If you are reading this, chances are you are playing some music on your headphones. You may have heard that music is suitable for work. This theory derives from the Mozart effect, where scientists discovered that listening to 10 minutes of sonata improved an individual’s spatial reasoning skills. Spatial reasoning refers to a kind of intelligence where individuals can visualize and manipulate images in the brain.
Since then, there have been many claims regarding the benefits of listening to music while working. While the Mozart effect has been called into question repeatedly, many studies have shown the benefits of listening to music while working. They mainly include productivity and concentration.
Can Music Make You More Productive?
Studies conducted to determine the connection between music and productivity are inconclusive at best. Some studies indicate that listening to music while working enhances episodic memory and improves cognitive performance. Other studies show that music can have a negative effect on your productivity while working.
The impact of music on your productivity at work depends on other factors. Some studies recommend listening to songs with no lyrics for maximum productivity. Similarly, how much you like or dislike the music playing also has an impact.
Regardless of what studies suggest, we can all agree that not all music can help you focus and improve productivity. The essential thing is finding the right kind of music. Music that fits into the background and keeps you focused while you work.
Here are some tips on how to find music suitable for the work environment.
- Try Playing Nature Sounds
Playing the sounds of nature has been found to enhance concentration and cognitive function. Calming sounds like rainfall, rustling leaves, flowing streams, and the sound of wind often work well. Animal noises and bird calls, on the other hand, can be a great distraction. If you have trouble finding natural sounds, you can get them from YouTube and convert them into mp3, which is more effective using Viddly. You can play them on repeat, so you don’t have to keep changing songs.
- Choose Music With No Lyrics
While you may prefer songs with lyrics, you should try music that has no lyrics. Lyrics present a big distraction. You can find yourself singing along to the lyrics when you should focus on getting work done. By listening to music with no lyrics, you can focus more on working instead of the actual music. If you have a favorite song, try finding the instrumental version to avoid getting distracted by the lyrics.
- Spice Things Up By Playing Music From Around The World
You can easily get distracted by listening to music you are familiar with. The easiest way for you to avoid familiar music is by listening to music from a different country. Music from an entirely new region often features different beats, structures, and languages that are less of a distraction than those you already know.
- Listen To Low Tempo Music
Low-tempo music provides an excellent background for working. Find music that does not have any intense variations. The best music should blend into the environment. Classical music can help you recall information more easily. Most classical songs do not have any lyrics, so you do not have to worry about any distractions.
If you have to listen to motivation hits, do it while taking a break. After listening to a few of your favorite jams, you will feel motivated and ready to get back to work. Always remember to switch back to low-tempo music with no lyrics when you go back to your desk. Avoid catchy songs or those you may find yourself singing silently while working.
- Make A Playlist Before You Start Working
By making a playlist before you start working, you avoid many distractions. You will struggle to stay focused during work if you have to keep changing songs or finding new music. With a ready playlist, all you have to do is press the play button and get down to work. If you do not have any music, you can use Spotify to make a playlist without buying the songs.
- Lower Your Volume
When listening to music while working, it should play in the background. Extremely loud music will make it harder for you to concentrate and serve as a distraction for anyone working next. If you find yourself having trouble focusing on the task at hand, chances are the music you are playing is too loud. If possible, you need to avoid using headphones. Headphones make it harder for the music to blend with the background.
Not everyone is more productive when listening to music while working. If you find that you work well with some music playing in the background, find the right music and add it to your playlist. Do not forget to mix things up. Also, consider your coworkers if you share working space since you do not want to distract others.