike hands up and pop styles of music, chill music is designed to be listened to in a relaxed setting rather than at a concert with lots of people surrounding you. In this way, chill music is very much suited for activities that encourage you to focus your mind and enter a deep contemplative state.
2. Film, TV and video game soundtracks
If you love film, tv, video games or all of them at once then you no doubt know that the music that accompanies these forms of entertainment is very important to the overall enjoyment you have – but have you ever tried to listen to this music in isolation? The music was written for these visual mediums often can convey themes from the story when played on their own and this creates a new way to enjoy them.
Certain soundtracks can help to transport you to the universe they were written for and act as a form of escapism. If you’re still able to focus on your work, then these soundtracks can be an excellent way to get into a contemplative mindset and be as productive as possible.
3. The radio station from work
If you are working from home for an extended period but remember what it was like to have the office radio player switched on, then there’s no shame in making your home more like work by listening to the same thing. If you struggle to adjust to working from home, then making your home office similar to your work office can really help.
So, if your work radio player was set to a station that played the top 40 tracks, do the same in your home office. While these tracks may be repetitive and not your personal favorites, they only need to serve the purpose of putting you in a productive work mindset.
Go a step further and invest in a radio player similar to the one in the office. Working from home is easy if you find ways to make sure you don’t get distracted and maintain your work ethic.
No matter what kind of music you use to tide you over while you study or work from home, remember that the point is to ensure you remain productive. Once your work or study is done for the day, feel free to switch the station to whatever you like most!