– Written by John Makela –
Follow this guide, and you will never have to worry about getting into the zone again.
The school year has hit us. With midterms slowly approaching, it can seem like the task of studying can be too much. However here at Southport we got something for you that can silence that dread, and help you lock in on your studies. With this guide you will find a way to curate your own study / work playlist, optimally designed for locking the fuck in.
Mentality
The first thing you want to lock down is your mentality for creating this playlist. Reflect on your past playlists, find a type of music that aligns with your inner focus gene. Through doing this you will find certain genres that peak your focus ability. Realize that this playlist is going to be far different from any other you may have created, this is an attempt at finding your inner chi, and it should be treated as such.
Finding a sound
It is important for your playlist to have a unique, and distinctive sound. This will help your brain associate this playlist with the studying / work aspect you are trying to accomplish. Selecting your sound comes down to just generally feeling and listening to music. Find music that calms your brain, but keeps you elevated. Find music that you connect to, but are not distracted by. A good comparison for this mentally would be elevator music. I have some recommendations that follow this and personally work well for me, however they work well for me. I cannot promise they work well for you as this playlist should really be about you, and your taste, don’t be surprised if what you’re connected to strays far away from what I suggest. If it feels right it feels right!
Recommendations
Personally I always feel best working listening to Jazz. The upbeat unpredictable tempo is exactly what fits my thought process when studying, or working on projects. I seem to be drawn towards ethnio-jazz, which is Jazz originating from the inspiration of traditional Ethiopian music, it is upbeat, funky, and fun. The music seems to match the beat of my brain. I attempt to match the rhythm with my typing speed. The music almost fully takes over me. This is just how I feel about it though, and if there is one thing you should take away from my own experience it should be to find your sound! Find the type of music that invigorates you, the sound that gives you the power to work through anything.
Making the Playlist
Now that you have found a sound, and you have a mentality towards the creation of the playlist it is time for the fun part. Do not put much thought behind each song you add, simply add what feels right taking into consideration your mentality and sound. Do not judge the songs you listen to by what you think, judge with what you hear. The one bit of advice that I will give is to avoid adding songs that include lyrics you can understand. I find personally this takes me off track, especially in cases of writing. It is fully up to the eye of the holder. I see this music as an instrumental behind the lyrics that are the words I am writing, it helps things flow. If you don’t do this, that’s cool too, the most important thing about this is personability.
Testing it out
With your playlist fully created, give it a shot! Write something random, work on a project, do anything! If you have followed every step you will have ended up with the perfect study playlist, made for any work heavy days. This playlist will follow you, so be sure to update, and even share because everyone needs a good study playlist. Here’s mine: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/39lKJZ11qJLa395fVrfOAN?si=7238fdd6e0754e35.
Conclusion
Music is needed for long work periods, we feel this is a consensus for Students. Luckily with your newly curated study playlist you are not going to be the one underprepared. Share your playlist with us and we will share it on our Instagram!
SOUTHPORT MAGAZINE 
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