We all know how listening to music improves our mood and morale no matter what we are doing. Even at work, listening to music and drowning out office chatter, has provided much-needed relief, and helped to focus on the task at hand. Other than providing some pleasant background noise, music has been shown to improve productivity. In our current unsettled time, when we all are attempting to work from home, the going can get tough. And this is where music can help us reach the finish line. So how does music help us work better? Do you know how music affects productivity? How are music and productivity related? As the studies have mentioned in ThriveGlobal, Daniel Levitin a neuroscientist and the author of ‘This Is Your Brain On Music’ notes that “music can make repetitive tasks more pleasurable, and increase your concentration with the task”.
Studies have shown that music helps in reducing stress and managing anxiety. Along with that, it also helps you stay motivated and productive. RemoteNation also talks about a 2012 study that shows, “how ambient noise can help people with creativity. Through five experiments they observed the exact number of decibels when ambient noise and music can be beneficial to workers and their creativity.” According to the study, “Results from five experiments demonstrate that a moderate (70 dB) versus low (50 dB) level of ambient noise enhances performance on creative tasks and increases the buying likelihood of innovative products.”
On the other hand, “A high level of noise (85 dB), on the other hand, hurts creativity.”The impact of music on productivity is discussed in a piece in Business NewsDaily that looks at the kinds of music that increase or decrease productivity, and what kind of tasks can be affected by music. So, before you press PLAY, here’s how to make the ideal playlist that will be most beneficial for you and your brain.
How To Make Your Own Productivity Playlist And See How Music Affects Productivity
Slow Music To Begin
As you begin your day, start with music that gently pulls you out of your sleepy trance and brings you to work. Start ‘work mode’ with any music that you find relaxing and gentle. It should gradually put you in the mood for the tasks at hand, as you cannot jump into being productive first thing in the morning. But that doesn’t mean the music should put you back to sleep either. Anything that wakes you up can be your version of ‘slow’.
Motivational Pump Of The Day
You have to transition from slow to a ‘power’ song that can energise you. Ideally, it can be any fast-paced song that you know and love. The song will help activate your brain and motivate you to be productive. Your power song doesn’t really need to be a fast-paced song, as long as the familiarity gives you more energy and enthusiasm. It’s also suggested in The Guardian that adding “power songs at strategic points in the playlist, such as right when the day starts, while transitioning between tasks, and as the day ends, can help maintain motivation’’.
Should You Be Adding Songs With Lyrics?
Rethink songs with lyrics. If you’re doing anything that seems repetitive and doesn’t call for significant brainpower, music with lyrics can be a healthy distraction, providing a kind of relief from the monotony of work.
But if you are trying to focus on or learn something, it’s best to skip the lyrics. Lyrics have the tendency to draw attention to the song, preventing you from fully focusing on the task at hand, thus compromising your work.
Don’t Be Rigid with Yourself
Creating a playlist for your work-from-home schedule should not seem like a chore. But it’s something that grows with time. You can keep adding and deleting songs depending on your mood. Therefore, the process itself, adding and arranging, gives you flexibility and keeps things fresh. Allow yourself the freedom to experiment with new sounds, take some out or bring new tunes in.
By following these steps you should be able to see how music affects productivity. It will be different for different people, so tweak it in ways that work best for you.
Types of Music To Help Boost Your Productivity
Classical Music
Classical compositions are said to help in relaxing the mind even when we don’t pay attention to the music. The Mozart Effect theory suggests that listening to classical musicians can enhance brain activity and act as a catalyst for improving health and well-being.
Nature Music
The soothing sounds of nature function as an effective medium between total silence and loud rhythmic music. Listening to sounds such as the flowing of water or waves crashing, help enhance cognitive function and concentration. These soft and ambient sounds calm the mind and improve focus.
Epic Music
This kind of music is anything that’s grandiose enough to make even a boring task feel like you are changing the world. It can be any intense film score or drama OST playing in the background heightening your concentration and productivity.
Music That You Enjoy
When in doubt, simply choose music that you love. Any task that you are not particularly excited about can turn into something fun with your favourite tunes providing the soundtrack for your life! They boost your mood and lower negativity and stress.
Pick The Best Kind Of Music To Boost Your Efficiency
While experts agree that music does affect productivity, finding the ‘right type’ of music to help us work better can be tricky. It really depends on individual tastes and work methods, as there might be times, when even the most calming music proves to be a distraction. This has to be tailor-made to your taste and ways of working. If silence helps you get your work done well and efficiently then, that’s your answer!
If you are easily distracted by music, keep grooving to your favourite number—as a reward to motivate yourself. But, if a playlist helps you tear through your work like a super-efficient beast, go all out and make a playlist and share it with us! And let us know if we’ve answered the question ‘how music affects productivity’. Tell us in the comments below—what is the kind of music that has affected your mood while working from home?
Also Read: Real-Life Lessons About Work From Home
