5 Types of Music to Improve Concentration
We all work differently. Some of us work better out in the open with background noise, some of us work better in complete silence and some of us work better with a mix of both. The idea has been tossed around for years that listening to music while you work or study can either benefit or distract you from your productivity. The term “Mozart Effect” originated in 1993 when a research experiment was performed to see if listening to a Mozart piano sonata for 10 minutes impacted one’s performance. The study showed significantly higher relaxation and increased abstract reasoning abilities, however similar studies have been done since then and results have varied.
One of the main reasons we listen to music is that it creates emotion. The lyrics and wave patterns in music are relatable to our daily life. It makes us think about happy times, sad times, people we care about and so much more. When we listen to music, it simulates thoughts, connection and sometimes a new perspective. The emotion of a song can change our mood. When you listen to an upbeat song with a steady rhythm and heavy bass line, it can create positivity and motivation. When you listen to a song in a minor key with a somber melody and slow tempo, it can bring you down and remind you of negative feelings. Similarly, music is also a great distractor. When you’re on a long airplane flight and the baby next to you just won’t settle down – you can put music on to drown out the screaming.
So the question remains – does music improve productivity? We’ve seen the positives and negatives to music in our lives, but when it comes to the workplace, will it help you produce better results? Many research case studies have proven that the jury is still out on that question. People are all different, so we all work differently. However, from this research it has been determined that certain types of music can in fact enhance your work environment.
1. Classical Music
You’ve probably been told at some point in your life that classical music is the type of music that will increase your efficiency. For some of us, this notion might even bring up flashbacks to studying for the SATs and trying every possible solution to help bring our grades up. The reason classical music is deemed “most effective” is because pieces can be very distinctive and pair well with learning material, therefore increasing memory in students and workers. Additionally, classical music has been proven to reduce stress, therefore improving concentration.
2. Nature Sounds
There’s a reason sounds machines that release nature sounds like rainfall or ocean waves have become so popular to listen to when trying to sleep. Sounds of nature amplify cognitive function and concentration by soothing the listener. These sounds give off feelings of familiarity and peace, enhancing your environment and decreasing stress.
3. White Noise
White noise is most effective when you are looking to drown out noise. If you’re in the office (or maybe you have a communal membership at CG) and your coworkers are speaking too loudly on the phone or a workman is doing repairs on the building, white noise is a great way to silence all of the distracting noises
4. Instrumental Music
Similar to classical music, instrumental music is an effective listening tool as it does not have lyrics. Lyrical music has proven to be more distracting to listeners, as people are tempted to sing along and get wrapped up in remembering each verse, instead of focusing on their task at hand.
5. Pump Up Songs
As previously stated, music creates emotion. When we listen to songs, there’s factors within each piece that inhibits our state of mind. A 2014 study showed that “pump up music” created feelings of empowerment and motivation within the listen. These feelings allowed the listener to take initiative and step up in relevant situations with their new powerful state of mind that was influenced by the pump up song they heard earlier.
The choice is yours when it comes to your workday playlist. Each of us is different and works differently, so the type of music you listen to, or don’t listen to, is up to you! The good news regardless is at CommonGrounds Workplace, all of our offices are dual paned and acoustically enhanced so you can turn on your playlist for the day without bothering your neighbor (and without having to hear theirs).
