Do you listen to music while you’re working? I love listening to music when I’m working because I feel like I am more creative and productive. I like to listen to soft music, nothing too loud or fast tempo or I lose my focus.
To be honest, the one time I actually get to listen to my music is when I am writing (#busymomlife). I either turn on Pandora and play my “Nina Simone Radio” or “Classical Music for Studying Radio.” I also really enjoy listening to instrumental hip-hop music from various YouTube channels. Chill Hop is my go-to YouTube channel for chill music.
Listening to Music at Work Helps You Stay Productive…Sometimes
This Life Hacker article by Kevin Purdy discusses “The Mozart Effect” and if listening to music really helps you stay productive. It depends, Purdy says.
“So the real answer turns out to be, unfortunately, ‘it depends.’ It depends on whether your office or workspace is noisy enough that a good kind of noise or music is preferable to the natural cacophony. It depends on your personal attention span, and how likely you are to fiddle with controls versus letting a music stream trickle past your ears.” —Kevin Purdy
Listening to New Music Can Make You Lose Your Focus
Derek Loosvelt wrote this article about how listening to music can make you more productive unless you’re listening to a song(s) for the first time.
“However, studies show that listening to new music, music you haven’t heard before and don’t know if you like yet, isn’t ideal since your mind will be focusing too much on what comes next in the music. Whereas when you listen to music you know well and like, you won’t be losing this type of concentration while listening.” —Derek Loosvelt
I agree with Loosvelt’s research findings that listening to new music while you’re working can be distracting. I have found when I listen to a new song, I lose my focus on the task I am trying to complete. I think this is why when I am writing, I prefer more instrumental music over music with lyrics.
But if I am familiar with the music lyrics, then it doesn’t really bother much. I guess it’s just like Loosvelt wrote in his article: “it makes sense to do what works for you.”
What kind of music do you like to listen to when you’re working?
Here are a few artists I listen to when I’m working.
Also, check out: Aretha, Queen of Soul and 5 Motown Classics That Remind Apropos of Summertime in the D.
OMG! Me too! I love Nina Simone. And I’ve always been in love with Jazz and soul. I have like 4 playlist in my Spotify about jazz and soul. I also like the some Ghibli piano relax from youtube. 🙂