12/5/2017 5 Types of Music That Increase Your Productivity, According to Science

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Dec 4 · 4 min read

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12/5/2017 5 Types of Music That Increase Your Productivity, According to Science

Photo credit: Lauren Mancke

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12/5/2017 5 Types of Music That Increase Your Productivity, According to Science

5 Types of Music That Increase Your
Productivity, According to Science
Music has a way of permeating through empty corners and lling up
environments with substance. It can help you relax, make you well up
in tears, or feel alive.

But can it make you more productive?

We use music to set the tone of our environment and our mood,
whether we’re unwinding after work or throwing a party. But in an age
when many of us spend our time staring at a computer screen, music
has also become a mode of escape from outside distractions or dull
tasks.

So how useful is music when it comes to focusing on your work?

Let’s take a look at the science behind music and productivity.

Does Music Make You More Productive?
Teresa Lesiuk, an assistant professor in the music therapy program at
the University of Miami, does research on the e ect of music listening
on work performance. According to Dr. Lesiuk’s research, those who
listened to music completed their tasks more quickly and had better
ideas than those who didn’t overall.

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12/5/2017 5 Types of Music That Increase Your Productivity, According to Science

But there are some types of music that worsen productivity. Several
studies have shown that popular music interferes with reading
comprehension and information processing.

Based on these studies then, music can have a positive e ect in your
work. However, its e ect on productivity depends on the situation and
type of music.

So, What Type of Music Doesn’t Work?
When I work, I nd it very hard to concentrate when people are talking.
Similarly, listening to music with lyrics is almost as distracting.

It turns out I’m not alone. Music can be considered a form of multi-
tasking, where the listener is switching back and forth between a task
and the music, as opposed to the music simply playing a background
role.

Once again, this depends on the type of music and the listener’s habits.
Dr. Haake does research on music listening at work, and she identi ed
certain factors that could determine whether music is distracting:

• Complex musical structure. Songs with a more complex musical

structure, such as Frank Zappa’s “Mu n Man” can be more
distracting to listeners when compared to songs with a simple
three-chord structure, such as John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet
Plane”.

• Lyrics. Lyrics can distract, as they cause you to focus on the

message of the song and interrupt your train of thought.

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12/5/2017 5 Types of Music That Increase Your Productivity, According to Science

• Listening habits. If someone is used to listening to music while

working, it’s often more bene cial than distracting. The reverse is
true as well.

• Di culty of tasks. If a task requires more thought and focus,

music can make it more di cult to work e ciently.

• Control. When music is imposed upon someone, it’s usually more

distracting than if the person has a choice in the matter.

While it’s not a one-size- ts-all scenario, there are certain types of
music that are better to listen to while you work. Let’s look at their
e ects and how they impact you.

What Type of Music Works?

photo credits (from left to right): Larisa Birta, Lukasz Szmigiel, Pro Image Photography

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12/5/2017 5 Types of Music That Increase Your Productivity, According to Science

1. Classical Music
When we think of classical music, composers such as Bach, Vivaldi, and
Handel come up in our thoughts. In a study, seven out of eight
radiologists found that baroque music increased mood and
concentration on their work. If you’re looking for where to begin, try
Vivaldi’s quick-tempo “Four Seasons”.

Four Seasons ~ Vivaldi

2. Nature Music
Listening to the sounds of nature can enhance cognitive function and
concentration. Soothing sounds such as owing water, rainfall, and

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rustling leaves work well, while jarring noises such as birdcalls and
animal noises can be distracting.

3. Epic Music
Epic music can make you feel like you’re doing something grandiose to
change the world. It empowers and lifts you up. So if you’re feeling
tired and uninspired during your work, try listening to some epic music
to give you that extra boost of motivation.

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4. Video Game Music
Music from video games is a great choice because the compositions are
speci cally designed to enhance your gaming experience. After all, it’s
pretty crucial you dodge that re, or skillfully maneuver your way
through hordes of enemies. For starters, try the Bastion soundtrack, or
one of the SimCity soundtracks, to name a few.

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5. Ambient soundtracks
If you’re feeling stressed out at work, give ambient music a try. As Brian
Eno, creator of Music for Airports, says:

“Ambient music must be able to accommodate many levels of listening

attention without enforcing one in particular; it must be as ignorable as it
is interesting.”

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12/5/2017 5 Types of Music That Increase Your Productivity, According to Science

Other Types of Music
There’s a number of other types of music you can listen to during work,
such as meditation music, blues, or jazz, to name a few. If you just want
to get rid of your chatty coworkers or the nearby printer, use “white
noise” to cancel them out.

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Experiment and see what works. Soft and mellow may help you to
focus on your work, while a high energy piece can keep you motivated.

And of course, there are those times when silence is golden.

Let’s Connect
Want to become more productive? Then check out my guide How to Get
Anything You Want.

Click here to get the guide.

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