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Contents
Music to Listen To While Working
Getting your work done with headphones on is not as simple as hitting play. Below are some suggestions from the experts on what music to listen to while working!
Regardless of your profession and whether you are working from home or sharing an office space, there’re days when we all need a bit of extra help to pump ourselves up or tighten our concentration. That is where the right kind of music comes in handy. The right playlist at the appropriate time can transform a dull day into dope. Additionally, quality music also can connect you with the moment and help you reduce stress and anxiety.
Now let’s discuss the theory behind music and productivity!
Can Listen To Music Increase Your Productivity?
The answer, in a nutshell, is “it could.” Some studies indicate that listening to music while working is increases multitasking skills, which many believe isn’t optimal for productivity. Research conducted by the University of Miami has found that people who listen to music while working get things done more quickly and have more creative ideas than those who don’t.
However, it doesn’t mean that every type of music helps boost productivity levels. Some music types can badly affect your productivity. Based on these findings, music can positively impact your work. But the effectiveness of the music you listen to entirely depends on the type of music and the situation.
Benefits of Listening to Music While Working
Here’re some benefits of listening to music while working:
· It Makes You Feel Upbeat
There are days when both life and work feel drab. If you feel low and bored, playing a happy tune can make you feel better and turn tedious tasks more appealing.
· It Elicits Positive Emotions
It is natural to feel more efficient and productive when you are happy. The right kind of tunes can make your workday more exciting. People who listen to music while working may feel happier than people who do not listen to music.
· It Keeps the Noise Away
If you’ve ever worked in a shared office space with an open floor plan or in a crowded place, you have probably been driven up by the wall because of the noise. Putting a pair of earphones on and listening to your favorite music can keep these distracting noises away, so you can better focus on your tasks.
Type of Music You Should Avoid Listening to While Working
It is highly recommended to avoid listening to music while working that can challenge your brain. For instance, I cannot work and cannot concentrate on my tasks when talking around. Similarly, listen to music with lyrics can distract your thoughts.
Moreover, a complex form of music can also jumble your brain and force it to work overtime. That being said, what you consider as “complex music” depends on the boredom factor. Consider the following factors to determine whether the music is distracting or not:
- Music with complex structure, such as “Muffin Man by Frank Zappa” can distract your thoughts compared to music with straightforward three-chord structure, such as “Leaving on a Jet Plane by John Denver.“
- If you feel comfortable listening to music while working, it will be beneficial for you than distracting. However, if you aren’t used to listening to music while working, it can be distracting.
- The lyrics of a song can easily distract your thoughts. It is because they force you to concentrate on the message of the music instead of your tasks.
- Listening to music while working can make it hard for you to work effectively if your work is intricate and require more thoughts and focus
Music is not one-size-fits-all. There are types of music that you can listen to while working to increase your productivity.
So, if you are looking for music to increase your productivity, check out the fantastic playlists listed below.
What Type of Music Should You Listen To While Working?
1. Classical Music
One of the most praised music pieces to listen to while working to increase productivity is the Mozart Effect. Studies after studies indicate that listening to classical music help people to focus and learn. For example, one of the studies stated that students who listen to classical music during lectures learn faster than those who attend the same lecture without music.
However, some studies suggest listening to classical music or any other complex music is only beneficial for simple tasks rather than complex ones.
Why should you listen to game music while working?
Listening to classical music while working can make you feel fresh and happy. The slow tunes of classical music create a calming effect when you struggle to go through your workday. It is because the release of dopamine blocks the stress and makes your mood happy.
Apart from making your mood happy, classical music also has the power to lower blood pressure, improve memory, and boost higher emotional intelligence. Some other benefits you can reap by listening to classical music include less stress and anxiety, better sleep, and improved focus.
Examples of Classical Music
- Salzburg Symphony No.1 (Divertimento in D Major): The extensive interplay between violins will boost your efficiency and alertness.
- Canon in D – Pachelbel: Listen to this energetic soundtrack if you want to concentrate more on your tasks.
- Goldberg Variations – Bach: Goldberg Variations is a classical masterpiece. The deep, precise, and discipline structure will keep you motivated throughout your workday.
2. Video Game Soundtracks
It is all about what type of music motivates and distracts you when picking the right type of video game soundtrack. For instance, if you are the one who feels pumped up and motivated while listening to high-energy soundtracks, rhythm game music, such as one from Thumper of Klang, could be the best option.
On the flip side, if you need to concentrate and be calm, the tracks from exploring games, such as ABZU and Journey, could do the trick. However, with tons of video games released every year, it is easy for you to find a soundtrack that suits your ears.
While playing a video game, you are required to focus so that you can make it to the next level. You have to avoid obstacles, traps and discover tools to hit the next level. It means video game soundtracks are often very strategic, reflecting epic and inspiring cinematic rather than primary sound effects. If you want to be precise, consider listening to game music while working.
Why should you listen to game music while working?
There’re plenty of good reasons you should listen to gaming music even if you aren’t a gamer. For example, it has the potential to improve your concentration, motivate you, and increase your productivity.
According to scientific research, gaming music can stimulate the human brain. Listening to gaming music is an excellent way to make your workday more fruitful and rewarding while also keeping the stress and anxiety away. Another study suggests that nine out of ten people perform much better at work when listening to gaming music.
Examples of Gaming Music
Some great examples of gaming music to listen to while working include:
- HALO: Gaming music like HALO is an excellent pick for getting through work. Even if you are working on simple tasks, the music will make you feel like working on some epic tasks.
- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: If you find your tasks stressful and tiresome, considering listening to this fantastic gaming soundtrack.
- Legend of Zelda: 25th Anniversary Orchestra: If you need some inspiration while working, listen to this beautiful music to get some cinematic treatment.
3. Ambient Music
Do your tasks require you to be creative? Are you building a product from scratch? Do your work requires you to build up new ideas? If yes, you should consider listening to ambient music while working. According to research, it is suggested that listening to ambient soundtracks enhances the performance and makes you more efficient for creative tasks.
Listening to ambient music at a moderate level keeps the noise in the background and doesn’t distract your thoughts. The ambient sound encourages the brain to process more stimuli, promoting abstract reasoning and boosting creativity. However, make sure not to volume up the ambient music as it can reduce the capability to process creativity. Ambient playlists are a piece of great music to listen to while working.
Why should you listen to ambient music while working?
Ambient music is one of the growing music production fields for stress and anxiety reduction and concentration. The music makes you feel fresh and relaxed because of the inclusion of nature-based sounds, such as rain, ocean waves, and wind.
It’s popular among people of all ages. It boosts our mood and encourages creativity. The music provides comfort while also stimulating the brain. Playing it in the background helps to create a collaborative environment and reduce stress.
Examples of ambient music
- The Echelon Effect: If you need some inspiration while working on getting through your workday, consider listening to this music.
- Soil by Terre Thaemlitz: It is another beautiful ambient tune that you can listen to while working to increase your concentration.
- Biosphere by Substrata: Another gorgeous ambient tune that will help you increase your speed and accuracy while you are at work.
4. Nature Sounds
Who doesn’t want to spend some time in nature? Spending time out to listen to nature sounds offers exceptional physical benefits. Listening to nature sounds even when you have many tasks pending can help you increase your efficiency, boost your mood, and encourage concentration.
A research carried by New York’s Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute indicates that relaxed nature sounds, such as ocean waves, wind, and rainfall, can help workers to complete their tasks with preciseness and efficiently. Apart from helping workers perform better and stay on their tasks, listening to nature sounds also makes them feel optimistic about the environment. It might also have a pleasant impact on cognitive abilities.
If you think nature sounds like mountain streams and ocean waves aren’t helping you stay on your tasks, consider listening to your favorite upbeat album. However, while listening to nature music, it is essential to use nature sounds that suit your mood, encourage positivity, and boost your productivity. Moreover, the sound shouldn’t be frogs or birds calls and shouldn’t be played too loudly.
Nature music is one of the best music to listen to while working to reduce stress and anxiety.
Benefits of listening to nature sounds
- Listening to nature sounds isn’t only beneficial to concentrate on your tasks, it also encourages good sleep.
- It boosts your creativity, mood, and productivity, so you can get more done in a short time.
- People who listen to nature music feel positive and happy.
- Softwaves: It reduces stress and anxiety and keeps you motivated when you have a lot of work pending.
- Exotic Jungle: The tune will help you to concentrate on your work.
- Flowing Water: It will help you to come up with new ideas and be more creative.
Examples of Nature Sounds
5. Pump Up Songs
Have you ever wondered why athletes arrive at stadiums wearing a pair of headphones? Well, it is because high-power playlists pump them up and boost their speed and accuracy. These playlists encourage you to be more productive and perform better. When you need some motivation, the right playlist also keeps you engaged and focused on your goals and objectives.
High-power music like pump-up songs makes you feel like a hero of your own story. Whether you want to kick ass at a presentation, work out, or want to finish your tasks, you can play these powerful tunes to inspire yourself.
These powerful songs’ bass sounds will make you feel like a film protagonist, where you are the winner. Moreover, it is a fact that bass-heavy music also makes you feel more powerful and motivated.
Examples of Pump Up Music
- Bad Girl by M.I.A: The tune will make you feel you are the best. Whether you’re preparing yourself to go for a presentation or deliver a speech, it will take you where you want to be.
- Break Free by Ariana Grande: If you feel disappointed and need some motivation, listen to this song. Use this tune as a motivation source when preparing yourself to defy the odds to climb above and beyond expectations.
- Get Ready for This by 2 Unlimited: It is among the most popular pump-up songs. The tune is used before sports events. Press the play button, and you will feel like you can achieve whatever you want.
6. Instrumental Music
Instrumental music is among the best music to listen to while working. In 2015, two researchers from the University of Tennessee found that people who listen to sedative tunes while working get the job done more precisely and efficiently than those who listen to lyrical music. Instrumental music also creates a focus-inducing and helpful environment.
Lyric-free music (instrumental music) also promotes positivity, and happiness, and encourages concentration. It is because instrumental music stimulates the mind and breaks the silence without creating any distraction.
Moreover, instrumental music concentrates on producing a mood rather than entertainment, which is great for workers. It also helps to reduce the stress and anxiety you have accumulated throughout the day. However, instrumental tunes aren’t one-size-fits-all, as they do not work for everyone.
For instance, if you find multitasking hard, listening to instrumental music might distract your thoughts while focusing. But, it can help you to learn new things at a more manageable rate. One of the best benefits of instrumental music is you won’t mistakenly type the lyrics while working as the only tune you will hear is your own voice.
Examples of Instrumental Music
- The Edge by David McCallum: It is an excellent tune to boost your efficiency and productivity.
- No Regrets by Masta Ace: One of the best songs that helps you crave new ideas and enhance your creativity.
- I.A by Missin’ Linx: It encourages concentration and increases preciseness.
Wrapping Up
There are many other types of music you can listen to while working. It includes blues, jazz, meditation tunes, and more. If you want to escape from your chatty colleagues to focus on your tasks, hit the play button and listen to your favorite music. If you have any other music that you think can help to increase productivity, creativity, and efficiency, write a comment below
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