I'm not much for having background music when I do anything that requires mental focus. I wait until my girls go to bed before attempting to listen: Turn off the lights, find a comfortable spot, close my eyes and enjoy.
One notable exception is grocery shopping. A pair of good IEMs or my CIEMs almost always accompany me on those trips. It helps turn an otherwise mundane chore, at least for me, into an enjoyable experience. Long checkout lines with obnoxious individuals? Tuned out. The Garden Grove Costco filled to the brim with old Asian couples pushing their shopping carts just as well as they drive their cars? No problem. Sure, I get plenty of people giving me the hairy eyeball when they see the earphones and rig but that's expected. The increase in mood and patience is worth every glance.