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Liz Acosta
Liz Acosta

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DevRel Discussion

A purple ombre background features an illustration of a pug and text that reads: What is currently playing in your headphones? Does what you listen to change according to what you are working on? Do you ever work in complete silence?

Happy Monday to those who celebrate! πŸ˜‚

This week's DevRel Discussion is a fun one:

What is currently playing in your headphones?

Does what you listen to change according to what you are working on?

Do you ever work in complete silence?

Feel free to drop those playlists in the comments below 🎢 πŸ‘‡

Top comments (15)

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ben profile image
Ben Halpern

Do you ever work in complete silence?

Not my preferred approach, but sometimes I get started in silence and get into a really good groove this way.

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lizzzzz profile image
Liz Acosta

I think because I have ADHD, I always need some sort of background noise, and the only time I work in complete silence is when I put my headphones on but get distracted while looking for something to listen to and then only realize I'm listening to nothing hours later πŸ˜…

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jess profile image
Jess Lee

My strong preference is to work in silence! White noise (i.e. office chatter, the hum of a fridge, my loud keyboard clacking) is fine but headphones are a no go for me -- I find music to be really distracting! I can't focus on my own thoughts and will end up intently listening to the music (even if there are no lyrics!) and well, not doing my work. Or just get a headache from trying to focus on work, but failing.

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lizzzzz profile image
Liz Acosta

Or just get a headache from trying to focus on work, but failing.

I relate to that! I experience that too sometimes, or sometimes anything that isn't white noise is like, too overstimulating. Especially if I am doing something that takes a lot of brain power. That's when I pull out the isochronic tones.

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mellen profile image
Matt Ellen

Currently there is nothing playing in my headphones.

What I listen to changes based on my mood. If I'm struggling to concentrate I will put on something to relax my mind. That can involve a bit of figuring out what will do that, like knowing you're hungry but not what you want to eat.

I often work in complete silence. That said, I will often get up, pace around and talk to myself, so "complete" is perhaps over stating it.

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lizzzzz profile image
Liz Acosta

That can involve a bit of figuring out what will do that, like knowing you're hungry but not what you want to eat.

Oh boy do I relate to this!

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ksolomon profile image
Keith Solomon

Listening to the sounds of the office at the moment...but before I hit pause, it was this:

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lizzzzz profile image
Liz Acosta

Um, I love this playlist 🀘

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michaeltharrington profile image
Michael Tharrington

Awww yeah, this is a fun discussion!

I actually regularly have a series called Music Monday so was tuning into some different suggested tunes.

But one thing I popped on today while doing the dishes is this collaboration between David Byrne and Thievery Corporation β€” a song called "The Heart's a Lonely Hunter" β€” hope ya enjoy!

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lizzzzz profile image
Liz Acosta

This is a big YES!!!

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lizzzzz profile image
Liz Acosta

I'll go first!

For coding: open.spotify.com/album/7aNclGRxTys...

For writing:
open.spotify.com/show/5XQwzc4D7dUS...

For reading the docs/researching:
open.spotify.com/playlist/4jkE9fLO...

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ajkerrigan profile image
AJ Kerrigan

What is currently playing in your headphones?

Been listening to a lot of Theon Cross's Intra-I lately. It's like an afro-caribbean electronic dance party dominated by a tuba. Not the mix I expected, but the mix I needed πŸ˜….

Does what you listen to change according to what you are working on?

Definitely. Can't listen to music with vocals when I need to focus. I can ignore the world perhaps too well once I'm into a problem, but hearing words can keep me from getting there. Foreign language music gives a little bit of wiggle room though.

Do you ever work in complete silence?

Sure, but in those cases I've probably fallen deep enough into a problem that I would miss most of what's outside my skull anyway.

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lizzzzz profile image
Liz Acosta

All great stuff and also I miss working with you 😒

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ajkerrigan profile image
AJ Kerrigan

Saaaaaame 😒

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ramijames profile image
Rami James • Edited

I listen to a lot of instrumental music because anything with words disrupts my thought process when I'm writing. These days I'm writing a lot.

Currently listening to Polyphia.

I find complete silence really, really hard to work to. I need the music to "hold my mind together", if you know what I mean.

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