The Unexpected Benefits of Making Music Part of Your Daily Routine

Introduction

Music is everywhere. Wherever we turn, we can expect to find music of some kind: blaring out of a taxi radio, accompanying an unskippable YouTube advert; soundtracking your lift up to the office. But this music is never intentional music. It tries to steal our attention, and we rarely give it. Which is why giving our attention to music voluntarily can sometimes feel like such a radical act.

Even the most engaged of musos can accidentally fall out of the habit when it comes to listening to music. Life is just too noisy sometimes. But actively re-engaging with music could be vital to counteracting that gloomy outlook. In fact, incorporating music into your everyday routine can positively influence mood, relaxation and your general enjoyment of daily life. How about we explore what it means to put music front and centre again?

1. Start the Day with the Right Soundtrack

Well, let’s start with what music can do for the start of your day. To quote a certain Scott Walker: “waking up is so very hard to do”. But maybe it’s a little easier when you have a soundtrack to help you along. Music can readily become part of a positive morning routine, whether it’s at the very start of the day, during breakfast, or as you head out the door.

Making this a consistent habit can have some extremely positive benefits for your mental health, both through the development of a regular routine and through the mindful benefits of good music. The act of putting a vinyl record on is a meditative thing in and of itself, and could be the morning soother you need to fight the blues.

2. Use Music to Create Moments of Calm and Focus

Likewise, music can be used to great effect in conjuring calm and focus whenever you need it. The right music can be a motivating thing for getting work done, whether it’s a well-heeled favourite album or an ambient journey that floats you through to the end of the day. When you get to the end of the day, intentional listening can be used to bring your brain down from its active high-point, and put you fully, mindfully, back in your present place.

3. Turn Everyday Tasks into More Enjoyable Experiences

Music isn’t just a tool for wellness, of course. It can be gratifying, explosive, even fun. And this kind of music is precisely what you need to make routine activities and household tasks feel less repetitive. Music always makes exercise better, whether by helping you set your pace or taking your mind off your ever-growing sweat stains. A good rock record can be the difference between a slog of a meal-prep evening and an hour of frantic dancing around the kitchen with celery sticks for drum-sticks. Music, in this way, makes habits more enjoyable – and hence, much more sustainable.