Music and Productivity

Music can be effective to our productivity as the music we play impacts our behavior. When deciding what sounds will fill our workday, we must get deliberate – test and tweak sounds until we find the perfect harmony that gets us into the rhythm of performance. Here’s a list of what you may want to try –

Repetitive Music

When a task is clearly defined and repetitive in nature, music makes it more enjoyable. It isn’t the music itself, but rather the improved mood our favorite music brings that give a boost in productivity.

Ambient Noise

Moderate noise level can get creative juices flowing, but loud noises can make difficult to concentrate. Specifically, deep basses and sweeping synths will do us more harm than good when engaging in deep work, so choose this type of music accordingly.

Music with Lyrics

For low-immersion or physical tasks, music with lyrics can offer huge benefits. However, when we are doing a language-related task, listening to lyrics would be like holding a conversation. Use this when cleaning the house or doing a creative project, but not for essays or reports.

Familiar Music

Music that we are familiar with due to constant listening is beneficial as well, particularly if we need to intensely focus on a project. When listening to new music (since we don’t know what to expect) will make us want to listen closely and thus distracting.