Although working from home offers many benefits, there’s no denying that it also comes with its fair share of challenges. This includes the various struggles of staying focused. It can be really difficult to keep your mind on work when you’re only a few steps away from your bed.
Then there are the other classic work-from-home distractions: unruly neighbors, barking dogs, crowing roosters, the noise of seemingly never-ending construction next door. The list goes on.
As a writer who’s been working from home on and off for the last 6 years, I know this struggle all too well. I need a peace and quiet when I’m working. But since that’s near impossible during these life-in-quarantine days, I’ve had to come up with alternative solutions to help me stay focused and motivated.
One of these is having a bunch of curated “work mode” playlists. For these, I turn to the holy grail of online music—Spotify. I love this app! It has such a wide variety of songs and curated Spotify playlists that you’ll surely find at least one that will suit your preferences.
Favorite Work Mode Music
Now, what you consider as “work mode” music largely depends on your personal taste, the kind of work you do, and the specific rules of the company you work for (I know some companies do not allow employees to listen to music while on duty.)
As for me, I can’t listen to songs with lyrics while I’m writing because they distract me and I just end up unknowingly typing the song lyrics. Can you imagine belatedly finding “So it’s gonna be forever
Or it’s gonna go down in flames” on the email you just sent to your client?! 😅 So yeah, I prefer instrumental and lo-fi music when I’m working. If this is your jam, too, then you should check out some of my favorite Spotify playlists below:
1) Easy Classical
https://web.archive.org/web/20210221175334if_/https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX0Aaer4JzfgmI found this one about three years ago and it’s been my go-to playlist when I really need to get in the zone. There are a lot of great classical pieces on this list from a variety of famous artists and composers. My absolute favorite is Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major. I listen to it on repeat when I need extra focus or when I’m trying to beat a deadline.
2) Chillhop Essentials Spring 2019
https://web.archive.org/web/20210221175334if_/https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/1vV4Hl5uDdMtKdKChSkjLGAnother find from a few years ago, this compilation is great for starting your work day on a positive note. I love the balance of upbeat and calming tracks on this list. Whenever I put this playlist on, all the distractions of the outside world melt away, and it’s just me and my work. I can think more clearly and the words just flow out of me. In fact, I’m actually listening to this Spotify playlist as I write this post. 😊
3) Chillhop Essentials Summer 2018
https://web.archive.org/web/20210221175334if_/https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/2YvRkxlqhH67oyLI0xC1mM Clearly there’s a pattern here. But what can I say? This kind of low-tempo electronic music really does the job for me. There are a lot of Spotify playlists like this and I believe Chillhop releases a new compilation every season. But this is another one of my favorites because it has more lively beats and tunes—perfect for staying focused!
How about you? Do you also have go-to playlists for when you’re working? Which tunes help you start your day or get you in the zone? I’d love to add to my list of fave playlists.