No one will argue that music has become a proper part of our daily routine, whether we want it or not. You face it basically everywhere, from public transport to department stores and even massage session. In fact, quite a number of people even prefer working and studying with hearing music playing. They claim that it not only does not distract them, but, just the opposite, enhances their productivity drastically.
When it comes to the influence of music on your learning abilities, multiple research have been conducted on the topic. Quite a popular one is talking about the «Mozart Effect», that claims that listening to Mozart’s Sonata even for 10 minutes increases your brain performance, no matter what kind and amount of work you are doing, that can be either a whole research paper or just some short essays. This very phenomenon can be explained by the fact that during this specific music being played, the increase of activity rates in the parts of brain that are responsible for visualizing was observed. And there can be dozens of similar evidence.
However, the influence and even its existence at all has been a matter of considerable controversy among the scientists. Though, many people feel the benefits of it productivity-wise, in case, of course, you have chosen a right playlist.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
“Work-friendly music” turns out to be wholly subjective and based on what you, the worker, deem to be efficient and motivating. When searching for things that can help us tune into our real vibrations, we should always keep an open mind, as you never know what can appeal to you in the certain situation. It is not necessarily your favorite genre that will help you concentrate the most and feel the benefits.
There is no secret that music makes people happier, hardly anybody would argue that. Thus, the powerful endorphin release, provoked by music, helps people stay inspired and energetic when doing their work or studies. And, even in general, people who listen to music tend to be more cheerful, apart from people who do not.
Moreover, music keeps away all the sounds that may distract you from your work. It is quite a reasonable point for people, who prefer working outside, at a café, for example. The absence of music in a place like that enhances the volume of the surrounding sounds, which is not only a major distraction, but also a slight stress factor for your brain (even though you might not even be aware of it). Using high quality headphones to listen to music might also help block out all the annoying noises.
Still, you have to keep in mind that listening and working at the same time can be considered as multitasking, which is considered to be the opposite to productivity. That is why we’d be better off clicking play 10 to 15 minutes before and after our work tasks, according to the theory.
DOES IT REALLY WORK?
It is hard to say anything surely here, as there is a lot of contradictory information concerning this topic. It has been a debatable one for years, that is why there is a lot of very messy material. Basically there are three points of view: it does something good, it does something bad, and it does not do anything at all.
There is evidence to support the idea that background music might help your episodic memory and overall cognitive performance, while other study says that background music can actually hinder your capacity to focus and learn. Aside from that, music has the ability to uplift and keep you going through monotonous tasks. Depending on your tolerance for boredom, various types of music may or may not boost your productivity. That means that when we choose our music, we need to think about how we will use it in the future. In what way do we compose our melodies? When do we choose one tune over another?
WHAT PLAYLIST TO CHOOSE?
Since no scientific agreement exists, it is quite reasonable to analyze at least a few research papers on the effectiveness of different genres of music to aid with attention.
- Classical
Most definitely the first type of music that comes to mind in the given context. Especially considering the popularity of the Mozart’s effect. Classical music can still help people learn and focus, despite the Mozart Effect being muted. Nevertheless, classical music is quite a complicated genre, and it in fact requires focus, which is why some studies suggests that classical music is better suited to basic activities than complex ones.
- Ambient
This style has gained a lot of its popularity in the recent years. A kind of music known as ambient uses ambient noises such as the sounds of a local coffee shop (one of the most listened one nowadays actually) to create a mellow atmosphere. Background noises like white noise are even utilized as sleep aids since they lack a genuine beat, don’t contain lyrics and really mix with the current daily noise.
- Sounds of Nature
Hearing “natural” sounds, according to psychophysical data and sound-field analysis from reputable scientific sources, may help improve cognitive performance, concentration, and even the level of happiness. They are quite neutral and very similar to the ones we hear basically every day, that is why it is not stressful for your brain at all. Just do not turn them in too loud, so it feels like you are actually sitting there somewhere in the woods while it rains and work.
- Instrumentals
Whether you’re reading a manual or writing a project, you really don’t need more words in your thoughts. When you’re trying to concentrate, listening to music without words can help. Students who started listening to “calming” music during an exam achieved higher grades compared to those who were exposed to music with the lyrics, according to scientific research.
- White Noise
When your mind is busy with performing complicated intellectual activities, your brain becomes even more sensitive to noise, which, as it has been mentioned before, serves as a major stress and distraction factor. You may not even focus on it voluntarily, it is just how the human nature works. Unobtrusive soundscapes like white noise (which is not the same as nature noises) might help filter out these distractions.
FINAL THOUGHTS
For a variety of reasons, people listen to music while working. Some may use it to boost their energy levels, while others may use it to sharpen their focus. While there is a significant link between listening to music you enjoy at work and a better mood, music can also help you be more productive and creative at work.
