Fact: Listening to Music Boosts Concentration and Makes You More Productive
Music lovers won’t be very surprised to learn that a tune in your ear can help with all sorts of things – motivation, energy, and emotions.
However, two of the most exciting modes we can flip on with the help of music are concentration and productivity. Listening to a little bit of Bach has been known for a long time to help study or work, as you may well have heard.
Interestingly, it’s not just classical music that supports focus and productivity—different music genres offer unique benefits. Even for simpler activities, like playing an engaging online slot game, music enhances the overall experience. While the visuals are captivating, the audio elements truly bring the game to life and elevate the enjoyment. Just browse through AussieCodes’ selection of casinos offering no deposit free spins, and you’ll see what we mean.
Can music boost concentration?
The human attention span is a variable thing, unique to each person, and even has cultural and temporal differences. In a Reels-led world, we’re always torn between deep attention and those short few seconds we can spare. For those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a shortened attention span is even more pronounced. But can music help us concentrate? Science says… maybe?
There are numerous studies on the effects of background music on students’ ability to study, or for workers to do their work. The results of the studies found that music like or dislike significantly impacted attention, lyrics interfere with the ability to pay attention, and music with higher levels of “intensity” affects people’s ability to concentrate too. This lends itself to the classic music for studying trope – that lyricless, slower music is best for concentration. However, in the studies, typically people have the best attention when there is silence.
Of course, it’s not always possible to get silence in the workplace or at school, when there are distracting noises going on left and right. That’s why putting on your headphones and playing a little low, instrumental playlist might work well if you’re feeling distracted. Check out this Apple focus playlist for a sneak peek.
Musical inspiration for productivity
While concentration is one thing, productivity is another. While concentration is necessary for productivity, speed is the other factor at play here. Can music make an impact on productivity, too?
Anyone who’s stepped onto a treadmill and started running to the beat will know that repetitive tasks are aided by a strong track. In this way, it makes sense that repetitive work tasks can also be aided by music if tasks can be performed to the beat.
While it can be counterproductive to listen to music while reading, especially if the music has lyrics, in other academic tasks such as writing and answering questions then music can be played if it feels right for productivity.
Of course, if productivity is your aim, you will need a high-tempo playlist. People typically perform well with instrumental electronic music when both concentration and productivity are required – if it’s not too distracting.
Other ways that music can help your psyche
Music is known to be one of the arts of the soul. For effects on the psyche, you can use music to:
- Improve your mood – with upbeat, catchy lyrics, or a favourite old song, music can significantly lift your mood to help get you out of that funk.
- Reduce stress and anxiety – by listening to soothing, relaxing music, like spa music or Enya, you can sometimes calm your nerves or relax after a stressful day, especially when paired with other self-care practices.
- To boost your confidence – putting on a song with strong, powerful, embodied lyrics can help you to also feel more confident in yourself or step into that zone.
- Emotional processing – when it is difficult to process big emotions, music can be used as a tool to help pry them out, such as releasing the tears after grief by listening to sad songs
- To fall asleep – the number of sleep playlists on the internet that have peaceful music and not just white noise shows that music does indeed help some people to fall asleep.
Playlists for Each of Your Needs
While you can seek out other people’s playlists for work or study, it can be even better to put together your playlists – which will make sure that you don’t have any of the stuff you don’t like. Once you find some appropriate instrumental artists, take a look at their back catalogues and similar artists in their genre for more inspiration.
If you like what you put together, make sure to make your playlists shareable for family, friends, and colleagues to enjoy. Hey, you never know, a stranger might get something out of it, if you make that playlist public, too!
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