What’s your go to background noise when wfh ?

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MarthaFarcuss@reddit

Went to their Barbican gig last year. Within a few seconds of them starting, someone in the row in front of me stood up and threw up over everyone in front of him. Great gig

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LEVI_TROUTS@reddit

I had a chance to see them, but someone else was on at the same time. Are they insanely loud?

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Yes. Even by my Abe Simpson levels of noise intolerance. But it was more the continual noise. Most loud bands' songs at least end after a few minutes. Sunn was like some kind of noise torture (in a good way)

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ThePolymath1993@reddit

Yeah that can happen with the amount of rumbling lol. I saw them at the Marble Factory in Bristol years ago and apparently they caused a couple of hundred grand in damage to the building superstructure.

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Dutch_Slim@reddit

Oooh what is this? Admittedly I’ve only skipped through it but I think I’ve found aural heaven!

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EconomyDisastrous409@reddit

Unexpected answer 😅

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heyitsed2@reddit

Not WFH but when doing laborious repetitive manual jobs I have to put LBC on, if I'm listening to music I keep stopping to browse Spotify and queue up songs other songs made me think about.

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RuudVanNistelrooney@reddit

Capital Chill on the radio. Wipes out distractions and gives me enough energy to keep me focussed

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shaggy_x@reddit (OP)

I find smooth chill to be better

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GoldenKettle24@reddit

Groove Salad on Soma FM (internet radio)

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lexington_spurs@reddit

FIP 🇫🇷🎶

Brilliant music selection, the news is in French and thus far less enraging than hearing stuff about this broken island, and they play all the swears in songs.

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shaggy_x@reddit (OP)

I don’t speak or understand french but I’m intrigued. How can I get this channel?

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lexington_spurs@reddit

Sorry, edited my post to highlight the link to the player page. Most browsers should give you the option of translating the page into English.

I downloaded the Radio France app from there - it’s like the equivalent of the BBC sounds app and it works with car play. To listen to the live music channel in the app, go to Directs > Musique > Ecouter.

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aebcf@reddit

Cricket season starts tomorrow, so will put on some county streams.

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shaggy_x@reddit (OP)

Ah nothi my better than the sound of willow hitting a cricket ball !

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roywill2@reddit

Piano -- Debussy. Chopin. Beethoven.

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TheBlonde1_2@reddit

I can’t work with music in the background.

I tend to play something ‘talky’ like Radio 4 Extra or a radio play. God knows why, but I can concentrate with voices in the background, but can’t focus at all with music.

Disclaimer: Obviously, I take a break at 10.30 every morning so I can listen to Ken Bruce/Popmaster.

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InspectionWild6100@reddit

I live in a house that has a constant very low frequency and annoying humming noise. No idea what the source is, far too low frequency and quite to register on a meter. I hear it in my ear drums than in the air. I play some soft brown noise constantly 24/7.

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Some-Kinda-Dev@reddit

If I’m in the mood music can give me some good energy, else silence so I can concentrate. I love a good podcast but will get distracted by it.

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BobBobBobBobBobDave@reddit

I can't listen to podcasts as I tune into the words and stop working.

When I am not in meetings, I play music via speaker. Usually my own Spotify playlist but also sometimes Radio 3 if I want some classical background for focus, or Radio 6 if I fancy something different.

Currently listening to Steely Dan.

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Some-Kinda-Dev@reddit

WTH is Radio 3, is that where you go after Radio 2? 😉

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TheNextUnicornAlong@reddit

Silence.

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Some-Kinda-Dev@reddit

Great band

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-Po-Tay-Toes-@reddit

Silence for me too. Well except the noise of one of my cats either yelling or snoring.

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Alternative-Ad-4977@reddit

Or the cats fighting.

Other than that - silence for me too.

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-Po-Tay-Toes-@reddit

Yes that too.

Soon it'll be kids screaming in the street as well though for a change.

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Feisty-Magician-5509@reddit

brain is too loud to have any silence

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Geek_reformed@reddit

I just can't handle it. I'll take silence if I'm out for a walk in the country or the woods, but in the house and out and about in town, I need my headphones on.

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shaggy_x@reddit (OP)

The best way to!

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Hot_Acanthisitta_577@reddit

My husbands breathing and the dog randomly digging in the dog bed.

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takeagamble@reddit

Washing machine

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Shyspin@reddit

I use the MyNoise app a lot, and also any one of the millions of background noise channels on YouTube.

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ding-wizzy@reddit

Another 6 music listener here

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CiderDrinker2@reddit

It depends on the task. For low-concentration tasks, like emailing, or anything to do with filling out forms etc, I put on a podcast. For high-concentration tasks, classical or choral music.

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ThatIdiotLaw@reddit

I like minimal techno. Enough music to give me some energy, but not much in the way of lyrics or anything mad interesting to distract me from work

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shaggy_x@reddit (OP)

Similar theme - 6 Music is really good but too loud for me to concentrate when working 😂

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muchreally@reddit

6 Music fan also

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oojiflip@reddit

Same here, I love some subdued lyric-less music that's nice to listen to

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durkheim98@reddit

Basic Channel 👌

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coolcatbeatles77@reddit

Succession soundtrack

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Expensive-Scheme6817@reddit

Jazz - as in Miles Davis, Charles Mingus

Lofi

Classic FM

Folk music

My Bulldog making snoring, farting or whimpering noises.

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qmejecht21@reddit

Ozric Tentacles, seriously if I need to crack on with admin those guys power me through it.

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gtr011191@reddit

Usually the sound of imprisoned souls screaming from hell.

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Zanki@reddit

TV shows and movies I know well. Unfortunately for anyone in my vicinity, at times I will be working and talking along with whatever is on the screen.

I'd just listen to an audiobook, podcast or music, but they distract me big time.

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Overlook_Johnny@reddit

Usually Magic Classical on the radio.

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shez_bu@reddit

Jason Lewis mind amend- the sloth remix specifically. Does something to my mind!!

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sihasihasi@reddit

Local radio. Home assistant turns both downstairs Sonos speakers on at 6am, and off at 7pm.

Just background noise, I like having the DJ's chatting, and some music to listen to.

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Captain-Redman@reddit

Reggae music. Keeps me happy on the days I’m hating my job

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Extreme_Kale_6446@reddit

LBC for me, it's good especially if you're into politics

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shaggy_x@reddit (OP)

LBC especially James O Brien makes me really angry so I avoid him (even though I do share most of his politics 😂)

I want my day to be stress free not full of anger and rage !!!

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Liamzinho@reddit

I do like James O’Brien; he’s an excellent host and I agree with most of his opinions.

I do, however, find him to sometimes be unbearably smug and, occasionally, a bit of a bully. Puts me off after a while of listening.

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Slow_Ball9510@reddit

James has the patience of a saint with the absolute gammony Herbert fuckwits who ring in and try and argue.

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MultiColouredHex@reddit

Listening right now.. Getting ragey. Typing furiously. I think I need to read this thread for better ideas

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peekachou@reddit

Game music, designed to be noticed but not too distracting. Have a playlist of my favourite game soundtracks

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hueguass@reddit

Sounds of suffering, crying & screams of despair

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shaggy_x@reddit (OP)

😂

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CatTheorem@reddit

Skyrim music or Witcher music. I can't do podcasts because I don't pay attention if I have work to do.

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DaveBeBad@reddit

I have a big spreadsheet of every record of the year from the last 50 years I could find and going through it in random order. Currently 5% in and expecting it to last longer than me…

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AvatarIII@reddit

Assuming each list is 20 albums and albums tend to be about an hour long, that's only 1000 hours which if you're working 40 hours a week is only 25 weeks or about 6 months.

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DaveBeBad@reddit

It’s currently 23,897 albums in total. Many lists were 50+ and others 100+. Still got Lots of duplicates though - not helped by slightly different spellings and punctuation. And quite a few are not on Spotify - even some recent ones….

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Rossco1874@reddit

When wife is at work it is either podcast/music or audiobook. Sometimes having a wee window for netflix tucked into the bottom corner with something like the office on as background.

When wife is at home nothing really, I don't like sitting for 87 hrs with headphones on so tend to just put them on to focus when doing a particular task.

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Cheesefiend94@reddit

Swedish Death Metal.

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AvatarIII@reddit

I've worked for so long in a place where you're not allowed music or anything like that, that if I was to work from home I don't even know what I would have in the background, probably nothing, maybe music, but I feel like I'd get sick of music pretty quick if I was listening to it for 40 hours a week.

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Feisty-Magician-5509@reddit

Lofi is always good

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btrudgill@reddit

I like old episodes of Top Gear on in the background.

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camelseeker@reddit

Dnb

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LocaliserEstablished@reddit

I don't WFH, but doing a degree on the side and when I'm doing that I like BBC sounds 'morning after mix' or 'mindful mix' or other similar.

I couldn't do podcats such as NSTAAF, the speech is too distracting

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Dd_8630@reddit

Silence.

Music is distracting.

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lentil_burger@reddit

Silence. It's amazing. For someone with sensory issues who's worked in a busy office environment for years the difference is literally life changing. Sometimes I pop in to train people or something, and I'm like "how did I survive this?!?”

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smileyhappy@reddit

Vivaldi’s four seasons. Makes me focus like crazy. When that’s finished I’ve usually done about 5hrs work in 45 mins so I take a break.

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chefshoes@reddit

podcasts mostly crime some cycling, james obriens mystery hour, 3 bean salad

when they run out...

lbc

nothing taxing that distracts too much but enough to kill the silence

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Oli99uk@reddit

Road rage

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ARobertNotABob@reddit

A 1kw fan; it blows warm air in winter (cheaper than heating the whole house) and cool air in summer.

By coincidence I use white (actually brown) noise for sleep, but the fan doesn't have that effect............................zzzzzz.

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bouncer-1@reddit

Fraiser on Skygo, no ads, no interruptions, just toss salads and scrambled eggs song and the starting jingle.

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Jabberminor@reddit

I listen to Sips play games. He's nice to listen to play some games.

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Ciato78@reddit

Lofi Girl https://www.youtube.com/live/jfKfPfyJRdk?si=MCFOjosL9Inc40xy

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LanaLane_@reddit

Me too!

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Commercial-Whole2513@reddit

White noise. Rain on a tin roof. Or jazz 24 on Alexa.

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Gullible_Wind_3777@reddit

What’s wfh?

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ddbbaarrtt@reddit

I’ve been doing this for a few months: https://1001albumsgenerator.com/d-album-list

It randomly generates an album from the ‘1001 albums you must listen to’ book and it keeps it interesting, although I don’t always manage it every day so sometimes I’ll stack up a few in a row to listen to

After that I listen to a lot of classical music and post rock to stop me getting distracted

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reocoaker@reddit

I worked my way through that book listening to an album a day and reading the associated entry in the book. Thanks to a Covid interruption it took me 7 years. :S

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ddbbaarrtt@reddit

It’s a really fun project with the exception of 1 or 2 absolutely terrible albums (looking at you Throbbing Gristle)

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reocoaker@reddit

Yeah, honestly there was only a few absolute duds, on the whole I enjoyed pretty much all of them in some way or another. It was a great way to remind yourself of some forgotten gems and also uncover one or two I'd never have even thought to listen to.

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OldHelicopter256@reddit

Smooth Jazz

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pwuk@reddit

I tend to put LBC on

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Dutch_Slim@reddit

Not any new music, because then I want to listen to it.

Usually audiobooks that I’m very familiar with, that are read beautifully. Day of the Triffids narrated by Samuel West is my favorite, it’s about 8 hours long and I’ve listened to it 6 times in the last few months.

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LionLucy@reddit

All the calls I have to answer 😔

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WilkosJumper2@reddit

Silence.

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SWLondonLady@reddit

Times radio. It’s politics for millennials. Doesn’t take itself seriously. That or Netflix in the background.

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itsheadfelloff@reddit

Either a podcast or one of those lofi 'chill music to study to' streams.

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811545b2-4ff7-4041@reddit

Music - in headphones.. my ultimate 'getting stuff done' music is currently The Smile - A Light for Attracting Attention.

However, currently got House of Pain (Fine Malt Lyrics) bumping my brain.

I've also gone down the 'DAP' route (mp3 player to old people) - so I don't touch my phone when choosing music.

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Geek_reformed@reddit

What player have you got? I'm trying to use my phone less, but picking it up for Spotify will often lead to looking at other stuff.

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811545b2-4ff7-4041@reddit

I have an Innioasis Y1 (£50), which is essentially a tiny clone of an iPod classic. 128GB storage, no wifi. Has good Bluetooth support. Using wired IEMs though (Ziigaat Nuo). No app support.

There are various DAPs that run Android, that allow you to use streaming apps.

Check out r/DigitalAudioPlayer

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mhoulden@reddit

Normal work: silence

Need to concentrate a bit: music. Either Youtube or the really old-school method of stuff ripped from CD and played in Winamp.

Concentrating more intensely: silence again

Living on my own and working from home permanently means I can control the environment. What I don't miss from the office is people assuming I'm at the "normal" level and interrupting me when I'm at the "concentrating intensely" stage. Sometimes you need to give a complicated SQL query a lot of undivided attention.

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Geek_reformed@reddit

I nearly always have something on. My job can often be quite repetitive at times and to be perfectly honest. it doesn't really challenge me. I've been doing it for 15 years and can do even the more complicated tasks easily - even if they are time-consuming.

I find I need noise to focus? It sounds weird, but if I find the right thing I work so much better.

So I listen to a lot of podcasts, but they tend to be more conversational ones. I know some people complain when podcasts are too chatty and wander from the subject too much, but's that fine for me.

I'm a big audiobook fan and I'll often do re-listens when I'm working.

I don't do well with music - certainly not stuff I'd listen to normally as I'll get distracted by it.

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Acrobatic-Argument57@reddit

Classic fm

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Affectionate-Boot-12@reddit

Love a bit of Classic FM. I listen to film soundtracks.

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doctorgibson@reddit

Jeremy Vine interviews

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Snout_Fever@reddit

The far too loud noise of one of the fans in my PC which desperately needs replacing.

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Obvious_Flamingo3@reddit

Political news (like LBC as others said, because there seems to be constant news updates)

A lot of music

Audiobooks (my role is very mindless, admin focused)

Funny YouTube videos

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bacon_cake@reddit

Depends on what exactly I'm doing. I try to listen to James O'Brien most days, but I catch up on the previous day rather than listen live, then I usually switch to an audiobook if I'm doing something boring.

If I need to properly focus I usually watch (and yeah this is a bit odd) one of those ASMR videos, normally a massage or some sort of facial treatment. God forbid someone finds my Youtube history...

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Obvious_Flamingo3@reddit

Prolific asmr addict here and I’d be less embarassed if people caught me watching porn

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vauxie-ism@reddit

If warm, I like a fan and yes listen to podcasts such as canadaland, the hatchet, unreserved and tech ones

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kemide22@reddit

SomaFM Groove Salad. Been my go-to for the best part of 20 years.

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MrBozzie@reddit

Nothing... Can just about manage Radio 4 in the background if I can hear it properly but it's not too loud. I usually get totally distracted by the Archers although I don't actively follow the show at all but it usually grabs my attention.

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Crab-Turbulent@reddit

Snowstorm asmr or true crime podcasts

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ohnobobbins@reddit

I listen to the daft mediation music on YouTube. The kHz or whatever. It helps me concentrate.

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Kuhneel@reddit

Science and history podcasts and lectures, video essays, audiobooks.

Stuff like Milo Rossi, Lindsay Nikole, History of the Universe/Earth/Humankind, Angela Collier, Royal Institution, Gresham College on Youtube, while Black Library titles on Audible have been great listens.

There's also Community as a background comfort show, but it's a pain getting hold of it on streaming at the moment. I really need to pick it up on Blu-ray.

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mrhippoj@reddit

Drum n bass, noise/doom metal, video game music, electronica

Anything that sounds good but isn't too distracting

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Kubrick_Fan@reddit

The TV

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LordMogroth@reddit

I use a playlist called 'Instrumental Hard Rock' which has artists like Mogwai, Russian Circles, Pelican and general doom and sludge metal metal bands on it with zero singing or lryics. I'm not even massive fan of this music normally, but I find it is excellent to work to.

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reocoaker@reddit

Usually Podcasts but if I need to focus then I tend to listen to background type music, Classic FM Calm, Smooth Chill Radio or Capital Chill.

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durkheim98@reddit

Dean Blunt, Vatican Shadow and various downtempo and dub techno mixes.

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Best_Firefighter_202@reddit

Probably an eclectic mix of the washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher 🤣

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Dr-Werner-Klopek@reddit

Ambient music.

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Rusty250505@reddit

Daytime television - basically any show I've watched a thousand times on in the background: Buffy, Friends, Suits, Frasier, etc

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ImpressNice299@reddit

Can people really listen to music and work? I become completely useless. I use the noise cancelling function if I want to get anything done.

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KingBenneth@reddit

Disney theme park music AKA Depression FM in our house *sobs*

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shaggy_x@reddit (OP)

Just let it go man

Let it gooooooooooooooooooo 😂

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KingBenneth@reddit

We both WFH. We honeymooned in WDW so the music hits hard haha

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Far_Bad_531@reddit

Classical and opera quietly in the background… or if I’m doing something particularly tricky, playlist of thirties music that has the lovely stylus crackling noise on it

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JennyW93@reddit

Depending on the level of focus needed, it’s either:

Spotify playlist
A tv show I’ve seen many times before
The same song on repeat (for intense concentration. It’s currently the 28 Days Later title theme, but a few from the Fargo tv series soundtrack make it to the Intense Repeat rotation too).
The sound of my elderly neighbours bickering

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shaggy_x@reddit (OP)

I like the last one. I’m a bit impartial to that myself 😂

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Glandular-Slaughter@reddit

Some YouTube nonsense, anything news topical or a few channels that I’m not bothered if I’m missing anything.

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AlternativeParfait13@reddit

There’s an email newsletter called Flow State which sends ~daily links to playlists for music to focus to. Usually minimal vocals, stuff you can disappear into.

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Big-Advertising-5366@reddit

Complete silence. I love podcasts but I find that i struggle to divide my attention. I love music, but I find it unsettles my concentration and creates “noise” in my head.

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JustAnotherFEDev@reddit

Depends what I'm doing, some of my regular tasks I find easier with music on, through my headphones.

Sometimes I wear my headphones with no sounds at all, the ANC just cancels out the ambient noise, such as traffic, the washing machine, (boiler if cold) and other sounds I can hear just a little bit, from my home office.

I'd never be able to listen to a podcast though, I barely listen to the radio as it's the talking that messes with my focus, although music is OK for some tasks, even if it's got lyrics. I guess I'm odd like that 😂

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IsWasMaybeAMefi@reddit

Used to be music or films I liked playing on a second monitor. That was for a job that involved a lot of thinking and typing to customers live so no-distraction was important.

I find silence when concentrating to be massively distracting. I need to have something to focus against. (Note to parents - kids can listen to music and revise/study)

Current job it's LBC as it's not live customer interactions and while I need to concentrate I can still follow the talking.

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Rockfords-Foot@reddit

White noise - thunderstorms, oceans, etc.

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Melonpan78@reddit

Classical music, because anything with lyrics or spoken word distracts me.

Radio 3 Unwind (new digi station) is great for this, or Spotify playlists.

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UniquePotato@reddit

Silence, or just leave Spotify playing random.

During Covid, I made it a challenge to listen to every Now! Compilation, only took a few months.

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gooderz84@reddit

Racing TV and no work gets done.

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Pristine-Account8384@reddit

Some ambient sounds, like State Azure, Eno, etc.

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EnglishWolverine@reddit

I’ve got a Spotify playlist that I listen to with a weird range of music within it. That keeps me going without pulling my attention from my work

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Eafawbuath@reddit

Anything that says "study mix" on it is usually my go to

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Kid_Kimura@reddit

Depends on what I'm doing, podcasts if I don't need to think but otherwise I like video game soundtracks. They are almost always instrumental, and designed specifically to play while you perform tasks, so they're generally not too distracting.

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Another_Random_Chap@reddit

I have nearly 28,000 tracks ripped from CDs on my PC, so I play them in alphabetic order. Since I started working from home full-time after Covid first hit, I've been round 3 times, plus once playing in duration order.

Now playing - Wolf In The Breast by Cocteau Twins

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Legitimate-Leg-4720@reddit

I have a Youtube playlist of mostly classical piano stuff. Many of them are full duration concert recordings by Vladimir Horowitz, Gilels etc.

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Traditional_Rice_660@reddit

BBC Radio 3's 'Night Tracks' - it's a very random, but generally pretty calm mix of all sorts of things, but works really well for background music.

And Sara Mohr-Pietsch's voice is wonderful.

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g33k_d4d@reddit

BBC radio six music for me

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S4h1l_4l1@reddit

Icl most of the time I sit doing my work in silence, I talk to the voices in my head 😭

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Leebles84@reddit

LBC, podcasts or music playlists

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EvilTaffyapple@reddit

Drum & Bass, House, Breaks or Techno usually

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Mdl8922@reddit

I have Spotify playing all day long. Usually play it in alphabetical order.

Mix of styles, can go from Willie Nelson to Dr Dre to Murderdolls to Taylor Swift.

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Mr-ananas1@reddit

MFdoom style hiphop

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Low_Sodiium@reddit

DeathStranding low roar ambience soundtrack on YT

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areallyshitusername@reddit

TV. I love E4 for The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Brooklyn Nine-Nine etc.

I love the shows anyway but they’re also great for background noise

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LiorahLights@reddit

Either 6 Music, or my favourite trance label has a 24hr live stream.

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Albion-Chap@reddit

Classic FM

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evenstevens280@reddit

Radio 6

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shaggy_x@reddit (OP)

I love 6 Music - recently ‘discovered’ it and some of the speciality shows at the weekend but find it too loud for the working day

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