What I Listen to while Designing or Working

One of my favorite parts of working on a design project or any artistic pursuit such as painting or crafting is that listening to music can often enhance the design process instead of distracting from it! From music, to audiobooks to podcasts to vlogs, music can help you ride the wave of inspiration and creation!

That being said, sometimes we tend to get stuck in music ruts, or our old favorites don’t have the same ring to them. Or, if you’ve spent a few years working with music, your playlist is associated with a negative project or stressful time of life.

I have…well…eccentric music tastes. I’m not sure how to describe it and neither does Spotify, since my most recent wrapped was all over the place. If you’re stuck in a rut, here are some fun things to listen to in order to mix things up!

1. Musicals. Specifically, Newsies.

This is incredibly niche, and not something I would have imagined listing here until this year. Whether you’re feeling in a fun, flighty mood or are in the trenches of a tedious project, musicals can meet you right where you’re at with compelling and thought-provoking stories told in a unique way! Personally, I tend to gravitate towards upbeat, peppy soundtracks to get myself motivated and Newsies stands far above the rest. Newsies songs are filled with young, hopeful energy and you can’t help but sing along or get up and dance! The story itself is an inspiring one and I recommend giving it a listen the next time the humdrum of life is dragging you down.

2. Audiobooks

Especially when painting, audiobooks can transport you to another world and help build empathy as you are designing. Audiobooks tend to take more brain space and are ideal for more tedious, creative tasks. Typically I listen to fiction or fantasy but this can be a great space to listen to nonfiction either about business, design or your latest hyperfixation. Use apps like Hoopla or Libby to access thousands of audiobooks completely free!

3. Music, Oldies

When it comes to music choices, the typical Noah Kahn or Taylor Swift doesn’t always cut it. I like to associate certain genres of music and set them aside to only listen to while I’m working on projects. If I need to seriously lock in on something, I listen to deep focus beats or, to make it more fun, instrumental movie soundtracks such as Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. If it’s more focused on creative pursuits, listening to fun songs from the 60s and 70s is often my go-to. If I want to have extra fun while working on a project, I listen to fun Disney songs.

4. Podcasts

Podcasts are a sweet spot of stimulation for me because while they follow an engaging line of thought, it is not so engaging that I can’t zone out the podcast and focus on the design. Podcasts about art, faith or just interesting stories and interviews are informative and fun!

I hope this list inspires you to mix up your listening the next time you are working on a project!