There has been a lot of debate as to whether music is good for you during times you need to concentrate. While it can take away from concentrating, it also prevents you from focusing on the distractions going on around you. With so many people talking in an office and phones ringing, in theory, music should be able to help you with your focus. You control the beats and tempos you hear, and it’s just one level of noise as opposed to the world outside of your headphones.
There have been plenty of debates on whether music while working or studying can help your mind. While it’s suggested that silence is the best way to concentrate, when there are distractions around you, you might as well listen to music. It was once believed that Mozart would make you smarter, but perhaps that’s only when your mom plays it while you’re in her belly.
This was something psychologist Francis Rauscher had recommended and still believes in. Apparently, her research on music and the brain resulted in the theory that the right connection can improve special intelligence. Further to the study, you won’t get the benefits of Mozart if you dislike classical music. If you love Alice in Chains, you’re better off listening to them for similar effects.
Studies from the University of Birmingham found that music does effectively make you more efficient at repetitive work. If you’re just checking emails or working on spreadsheets, you’ll probably work faster when you have your favorite music bouncing through your brain. Brain power tasks are more challenging, but if you find the right playlist, it can also help your productivity. There is music that has been scientifically proven to improve your cognitive function. Check on YouTube for playlists that help you study better. There are tones and frequencies with relaxing music and the sounds of nature to promote your brain function. If you’re not into that, there are also benefits to rocking out. Here are some of the music options you might not believe will help you.
Music that Makes You Smarter
So one of the earliest studies with music and your cognitive performance was known as the “Mozart effect.” It was believed to make you smarter when you listened to Mozart while doing any task. The research done created a relation between the music of Mozart and the “special temporal reasoning.” This is the part of our brain that solves puzzles and knows how to fit things into other things. Classical music is said to improve results in exams. They are actually marketing Mozart as a brain charger in these modern times. I’m guessing that wasn’t what Mozart had in mind, but if classical music is something that moves you, try it out for greater brain power.
Helps You Focus and Improves Your Mood
The element of nature is said to boost your mood and focus. This makes sense when you consider the benefits of being outdoors. The next best thing is sounds of a creek and song birds in the background, right? The sounds of nature are great to fall asleep to, but that doesn’t mean they won’t work in an office. The sound of nature has the ability to mask intelligible speech while enhancing the functioning of your mind. This makes it easy for you to concentrate, and will allow you to have greater work satisfaction. Studies found that the sounds of nature didn’t distract their test subjects.
Sounds of nature can mask intelligible speech just as well as white noise while also enhancing cognitive functioning, optimizing the ability to concentrate, and increasing overall worker satisfaction, the researchers found. The mountain stream sound researchers used in their study also possessed enough randomness that it didn’t distract test subjects.
Makes You Happy which Extends to Everything You Do
You have full permission to listen to whatever music you want. Regardless of the rules of what stimulates your brain, playing your music will make you feel happy. When you’re happy, your brain also adapts to that in a positive way. So go ahead and listen to the most ear pounding, angry music you have, if that’s your jam.
A study on music therapy at the University of Miami found that people’s personal preference in music is important as anything else for productivity’s sake. This is especially true for those people that are moderately skilled at their position. The participants in the study who listened to their own music were quicker and more efficient at completing their jobs. They were also more innovative, coming up with better ideas than those who were forced to listen to music that wasn’t their choice.
When your favorite music makes you smile, that makes the rest of your body at ease. Reducing stress is an important way to work more efficiently. When you’re stressed out, your consciousness has a narrow way of viewing things so your choices aren’t always going to be as great. Making hasty decision based on anxiety isn’t a good practice. Often times, this can be to the detriment of your business.
If you think people around you don’t notice that extra spring in your step, you’re wrong. You will make better connections, and your day is more likely to go the way you want it to. Just listen to your favorite tunes on the way to work. If need be, take a minute and crank your favorite song in the middle of your day.
Shutting Out Other Noise in the Office Helps you Stay on Task
Do you like electronic house and heavy beats? This is your time to shine. Research in Cambridge found that it’s not noise that’s distracting, but how intelligible the words are. When you pump out the base and the multi-level sounds of fast electro tunes, you can maintain your focus. It also shuts out whatever voices are going on around you, so you can focus on your work. The same Cambridge study on noise said that speech is a distracting factor for up to 50% of office workers.
The next time you need to change your mood, focus in while shutting out the world with music. You may find it soothing to listen to more chilled out lounge music, nature sounds, or classical music. Whatever makes you feel uplifted can only help you more in a work environment.