- Do you listen to music at work?
Many of us like to listen to music at work. For some, it is a source of motivation and for others, it helps to improve their concentration level. There is also a section of people who think listening to music is a distraction and hampers their productivity. But going by a few pieces of research, listening to music can be beneficial at work, depending upon the kind of task you are doing.
- The research
Simone Ritter from Radboud University in the Netherlands, and Sam Ferguson from the University of Technology in Australia tried to study how listening to different genres of music affected one’s thought process in comparison to working in silence.
- Where it exactly helps
The researchers concluded that listening to happy music helped improving participants’ ‘divergent thinking’, which basically indicates creative thought process.
- Where music isn’t of much help!
However, the study found that music had no impact on one’s convergent thinking, that is problem-solving and logical one.
- Another study
Another study was done at the University of Miami also suggested that people who listened to music completed the tasks more quickly and gave better ideas than those who did not.
- Choose the right music
However, the researchers suggest choosing the right type of music helps in determining your work productivity. For instance, songs with complicated or unheard lyrics can be distracting because the listener might start focusing on the message of the songs. Similarly, if you are listening to a song for the first time, it is obvious that you will pay attention to it as well while working.
- Try listening to these!
Instead of harsh and high-pitched music, listening to soothing music (like classical) that does not have much lyrics or the ones that have natural sounds (there are hundreds of options available online) can be beneficial.
- Does it motivate you?
If you are not one of those who enjoys listening to music while working, research suggests listening to uplifting music before starting your work or during breaks is also a great stress buster and helps in motivating oneself. However, the benefits of listening to music vary from individual to individual and despite all the scientific evidence, many people are more productive while working in complete silence.