5 Songs to Get You Moving

By Naomi Gonzales, Senior Assistant, INALJ Virginia

Okay, admit it. Even though you LOVE what you do, there are some days you just can’t get yourself out of bed or in the right mindset for the job. Sometimes you wake up and the will to work just isn’t there. So you trudge over to the shower, grumble while you get dressed, hope that caffeine will do the trick, but since you’re grumpy at the barista you end up getting decaf and your whole day is a giant snowball of grump.

What’s a librarian to do?

Now, there are a lot of ways to handle this kind of scenario. There’s a lot of well-meaning advice I could give, a lot of reassuring things I could say, but instead I will give you something (sometimes the ONLY thing) that does the trick for me.  Below is a small sample of songs that I listen to in order to pull myself out of whatever terrible mood I’ve managed to get myself in and get ready for a day of being awesome.

1. Eye of the Tiger – Survivor

This is a classic get-pumped song and I kind of feel like I shouldn’t even have to explain it. If you aren’t a fan of Survivor’s version, do yourself a favor and watch Marjane Satrapi’s rendition. The silliness alone will put you in a better mood.

2. GO! – Santigold featuring Karen O

This song is really good for when you feel like it’s you vs. the world. Listen to it and realize that you are way too amazing to let anyone bring you down.

3. It’s Alright – Matt and Kim

Not only is this song comforting but the video rocks. Every time I hear this song, I want to start dancing—which of course immediately makes me feel better (even though I’m a terrible dancer).

4. Boys Wanna Be Her – Peaches

Peaches, Peaches, Peaches, we all want to be you. If you need a conquer-the-world song, this is definitely it. One listen will make you feel like you’ve got the world wrapped around your little finger.

5. Dog Days are Over – Florence & the Machine

Guess what? Today is going to be awesome because those dog days you’ve been having? Yup, you got it. They’re over.

What do you listen to when you need motivation to face the day?