Immediately Improve Your Mood With Music

Every movie has a soundtrack. So, what if your life had a soundtrack? If only we could hear dramatic music playing right before something major happens! Unfortunately you can’t make that happen. However, you CAN create our own daily soundtrack and use music to immediately improve you mood throughout the day.

Waking Up To Music – “Here Comes The Sun (doo doo doo doo)…”

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Are you one of those people who set your alarm about 15 minutes EARLIER than the time that you want to get up? I admit, I do that everyday just so I can hit “snooze” a few times. I don’t do mornings. It usually takes me a while to crawl out of bed. If you struggle with this like me, one thing you can do set your alarm with an upbeat song. Use your phone as an alarm and set the alarm to a song that always makes you happy. Hearing that song first thing in the morning will help you wake up in a better mood and start the day right. Think of it as your own personal television show theme song…it is the introduction to the type of day you are about to have, so make it GREAT!

My top 5 songs to start the day:

• “Here Comes The Sun” – The Beatles
• “Sunday Morning” – Maroon 5
• “Three Little Birds” – Bob Marley and the Wailers
• “Wake Up Everybody” – Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes
• “Tiny Dancer” – Elton John

Improving Your Mood While Driving To Work – “Cruisin'”

I’m sure you would much rather be driving someplace else other than work. However, to make your drive to work more enjoyable and to sweep away any negative thoughts, try listening to songs with a slower melody or even some classical music. This really comes in handy for those who experience road rage. Trust me…listening to Jack Johnson makes it a little bit more difficult to curse at the people who cut you off or who are driving 10 miles per hour below the speed limit! The slower melodies will make you feel less tense and less aggressive.

My top 5 artists to listen to while driving:

• Maggie Koerner
• Hozier
• Bob Marley and the Wailers
• Citizen Cope
• Jack Johnson

Music At Work To Improve Your Mood – “I Don’t Wanna Work, I Wanna Bang On the Drum All Day!”

If you are lucky enough to be able to listen to music at work, play some music on a lower volume. You don’t want it to distract you, yet you want to stay productive. Listening upbeat songs would work well on your mood, keeping you happy and less stressed. As a first grade teacher, I noticed that whenever I play music during my prep period or lunch, I am much more productive than when I have no music playing. When I play instrumental music for the children while they write, such as music by the Vitamin String Quartet, they are able to stay on task easier. It makes it a much more comfortable working environment for me AND my students. The music playing at a low volume in the background is a perfect way to create your own “life soundtrack!”

My top 5 artists to listen to at work:

• Kaleo
• Led Zeppelin
• The Revivalists
• Stevie Wonder
• Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats

Music For Exercising – “Born To Run”

Pump up the jams! Get motivated to exercise and break a sweat with fast, upbeat songs that have a good beat. Sometimes I choose to listen to some heavy rock to get me moving. Most days I end up playing my 90s Hip Hop playlist that has some amazing beats. Music with good beats not only pumps you up, but it will fill you with the adrenalin you need and gives you the confidence and stamina to push through your workout, no matter how difficult it gets.

My top 4 artists to listen to while working out:

• Notorious B.I.G.
• Salt-N-Pepa
• 2Pac
• DMX
• Busta Rhymes

Music For Cooking and Eating – “Bon Appétit!”

Cooking is definitely not my strong point and not my favorite thing to do. But to make it more enjoyable, I listen to Italian or opera music. It puts me in the mood. Listen to music that is calming and puts you at ease when you are cooking and eating. One of my bad habits is rushing through a meal. All teachers can relate to that! We are so used to scarfing down our lunch, prepping for the afternoon, marking assignments, checking email, returning phone calls, and hopefully squeezing in time to use the bathroom…all without coming up for air! Meals should be enjoyed and savored! Slow yourself down and help your digestive system out a bit! According to an article,

My top 5 songs to cook, bake, and eat to:

• “Rigoletto” – Luciano Pavarotti
• “Habanera” (from “Carmen”)
• “March of the Toreadors” (from “Carmen”)
• “La Traviata” – Giuseppe Verdi, Luciano Pavarotti
• “Con Te Partirò” – Andrea Bocelli

Music For Cleaning – “So Fresh and So Clean Clean!”

After working all day and all week, the last thing you’re in the mood for is to clean. One way to make it more enjoyable and to improve your mood is by listening to some fun, fast tempo music. I personally love listening to funk, soul, and Motown while cleaning. It gets my energy up and puts a smile on my face, even when cleaning the toilets! Have some fun by singing and dancing around the house while doing time consuming housework.

My Top 5 artists to listen to while cleaning:

• Earth Wind and Fire
• Sly and The Family Stone
• Stevie Wonder
• James Brown
• Bruno Mars

Music For A Better Night’s Sleep – “Enter Sandman”

Ok, really…I am not suggesting listening to Metallica while trying to go to sleep! You might want to save that for a workout playlist! To get a good night’s sleep, I recommend listening to spa music. You can easily find an Amazon Music, Pandora, or Spotify playlist for this. Listening to the calm, quiet tones will help relax your muscles and your mind, allowing you to drift off to a peaceful sleep. I would even suggest searching for “meditation music.” The music will slow down your heart rate and your breathing. While listening to it, I suggest really focusing on your breathing and making sure you are taking slow, deep breathes.

The Soundtrack To Your Life: The Ultimate Mixed Tape!

Now that I outlined some suggestions to the types of music to listen to during different parts of your day, it’s time to put this knowledge to use! Start making playlists and create a soundtrack to your life! Did certain songs come to mind for each part of the day? Jot them down. The songs that come to mind immediately are the perfect tracks to add to your playlists for music to improve your mood. Then go on either Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, or any music streaming service you choose and create different playlists for the daily activities listed above. Listening to the playlists daily will enhance your mood, productivity, and sleep in no time. Everyone’s soundtrack will be different, but the theme within each playlist should remain the same for the best impact on your moods.

You are the star of your own show. Don’t let your moods get in the way of an Oscar winning performance each and every day!

Peace and love to all!

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Check out the music I’ve shared on my Classroom Playlist and Personal Playlist! I’m always open to more suggestions. Share with me anything you think I should listen to so I can check it out and possibly write about it!