What To Do While Listening To Music: 11 Ideas

The Benefits of Listening to Music

So, what can listening to music do for you while you work? Well, here are just a few things:

Relieves boredom

There are days where the monotony of everyday life becomes unbearable. Music has the power to transport us into a different moment in time, to take away the boredom of the day, or to bring back the lost memories of a forgotten yesterday.

Popular studies show that listening to music may help keep your mind younger and more flexible. Music engages your brain, gets you to move around, lets you vibe with the moment, and makes time go by faster.

Alleviates stress

In my personal life, there are days where I have an overwhelming amount of stress. That is the moment I turn on Pandora and let the melody rush over me.

We are all very much aware of how stressful everyday life can be. Listening to music can help lower cortisol levels – the chemical in our brains that induces stress – slow our heart rate, and decrease blood pressure. So, with that being said, when you listen to your favorite song, the stress of the day literally melts away.

Motivates and helps you focus

There are times when I wake up and I have zero motivation to even get out of bed. Setting one of my favorite songs as my alarm (and making sure it will go through my headphones since I sleep with headphones on) helps to motivate me at the beginning of the day.

Music invigorates us. It’s been shown to reduce distractions, keep us on track, and most importantly, boost our self-confidence. Listening to music that we’re familiar with or instrumental tracks are those that help us focus, and help us accomplish our goals.

Sometimes all we need is a good playlist that empowers us to continue the day, to keep our feet moving forward to the beat.

Should you find yourself listening to a good jam that is motivating you, here are some useful suggestions on what to do with that energy.

11 Things to do while listening to music

1. Writing/Blogging

Any writer will tell you that music is a powerful tool. As a writer, I was once told: If the song speaks to you in a way that has a story springing to life, then write that story.

The melody of the music that flows through the sound waves can travel into the mind and spark a single idea. Whether you have a job as a blogger, or you do it purely for fun, strap on a pair of noise-canceling headphones or cans and it won’t be long before you’re immersed in the world of your words.

2. Going for a walk

Long walks under the moon, or on the beach on a warm summer day can be ever so blissful. Throw in a pair of earbuds, and the soundtrack suddenly transforms an ordinary stroll into a memorable experience.

Something about the scenery, the walk itself, and the music mesh so well together that it easily puts you in a better mood.

3. Household Chores

Let’s face it. Chores are boring, yet there’s no escaping them.

We have all seen that scene where a gentleman is singing to a mop. Music kicks aside the drudgery and makes chores fun. Get the family involved and it becomes a dance party! Speaking of party, we have an article here about the best headphones for silent disco.

I find there are certain chores I prefer to do on my own. That’s the time I kick off my shoes and dance around the house. After all, nobody’s around to remind me how bad I am at dancing!

4. Road Trips

A long trip with the family packed close together in the car can be some real drama when boredom kicks in. There’s no need for little Susie and Timmy to start tormenting each other during the trip.

To keep the tension to a minimum, I like to hand my kids their headphones and let them listen to a movie or play a game on their tablets. That way, I have the freedom to blast my “old school” music, and they don’t have to listen to me sing!

5. Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking can be extremely tedious to do even though it’s fun. Pairing this with listening to music breaks the tediousness and provides a second layer to it.

Music has been proven to help with triggering memories. With that, music pairs perfectly with scrapbooking. For example, doing a page of a Halloween memory while listening to spooky music assists in creating a delightfully “creepy” page.

6. Job Hunting

Many people are now job hunting since the fallout of the pandemic.

I know well how tedious, frustrating, and disheartening it is to find and fill out applications. It can make you aggravated to the point of wanting to fold. This is the perfect time to listen to music that you find is both calming and encouraging.

When you need to take a break, you can just close your eyes for a moment, lean back, and focus on the sounds in your ears. When you’re ready to get back to it, the music will be there to keep you on track.

7. Studying

The most classic activity you can do while listening to music is studying. So much research has been done on this topic that I hardly need to reiterate it.

As I touched upon earlier, listening to music while studying helps you focus and retain the information. Just a tip, when you are studying in a public or noisy place, it is best to use a noise-canceling headphones.

Music, especially familiar or instrumental music, eliminates distraction. The genre doesn’t have to be strictly classical – if you find it helps to power through a heavy study session with your favorite power ballad, or blood-pumping heavy metal playlist, go for it!

8. Art

Music is art in its own right. Putting it with other art, and together they create a masterpiece. When listening to the right tune during an art project, it’s as if the music flows onto the paper, drawing the image itself. You can control the speed of the process depending on what you are listening to.

For example, if you need to produce an intense piece, heavy metal or psychedelic rock might help you create a chaotic, beautiful, and hilariously intense mess. On the flip side, instrumental songs, like classical, could be a great help if you need a calm, natural flow to your art. It all depends on your tastes, the occasion, your mood, and what you are trying to accomplish.

9. Sightseeing

A slight breeze comes by as you look over at the breathtaking view of a mountain range. As you lean back on the bench you are sitting on, soft instruments play a lovely melody.

While listening to music, everything around you seems to start to move in sync with the soundtrack. For instance, when I was on top of a hill overlooking the city while listening to music, everything seemed to pulse in time to the beat. It was as close to a magical moment as anyone can get.

Listening to music will help you appreciate your sightseeing adventure in an entirely different way.

10. Relaxing

One of the most beneficial to your mental wellbeing is relaxation. The stress of everyday adult life is exhausting and can cause a tremendous amount of anxiety. Listening to music alone can alleviate that stress. Even going to the dentist causes anxiety, that’s why some wear headphones when they are at their dentist.

During your day, I highly recommend that you spare yourself a break from your work, even if it’s just for five minutes. Take a few minutes to step outside, enjoy the scenery, and enjoy a glass of your favorite beverage while listening to something soothing.

Adding music to your de-stress routine will help your mind relax and refocus, so you can get back to your task with renewed energy. If you are like me who likes to go to the sauna to destress, you might want to know if you can bring headphones in the sauna.

11. Reading

With movies, there is always a soundtrack. Why should books be any different? Listening to music while reading can not only enhance the story, but draw you further into the book.

Some authors sell soundtracks with their books. That way you, the reader, can read the book with all the right emotions attached, thanks to the music.

Want to try something fun? Listen to different types of music while reading to create an entirely different reading experience!

In Summary

Listening to music while working on a task is scientifically proven to have many positive effects on the mind, such as retaining focus, eliminating distractions, stimulating motor functions, and improving self-confidence. It can alleviate stress, and chase away boredom.

With music being universal, there is almost nothing that you cannot do while listening to your favorite music. A few examples of what you can do are:

• Household chores
• Sightseeing
• Studying
• Job Hunting
• Scrapbooking
• Reading
• Relaxing
• Writing or Making Artwork

Whether you need to break up the monotony of the day, or motivate yourself to push for your goals, music can be just what the doctor ordered.

So, what do you like to do while listening to music?