UNDER THE WILL… OVER THE DRAMA…

The Soundtrack of Getting Things Done…

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by

Mae Faurel
in

Daily Writing Prompt – What do you listen to while you work?

Depends entirely on the work, doesn’t it? I mean, honestly, there’s never just one answer with me… lol. If I’m doing something that needs actual focus, like writing, sorting through tangled thoughts, or trying to solve a problem that doesn’t want to be solved, I need silence. Not quiet. Silence. As in, no background music, no humming fridge, no voices. Because the second there’s noise, my brain toddles off like a small child in a toy shop, distracted by every shiny thing and forgetting entirely what it was doing.

But if I’m doing something more physical, hands-on, or pleasantly repetitive, like painting, pottering about, or sorting things in the charity shop, then sure, music is very welcome. Whatever is playing on Spotify usually does the trick. It could be Latin rock, 80s throwbacks, a bit of indie folk, rock, or even something completely unexpected from someone else’s playlist. I’ve discovered some absolute gems that way. Sometimes, the randomness is half the joy.

So really, it’s all about the task at hand and what part of my brain I’m asking to show up. Some days it’s deep stillness, other days a beat to dance behind the scenes. Either way, I just follow the rhythm of whatever the work is.

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Comments

17 responses to “The Soundtrack of Getting Things Done…”

  1. michael raven Avatar
    michael raven

    I can only listen to music or talk when I’m doing manual labor or something akin to manual labor.

    If I need to think or concentrate, my soundtrack is always silence. I’ve gotten very comfortable with silence over the past few decades, to the point of obsessiveness at times and I become resentful when people take the option of silence away from me.

    Great thoughts, Mae 💙

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. Mae Faurel Avatar
      Mae Faurel

      Totally get that. Silence has become sacred for me too, like a space where the real stuff can rise. It’s not just quiet, it’s clarity. And yes, it can feel like a violation when people fill it without asking. Thank you for sharing this, Michael🧡

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. michael raven Avatar
        michael raven

        Anytime, Mae. Thanks for giving my brain a workout. 🙏‍‍

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Mae Faurel Avatar
      Mae Faurel

      Totally get that, Michael. Silence has become sacred for me too—like a space where the real stuff can rise. It’s not just quiet, it’s clarity. And yes, it can feel like a violation when people fill it without asking. 🧡

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  2. mjeanpike Avatar
    mjeanpike

    It’s the same for me, Mae. If it’s housework or putting together a puzzle, I love music in the background. I even love to just sit and listen to music for music’s sake. But when writing, I can’t have the distraction. I don’t even wear my hearing aides lol.

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    1. Mae Faurel Avatar
      Mae Faurel

      Ha ha, I love that, Jean. I’m the same. Music is perfect for the hands, but not the head. And yes, sometimes just listening to music, really listening, is a soul-feeder.🧡

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  3. Max Avatar
    Max

    I prefer silence too, Mae. I also drive in silence. Without my husband, I would listen to music only once every couple of months or so.

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. Mae Faurel Avatar
      Mae Faurel

      Sounds familiar! There’s something so grounding about silence, especially on the road. I think I do some of my best thinking while driving through stillness. And hey, nothing wrong with letting music be a rare treat instead of a constant buzz 🧡

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      1. Max Avatar
        Max

        I agree, once in a while when I listen to music it is a refreshing experience and I appreciate it more. Absence makes the heart grow fonder 🤷‍♀️

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Mae Faurel Avatar
        Mae Faurel

        Exactly! It’s like giving your ears (and soul) a little surprise treat. I find when I haven’t listened in a while, music hits deeper, like it sneaks past the noise and lands right in the heart.

        Absence really does make the heart grow fonder… even with a good tune. 🧡

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Rosaliene Bacchus Avatar
    Rosaliene Bacchus

    Thanks for subscribing to my blog :)

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Mae Faurel Avatar
      Mae Faurel

      My pleasure Rosalinene🧡

      Liked by 1 person

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  5. veerites Avatar
    veerites

    Dear Mae

    Your posts are thus changing views in life at each read.

    Thanks for liking my post ‘Camping’. 🙏

    Like

    Reply
  6. krishnasmercy Avatar
    krishnasmercy

    In circumstances where silence is not possible, a recent tool that has been helpful is “pink noise”. With headphones on, the pink noise sounds like you are seated at the bottom of a waterfall. Can’t even hear the keys being pressed on the keyboard 😅

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Mae Faurel Avatar
      Mae Faurel

      Ooh, pink noise, now that sounds like a game-changer! Sitting at the bottom of a waterfall while the world does its noisy thing around you? Yes please. I’ll have to give that a try… anything that drowns out chaos and key clicks is a win in my book. 😅

      Thanks for the tip x sounds like the kind of tool I didn’t know I needed!🧡

      Liked by 1 person

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  7. Willie Torres Jr. Avatar
    Willie Torres Jr.

    I get that … Same here. If I’m writing, I need silence. But for cleaning or organizing, music helps … Sometimes worship, sometimes old-school rock, other times, Good ole’ Country. Just depends on the task. 🎵✍️

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. Mae Faurel Avatar
      Mae Faurel

      Yes! Writing is sacred silence… but cleaning? That’s where Dolly, The Stones, and a few hallelujahs can co-exist in perfect harmony. 😄🧹🎸

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