Listening to tunes can improve your productivity, concentration, mood, and more! Learn which types of music can change your workday forever.
Table of Contents
Intro:
There have been plenty of hacks devised throughout the years to help us perform our best at work.
From time-managed productivity strategies like the Pomodoro Technique to sucking it up and “eating the frog” or using acronyms like the SMART method, we are willing to try anything to get more done in a day.
What if you could improve your work performance just by setting up some background music?
It may sound too good to be true, but science proves otherwise.
But, of course, not just any music will do.
Read on to discover how music will help and which types you should listen to.
How Music Helps While Working
To truly appreciate the power of music in your workday, you need to understand how music affects the brain. Science has proven that the right music can work wonders, and here’s how:
Improves Productivity
A study analyzed the effects of music listening on work performance, revealing some interesting data.
When you listen to music that makes you feel better, you improve your productivity and creativity in non-musical tasks.
Research also shows that repetitive tasks go by faster when you listen to background music.
One of the main contributing factors to the reduction of productivity is the lack of motivation. And, there’s proof that music positively affects that aspect of work as well.
If you are listening to music in an offline setting after downloading it from piratebay, the internet ceases to operate as a distraction. This is great for professionals as well as students who want to keep the negative distractions of the internet at bay.
Improves Concentration, Learning, and Memory
There may be times when you have all the motivation and creativity available to get your work completed. But distractions make it hard to concentrate.
Music drowns out distracting noises, and the ebbs and flows of an excellent musical piece can help the brain segment parts of a piece of work.
This allows the brain to focus on chunks of material at a time instead of becoming bogged down by an information overload.
Music can also improve our memory retention while we age. Dementia and Alzheimer’s are all too common problems in older adults, so we should all listen to more music!
Improved Mood
When you aren’t feeling your best, your work performance won’t be at its best either. Yet, the right playlist can boost morale in the office, boosting work performance as well.
The type of music you should listen to depends on the desired effect.
According to Psychology Today, this can also change depending on the person. For example, music that is motivating for some may be depressing for others.
Science shows that personal preference has a big impact on the results. Listening to your favorite music releases dopamine, a feel-good hormone, in the brain.
5 Best Types of Music To Listen To While Working
Five main types of music are scientifically proven to help keep the brain focused and motivated consistently.
These are:
1. Classical
Classical music like symphonies from Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven is one of the most effective types of music to improve work performance.
It is so widely adopted as the go-to focus music that they coined “The Mozart Effect.”
It doesn’t have to be a piece by Mozart, but your favorite classical music creation could be the cure to your brain-dead day.
2. Lo-Fi
Lo-Fi is a musical genre that has a hip-hop vibe with an added calming effect.
The chill beats and repetitive tones can help the brain destress and concentrate.
3. Video Game Soundtracks
Apparently, the music behind video games isn’t just random. Instead, music engineers developed these soundtracks with a specific goal in mind:
To get you engrossed in the game.
You can use this to your advantage and listen to video game soundtracks while you work.
Some of the most notable soundtracks include the N64 songs, which are catchy classics that everyone knows.
The Final Fantasy soundtrack includes lots of soft pianos and inspiring battle music. Skyrim delivers medieval songs.
The Halo soundtrack is the best-selling video game soundtrack of all time, so it must be worth a try.
The music you hear while playing Minecraft sounds like a lullaby designed to induce creativity.
4. Ambient Music
You use the sound of nature to provide a calm and ambient atmosphere. Spotify has an entire playlist with nature sounds that you can listen to while you work.
5. Instrumental Film Scores
The music in movies will invoke emotion. Have you ever watched a movie with background music so good that it gave you goosebumps?
Instrumental film soundtracks can be the perfect mix of:
- Inspirational songs
- Empowering battle scenes
- Feel-good ditties
- Calming compositions
Want to incorporate your favorite soundtracks into your listening lineup?
Music To Avoid Listening to While Working
Just as there are types that will improve your productivity levels, some types of music can actually harm your workflow.
Studies also focus on the flip side of music. And, researchers studied the music that you shouldn’t listen to if you want better concentration, motivation, and retention.
Two types of music could be detrimental to your working environment.
One study showed that music with lyrics, especially those you know well, can hinder your ability to focus on your work. That’s because your mind naturally wants to sing along with the verse instead of completing the task.
Another study proved that having background music that you don’t enjoy can negatively impact your work productivity.
Conclusion
Now that you have the facts, it’s time to build your playlist! Then, on your next workday, all you have to do is push play and get to work!
[Client bio]
Adam Marshall is a freelance writer who specializes in all things apartment organization, real estate, and college advice. He currently works with The Verge Greeley to help them with their online marketing.
