Wednesday can be a drag, especially if you've got a job that requires you to be firing on all mental cylinders, so to speak. Finding the best ways to keep yourself motivated and typing away through the mid-week struggle is vital. Building up a collection of both high-energy, danceable music and inspirational instrumentals is a great way to keep your creativity coming.

Don't have a mid-week playlist yet? Well, you've come to the right place. I've got a few great suggestions—if I do say so myself—that will get you on the right track.

(Note: While I'll be sharing the YouTube videos for each of these songs, I know for a fact that they're all available on Spotify as well.)

Ice Cream Cake - Red Velvet

It's only natural for me to start the list with a K-pop song. Ice Cream Cake has a sort of little kids chasing the ice cream truck vibe during parts, but it's also an extremely high-energy bop. It's bright and cheerful and, while the music video is super obscure, the song is like a vitamin D shot to the brain.

New Rules - Dua Lipa

I've mentioned my love for New Rules before, but this song is just too great to pass up for this list. It's not quite as high-energy, but it's still got that sort of tropical pop vibe that kind of makes you wiggle in your seat. I even find myself lip-synching to the chorus more often than not.

Black Memory - The Oral Cigarettes

Now for something COMPLETELY different. There are so many The Oral Cigarettes songs that I could have chosen (Kyouran Hey Kids!!, A-E-U-I, Kizukeyo Baby), but Black Memory is not only their latest single, but is also just a great song all around. It's still the group's notable rock style, but is an all-around hype song that's pretty accessible to any listener, no matter what you usually listen to.

The Legend of Ashitaka - Princess Mononoke Soundtrack

This could easily be substituted for any song from any Studio Ghibli film score done by Joe Hisaishi. Just check out this full concert recording of Hisaishi's 25 Years of Studio Ghibli concert and you'll see what I mean. Princess Mononoke, however, is my favorite movie of all times (closely followed by Howl's Moving Castle), so Ashitaka's unforgettable theme from the film is my go-to choice for an inspiring instrumental piece.

Paddy on the Railway - Hadrian's Wall

It's always good to finish up with a fun song. Hadrian's Wall is an Irish trad rock group that covers a lot of the classics, but gives them a more upbeat, modern twist. There's lots of great options if you love modern renditions of traditional Irish tunes, so you can mix and match with whatever suits your fancy.