Listening to music while you work: Yes or No?

27 de August, 2019

If you have headphones in your ears and are thinking of starting to read this text, don’t take them out just yet. It was written with music, it’s about music and so it makes sense to read it to the sound of music. But after all, are rhythms and melodies good influences at work or not? Do you feel more productive when you accompany your daily tasks with a good dose of beats or singing? Between notes, sounds and scores, find out why in this text.

Are you in the office? How many colleagues are around you working with headphones in their ears? Some listen to classical music, others opt for electronic instrumentals. And there are those who prefer the usual classic rock or pop songs resonating through their headphones. But does music really help concentration and increase productivity? More than a help, music is a source of motivation. Depending on the role we play in our daily lives, there are sounds that easily contribute to greater concentration, but there are also those that take our focus away. The trick is to find the right tune for you.

How do you choose the perfect melody?

“Everyone is different” goes the saying, and in this case it applies perfectly. The ideal music for you may not be the one that works best for the colleague next to you. That’s why the trick is to find that style and set of sounds that help you concentrate the most. Even so, science is far from exact and, depending on the task you’re doing, it’s very likely that the music will change. Did you know that when you need to be 100% focused to write a text like this, for example, you don’t want to listen to unfamiliar music? If you’re listening to a song for the first time, your brain tends to focus on the new stimuli that sound provokes. The next thing you know, your concentration has left you and you’re somewhere lost in the rhythms of thought. That’s why, when writing emails or reading important documents, you might want to avoid songs with lyrics. However, for those who can’t tolerate instrumentals, there is also a solution! Playlists with foreign music, in languages you don’t understand, or even in languages that don’t exist at all, can be a good starting point.

And when music serves as an escape from the noise around us?

The phones won’t stop ringing, your colleagues are busy and the meeting rooms are full? Take a deep breath, put on your headphones and relax! By listening to your favorite music, you’ll be able to refocus on your work and, more importantly, reduce your stress levels. After all, sound has a clear effect on each and every one of us.

From psychological to cognitive or behavioral, music has a huge influence on our state of mind. The right melody can make you happy or sad, concentrated or relaxed and even scared. Have you ever put on a record at home and almost gone over the edge because you forgot to adjust the volume? It happens to everyone… not least because without music, life and everyday life are much harder to get through. What are you listening to now? Have you found the right beat to accompany your to-do list today?

Should you listen to music while you work? Definitely! But the right music at the right time.