I am one of those people who needs to shut the world out when she works. By this, I mean – headphones on, don’t talk to me unless you’re dying – and don’t interrupt me when I’m in the middle of a thought – type. It makes me a grumpy person when you interrupt me. This is especially true when I am doing the frenetic keyboard bashing that is my way of creating things. The harder that keyboard is being slammed, the more you probably need to avoid me, because otherwise I might snap at you. Sorry, it’s the way I am.
I do not multitask anymore. I realised – somewhere in the last 5 years – that I cannot multitask. I end up failing, and failing badly, when I do this. So, I don’t do it anymore. Apparently, that can be an unpopular trait for some, and I’m okay with it – you have your way, I have my way.
One of the things I do when I have to knuckle down and focus is – music. The headphones go on and bam – suddenly I can and do focus. Stuff gets done when those headphones are on. Headphones off, and I am thoroughly affected by the outside world, and focus is impossible. It’s for this reason that I often work late at night, because the world is *very* quiet then, nobody disturbs me and it’s just me, my music and my to do list. Again, things gets done with those headphones on.
That’s why, playlists are so very important to me. It’s a strange one, this, but I will play an album flat out, non-stop and on repeat when I do one thing. This way, I find I stay even more focused on the task at hand. Maybe it’s the repetitive nature of things that I can rely on, that lets my brain settle on the task at hand? (sidenote – I usually average 5 albums a month. I’m scared to note that I have 10 this month – that means I’ve been at my machine for double the time I usually would be. Eish).
Anyway, it’s the 31st today and these albums have got me through this month’s work, where I’ve had to sit and make stuff happen. Me and my trusty headphones.
{warning – eclectic tastes revealed below}
July’s playlist:
1. FUN – Some Nights
2. FUN – Aim and Ignite
3. The Format – Interventions and Lullabies
4. P!nk – The Truth About Love
5. Glee – The Music (Vol 6)
6. Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You
7. Pulp – Different Class
8. Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience
9. Alanis Morissette – Flavours of Entanglement
10. Frank Sinatra – My Way.
This month has been difficult for me, on an emotional level. Our hamster died (I don’t do grief well – but you knew this already…), and there was a lot of other (often self-inflicted – I admit that) emotional pummeling. July is often a hard month for me, which Sheena will attest to.
Oh, and for some silly fun… Click here.