If you’re not playing music while you’re working, you’re missing out. It’s incredible how sounds can transform how our brain works. You can, on tap, put yourself into a different mode of being with music; you can change your drive, motivation, mood, and more. There are some apps that have started to hack this, such as Endel, which can generate music programmatically in a very Brian Eno-like way. I’ve been a fan and user of theirs since 2020. I also love the Lofi Girl. On your Sonos you can actually stream Focus @ Will, which is another attempt, and I have a subscription there. My favorite is Endel, though, so if you’re only going to try one, try that one.

9 thoughts on “Work With Music

  1. Totally agree—music has such a powerful effect on mindset and productivity. I haven’t tried Endel yet, but I’ve heard good things, especially about how it adapts in real time. I’ll definitely check it out. I’ve used Lofi Girl quite a bit too—something about those mellow beats really helps me zone in. Focus @ Will is new to me, though; I didn’t realize it was on Sonos, so thanks for that tip. Do you find different types of music work better for different tasks or times of day?

  2. I use Endel and Brain.fm (I bought the lifetime when they launched, many years ago).

    I think I like Endel a bit more, they have a few more options to dial in the music, and a bit more variety IMO. Though, I keep using both.

  3. The majority of my work involves listening to other audio (podcasts etc.), making this impractical. I’d love to find a way to make both happen at once, but every time I try, I end up listening to the “fun” audio and get nothing done!

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