Tuesday, September 21, 2021

I'm Conducting A Survey . . . Of My Own

When you are doing a somewhat mindless or boring chore, do you listen to music or listen to an audio book or listen to a podcast to keep you going and make the time fly?
 
You know the times I'm thinking of.  While doing those tasks that need to be done but don't require a lot of dedicated brain power in order to successfully accomplish them.
 
Like when you need to put away and straighten all the paraphernalia that accumulates on the workbench top.  Or when you wash the dishes or weed the flower beds or fold the laundry.  Or maybe you have to drive a distance on your own and need some company.
 
What I'm asking is if you regularly use a technological device for entertainment (possibly even enlightenment!) when you don't need total concentration on the job at hand.  (Of course, it could be you savor the time of silence which is fine and sometimes warranted.)
 
Care to share? 

26 comments:

Michelle said...

When I am doing something that requires hands and eyes but not brain power, I will usually listen to public radio or TV. At work that is with my iPhone; at home it's on the TV. In the car, it's the radio, again, often the public radio station. I haven't gotten in the habit of podcasts or audio books, and I would have to say that the majority of the time I just enjoy the silence, as my brain tends to be busy enough!

Lisa B said...

I listen to music most times unless I am sewing. Then I turn "junk" TV on, something I have seen before or "gasp" reality TV . I do not have to concentrate but may laugh out loud.

Jan said...

I listen to either a book (audible) or music (amazon music) on my phone.

Vicki said...

Audiobooks are my favorite for listening when doing mindless chores. As an avid reader, this enables me to accomplish a task and at the same time, indulge my love of books.

Marie said...

there is so much background chatter in my world .. that I regularly have no radio, no tv, no nothing happening .. learning to enjoy the silence took a while but it's calming

JustGail said...

Outside - only the sound of the wind, birds and traffic on the highway. And the sound my swearing at weeds, or at my aches and pains. Or when I scare myself by focusing on said weeds and nearly grab that gorgeous huge garden spider I didn't see.

Inside - usually the TV is on, sometimes the radio on Iowa Public Radio or KCCK (the 24 hour jazz station from a nearby community college kcck.org) - I hope the plug is OK, I'm not affiliated in any way.

DFW said...

Radio or CD on in my sewing room. Silence or sounds of nature during morning walks/hikes while I say my prayers.

SmartAlex said...

Usually yes. For the past two years I was alone in my office all day and I always had YouTube TV or movie going on in the background for company. My husband always has music playing but I've kind of gotten away from music. Unless I'm driving.

bobbie said...

I cherish the silence ~

Lady Locust said...

What an intriguing question. I used to work in a very quiet office so at home or on the road I had music going not always but often. I now work in a louder environment so primarily try to hear the birds and the breeze and occasionally a book or music.
(Or the really honest answer: no the voices in my head keep me company- haha.)

Mama Pea said...

Michelle - I understand perfectly that with your busy life and all the hats you wear (!), silence at certain times is much appreciated!

Lisa B. - Every once in a while I put in an audio book or just have the silence when I'm in my quilt room. I sometimes do my best thinking at the sewing machine.

Jan - The music, for me, has to be something I'm in the mood for so I often tend to turn off the radio if the genre doesn't suit my state of mind!

Vicki - Yes, yes! There are so many interesting books out there that I know I'll never have the time to read all of them so having them on audio really fills the bill for me.

Marie - Nothing wrong with letting our minds and brains rest a bit with total silence around us . . . which is sometimes rather hard to come by!

JustGail - Public radio is great and I think has the best programming to be had. I like the programs that are on regularly. Sunday morning is usually good except when organ music is featured. Don't like organ music!

DFW - I have a couple of CDs of sounds of nature which I like, but they drive my husband crazy. ;o) Your morning walks out in nature sound wonderful.

SmartAlex - My concentration is so weak that if I had a movie going on in the background, my eyes and attention would keep being drawn to it. Maybe it's that my concentration is faulty. :o\

bobbie - Silence is good. So is being by oneself at certain times. I know people who get the heebie-jeebies in that situation but I think it's good for us.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

Hi MP! I like the quiet. I don’t listen to podcasts at all. I have the radio on only when I’m driving. I might have the tv on or absolutely nothing. -Jenn

tpals said...

I listen to music cds on long drives and that's pretty much it. At home it's always silence.

Tigger's Mum said...

Savour silence mostly, sounds of nature if gardening, listen to podcasts or TED talks while I'm sewing.

Rosalea said...

I'll weigh in on the silence side. When outside, I savour the sounds of nature, and when inside, sometimes I have the radio on, or if I think of it, some soothing nature sounds CD's, particularly in the winter and if it is a looonnngg chore. On long drives, mostly silence, or a classical music station..if I can find one that will come in.

Mama Pea said...

Lady Locust - I admit I often put on an audio book so I don't have to listen to the voices in my head!! ;o)

Jenn - I've never listened to a podcast either, but my husband does. He and daughter suggested I might like to get into them so perhaps I will this winter. Maybe. If I can squeeze them in in between my audio books which I really, really enjoy.

tpals - Nothing wrong with your silence at home. As long as you don't start hearing and answering voices. Which makes me admit that I've found myself talking out loud to myself a lot lately. Should I be worried?

Tigger - Your tempting me to get into podcasts!

Rosalea - Because I'm not particularly fond of driving, I find listening to music or anything else when navigating the road (way too many deer to watch out for let alone other crazy drivers) is distracting for me. I guess I need all those brain cells to keep me alert enough to make the journey and back safely!

wyomingheart said...

Like you MamaPea, I rarely have the radio on when driving, because I find it distracting. When outside in the garden, I want just the sounds of what nature gives me. When sitting on the tractor, which is often, and several hours in succession, I prefer music, usually old country…you know when country music was country ( Opps, did I say that out loud?). If the tv is on in the house, it is either on YouTube videos, or on Rumble, as we refuse to watch mainstream tv. Great question this week, thanks!

Tim B. Inman said...

When I'm working in the shop, I play ragtime music. It helps me pick up the pace! If I need a slower background, I often play old time radio comedy - Fred Allen is a particular favorite. I do some podcasts, too. Hoopla from the library and archive.org are my best sources of free stuff. My kids got me an Amazon Echo for Christmas. Alexa plays them all whenever I tell her to. Unless she is having a snit - again.... Technology can be our friend, sometimes.

Mama Pea said...

wyomingheart - Good to hear there is another person who is concerned with keeping their attention on driving when driving! I've never gotten fond of driving and am lucky that my husband would rather be the driver in a vehicle rather than the passenger. (Hmmm, could that have anything to do with my driving? Nah.)

Tim - I'm with you when you say you like upbeat music to help you "pick up the pace!" I feel the same way. But need something low, slow and soothing at night when I'm winding down. Music truly does affect one's mood and mind, doesn't it?

Theresa Y said...

Audio book is my go to...

Mama Pea said...

Theresa Y - I agree. Audio books can make a dull job go by quickly!

Susan said...

I either listen to pod casts or audio books. I listen on my iPhone. I've been able to download free audio books from my library system through the Libby app, which just pleases me no end!

Mama Pea said...

Susan - Yes, I get my audio book downloads through our library system, too. I can't say enough about what all is available through the library. A wonderful institution! Long live libraries! (And books.)

Nancy In Boise said...

Sometimes I listen to local radio stations, NPR, CDS, not an audio book fan myself. I bought a little radio/CD player/bluetooth mini boom box, works great during working from home. Sometimes I watch/listen to youtube vids as well

Mama Pea said...

Nancy - Well, there's no doubt there's a lot out there these days for us all to choose from, isn't there? We have a lot of choices for "company" when we want it.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

I have the radio on all day for the dogs really. King is much calmer with the radio on because he has seizures. I however, will be listening to CD's to avoid the brain washing the news broadcasts on the radio.