ASMR For Software Engineers

Apr 15, 2020 · 447 words · 3 minute read

You don’t listen to ASMR? Fine. You think it’s weird? Ok.

I’ve learned that I work best with headphones on. Sometimes, I even have my earbuds in with no music playing at all (whoops, just exposed myself).

But why should you, a software engineer, listen to ASMR?

Picture the following scenarios:

Imagine: You’re at work and need something to listen to. You’re really noodling on this problem, so music isn’t going to cut it- but you need something to fill your headphones. Plus, the noise in the office is either too much or not enough. Small start up offices can be dead silent during the day, which is great, but a bit eerie at times.

Imagine: You’re quarantined in your San Francisco apartment with no living room, your 4 other roommates are all on Zoom meetings talking particularly loudly, and the walls are paper thin. You want to get into a good flow state, but all this excess noise is bleeding into your brain. How could you cancel out these sounds?

Kid holding head because too loud

I’m writing this article like ASMR videos are the next solution to focus for the start up bros. Up next? microdosing matcha powder

ASMR and white noise are great solutions to these scenarios.

But Ali - what is white noise? 🔗

White noise is a combination of frequencies used to mask other sounds. Look back to the pre-quarantine days when you could go out and sit for hours in a coffee shop, deep in thought and super productive. The background noise provided by the coffee shop is excellent white noise.

What about ASMR? 🔗

ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. Maria of Gentle Whispering ASMR does a fantastic job covering what ASMR is in a short and concise video:

"Its a pleasant tingling feeling that you experience when you hear unique soft voices, or hear certain soothing sounds"

There’s a stigma that ASMR is sexual. Let’s be really clear here: it’s not.

That said, it is an excellent way to fill empty airwaves with non-distracting audio. It’s also said to help improve focus, as well as aid sleep and be extremely relaxing.

Recommendations 🔗

The following suggestions are videos and audio tracks I find myself constantly returning to when trying to get work done. Will these videos cause the so-called “tingle” sensation? I don’t know, but they’re excellent for boosting my focus. I recommend using in-ear headphones to ensure the best noise cancellation/audio filling experience.