Does Music Help or Hinder Your Productivity?
Not everyone can listen to background music while working. Sometimes, it’s because you share an office with others. Sometimes, it’s because you work outside or you’re always on the go. Other times, it’s because you have to answer the phone constantly or deal with customers directly.
But if you work in an office or a coffee shop or even at home, you can control your work environment. Whether music increases or decreases your productivity often is a personal choice, though with just the right tempo or soothing audio background, you actually may get more work done with the music on.
Tastes Vary
We all have different tastes in music. We all have different work ethics. We all have different preferences in how we work. So you might not think a single blog post can address this complex issue adequately. And you’re correct, but this article can touch on universal truths about music and productivity.
It doesn’t matter whether you work on a computer, at an easel or in a garage. Most people work at a type of job that requires some creativity or problem-solving skills. Creating the best environment for encouraging creativity and mental focus is the best way to increase your productivity.
The Type of Music
It doesn’t matter what kind of music you like to listen to. According to the Mayo Clinic, the body responds to harmonious sounds like music. Pleasant music creates a very physical reaction; your body releases dopamine as you relax to the music. And when you relax, you become better able to solve problems or come up with new ideas.
While working, your mind might tend to wander or you might be distracted by what’s going on around you. You definitely react to loud noises or the constant drip of water from a faucet — things like that. Music, either piped in from overhead speakers or through your earphones, can help you ignore those distractions and focus more effectively.
Mood Enhancing
Music also helps improve your mood while you work. If you have a job that requires a repetitive task, music gives your mind something else to think about. If you have a job that requires careful concentration, then music soothes your mind while you work. If you’re in a good mood, you are better able to do your job.
This is the reason grocery stores and shopping malls pipe in soothing music during business hours. That’s right: music puts people in the mood to buy. It’s not manipulation; it’s just good business. And if it’s good enough for Harris Teeter and the Gap, it’s good enough for other businesses. Like ours. Like yours.
Distracted by Lyrics
Another question about listening to music while working is whether or not lyrics get in the way of you doing your job. If you’re listening to the lyrics, you can be distracted from your task at hand. Listening to music without lyrics stimulates a different part of your brain than listening to music with lyrics. Lyrics stimulate the part of the brain that processes language.
So the best music to listen to when you’re working is music without lyrics (or perhaps music with lyrics in a foreign language that you don’t speak). Jazz, classical, and world music are all good choices. Music from jam bands could be effective if that’s the music that does it for you. Country music, because it’s usually lyrics-heavy, can be an annoying distraction, although that’s partly our prejudice.
The music you listen to while working is up to you, but remember that it does affect you. Music and productivity can get along, as long as you’re conscious about your choices.
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