We’ve all had those days when you can feel your body and brain moving slowly, and certainly not as fast as you need it to be. You pop in some headphones, press play, and before you know it, you’re focused more than ever, checking things off your to-do list in no time!
Sometimes, a little caffeine and some good tunes are all we need to be productive, and here’s why!
Music makes you happy
When we listen to music, especially music that brings us joy, it improves our mood and makes us happy. When we feel happy, it’s easier to complete tasks faster than if on the flip side.
Music also has the capability to release dopamine, reducing stress and anxiety, which is also an important factor to consider when completing tasks. Because when we feel less stressed or anxious, we’re able to focus better.
Music improves performance
Think about the fact that when most people work out or exercise, they use music. Why? To help motivate them! According to a study, music improves performance by increasing the ability to exercise longer and harder. The same applies to work. People use music to help get them excited for their work and to motivate themselves because sometimes, you just need a little extra push to help keep you going.
Music familiarity
When you have a song you like, you listen to it over, and over, and over again. And each time, it probably “never gets old.” There may be memories tied to those songs; good, happy times, or simply you just enjoy the song so much you can’t stop listening to it. Studies show that songs or music that we are familiar with are most beneficial to our focus and productivity, as they trigger a certain part of the brain that elicits strong emotions, thus improving concentration. It takes more work for our brains to listen and put together the pieces of new sounds and music.
Music in between tasks could also affect productivity
If you’re completing a task that requires silence and complete focus, there’s a chance that music may be too distracting, so you decide to veer away from it at that moment. You finish your first take, and have another one to complete right after that, but find yourself struggling to stay focused in the second task. Consider listening to music in between tasks instead of rushing to the next! Studies have shown that listening to music in between tasks can still improve your mental performance, and allow you to concentrate on a task for a longer period of time.
The downfall of music
At some point, you’ve probably noticed when you’re simultaneously listening to music and working that you’re getting more distracted from the music- your thoughts are becoming jumbled together and you can’t even hear yourself think. Ever wondered why? It’s because sometimes music isn’t always beneficial to focusing. Studies show that background music with lyrics can reduce our mental performance because it’s too distracting (though instrumental music can help!). The majority of “Focus” music out there are sounds rather than lyrics, and it all makes sense!
Although music with lyrics can sometimes be detrimental to concentration, (depending on the task), the benefit of music on productivity outweighs the negatives. All of us at SocialSurge enjoy listening to music while working, so please enjoy a few of our favorite focus playlists that will hopefully help you get those tasks hammered out too!
Eric: Mint, Happy Beats, Lofi Hip Hop Music – Beats to Relax/study to
Kevin: Lofi Rain – Lofi Sleep, RapCaviar, Amazon Rainforest Music, August Burns Red Radio
Maddie: Ultimate Indie, Brain Food, Chill Tracks