My Music Playlist at Work — What’s on Yours?


My boyfriend swears by techno when he’s racing to meet a deadline. I crank the show tunes when I need to lose myself in my work. Clearly, everyone has different preferences for listening to music at work.

Fortunately for me, I work from home, so I don’t have to worry about disturbing cubicle mates by singing along to the cast of Glee. Depending on your work environment, you might have to take turns choosing music with several coworkers or discretely plug in headphones when you need a music break.

Here’s a glimpse at my workday playlist:

  1. Devil May Care, Diana Krall – The perfect, carefree song for unwinding after a particularly tough client call or impossible deadline.
  2. Dancing Queen, ABBA – I know it’s cheesy, but when I need a morning or mid-afternoon pick-me-up, these one always does the trick!
  3. Don’t Stop Believin’, cast of Fox’s Glee – Another cheesefest like above, but I love the inspirational energy behind it.
  4. For Now, cast of Avenue Q – A pleasant interlude of comic relief for when I’m checking email or updating spreadsheets.
  5. Fireflies, Owl City – I love the cheerful vibe of this song and find that it’s great for when I need to get into The Zone.
  6. Champion, Queen Latifah – When I need to psych myself up for an important phone call, the kick-butt attitude of this song gives me the confidence boost I need.
  7. Love Song, Sara Bareilles – I know some of you are rolling your eyes at this one, and that’s fine. Sara Bareilles is one of my favorite workday companions, even if it’s via iTunes instead of in person.
  8. The Flesh Failures, cast of Hair – The Actor’s Fund of America Benefit Recording – Singing along to this one always put me in a good mood and helps me refocus for the next task. After all, rocking out at the top of my lungs in the middle of the workday is one of the perks of working from hoe.
  9. There Goes the Fear, Doves – Remember this one from (500) Days of Summer? Awesome soundtrack, and I love the mellow, yet upbeat rhythms of this song in particular.

Do you listen to music at work? What styles or artists work best for you? Does this cause any issues with the people around you or have you found a clever solution to this problem? If you’ve created a workday playlist on Grooveshark, Pandora, Last.fm, or Spotify, then please share it below!


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Susan Johnston is a freelance writer/blogger who has contributed to publications including The Boston Globe, Mint.com’s blog, WomenEntrepreneur.com, and Yahoo! HotJobs. Her own blog, UrbanMuseWriter.com, covers tips on productivity, brainstorming, and more for fellow writers.

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