The Playlist You Need To Listen To While Working From Home

Whether you are working at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic or it is just a regular work from home day for you, this list of playlists and various music styles you can listen to will help motivate you to stay focused. These range from Lo-Fi, hype music, and today’s greatest hits. The music listed below can be for those with working-class jobs, however, these playlists are also great for students who are now taking online classes and studying while quarantined at home.

1. Lo-Fi Music

Lo-Fi, or “low fidelity” music, is a genre of music that contains technically flawed recordings that make the music sound different. These recordings can include hums, distortion, or background noise. Lo-Fi can sometimes take on particular sound waves that affect different areas of the brain to promote happiness, productivity, or relaxation. This genre of music is known for helping people focus, which makes it perfect for listening to while you are working at home. There are a number of specifically made Lo-Fi playlists circulating the Internet that you can find for any kind of mood you are in. You can go on Spotify or Youtube and look up Lo-Fi Cafe, Chillhop, Lo-Fi music to study to, Jazzhop, and many more playlists that will satisfy your working mindset. Chillhop and Jazzhop are variations of hip hop that include low fidelity sounds. A live stream radio is available on Youtube at any time of day for chill beats to study or work to. Just type into the search bar “lo-fi” and plenty of playlists will pop up, including Will Smith’s “chill beats to quarantine to” where you can see him working diligently and bobbing his head to the music.

2. Hype Music

During times like these, it is important to pump yourself up to get your day started. To help yourself get out of bed and prepare for the work that lies ahead, a great way to motivate yourself is to listen to hype music. When stuck at home, it can be easy to wallow in any stress or anxieties that you have about work, but you can pull yourself out of that rut by listening to a fast-paced, happy, or even loud song to get the dopamine flowing properly. Whether it is modern rap music or famous classic rock songs, anything to get you on your feet and dancing is perfect to start your day of working at home. Some inspiring songs include “We Are The Champions” by Queen, “Dream On” by Aerosmith, “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey, and “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor. Consider looking up a workout playlist on Spotify or Youtube that will pump you up.

3. Today’s Top Hits

On Spotify, there is a playlist available titled “Today’s Top Hits” that highlights the most popular songs being played now. It comprises 50 of the most played songs on Spotify and ranges from The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Post Malone, and many others. If you have been deprived of the radio since being under quarantine, this playlist will keep you up to date on the hottest hits. For those of you who do not use Spotify, there is also a similar playlist on Youtube that has almost the same songs and artists compiled in it.

4. Instrumentals

Sometimes it is difficult to focus on anything when there are lyrics in a song. You can find yourself drifting off into the words and distract yourself without even realizing it. Listening to a playlist compiled of instrumentals will help you focus while working from home. Various types of instrumentals can be found on any music streaming site that includes piano, hip hop beats, guitar, and jazz. You can look up a specific playlist that adheres to your working mood, whether it is a chill, relaxing, upbeat, or deep focus.

5. Binaural Beats

If you have never heard of binaural beat therapy, you are going to be happy you know about it now. It is a fairly new type of self-help treatment that is considered experimental compared to the other methods that are commonly used. Binaural beats are sound waves that send different frequencies to each ear and make it sound like one. It is usually used to reduce anxiety and stress; however, it can also aid your sleep cycles depending on the Hertz levels of the frequencies. Studies show that it increases focus, long term memory, confidence, and mood. Youtube has plenty of playlists and hour-long videos that are tailored to focus. These beats are perfect for listening to while working at home and the sounds produced are not only interesting but beneficial to your health.

6. Nature or City Sounds

If you are used to hearing the bustle of your office, or simply fall deep into your work when your subconscious is distracted by other noises, putting on a playlist of nature or city sounds may be right for you. These tracks often relax and calm the listener, allowing you to focus more on what is right in front of you. Even some guided meditations use sounds such as these to bring focus to the participant. City sounds can be helpful if natural sounds like rolling waves or birds chirping make you tired. A bustling city soundtrack can keep you awake but still focused.

7. Classical Music

Similar to instrumentals, classical music without lyrics can be relaxing to the subconscious and help you easily center in on your workload. By simply looking up classical music playlists on Spotify or Apple music, you can find a plethora of pleasing tones to the ear. Along with this, many movie soundtracks come with a background soundtrack that typically includes classical music. If you have a favorite film, listen to the soundtrack that you may never think about while watching it, but can learn to appreciate when doing your work.

8. Beats

If you are someone who likes to get in the rhythm of your work, listening to plain beats can give you a consistent tune to work to. Beats can be found with a simple search on Youtube. Along with this, if you like a specific artist, you can search Youtube for “Clairo type beat,” or whatever artist you may choose to find a similar rhythm as one of their songs.