Let’s get productive–with music! Research has been showing for decades that music is not just for entertainment. It’s for the soothing of the spirit and soul. Music magically shifts moods, is used for therapy and stress relief. It is a universal language!
But that’s not all. Did you know that music is a beneficial tool to enhance your productivity on the job? Some types of music can also improve learning and is a means of blocking out distractions.
Other types of music are in sync with our brain waves. For those who struggle with productivity, don’t go anywhere.
Here are six music types that are known to increase productivity dramatically.
6. Classical Music
Classical music has been known for its effect on the brain and helps people perform tasks more efficiently. Several studies confirmed that listening to classical music is a catalyst for improving health and well-being.
Since words are absent in classical music, the genre is ideal if you want no distraction. Studies have shown that this genre helps students perform 12% better in their exams. Beethoven’s song, “Fur Elise,” helps students study longer and retain more information.
Here are some productivity-boosting selections:
- Bach Classical Study Playlist
- Classical music for studying: Mozart; Beethoven; Back Study Music for Better Concentration
- 6 hour Mozart Classical Music Studying Playlist: Great Beautiful Long Pieces
- Vivaldi’s Quick Tempo–“Four Seasons.”
5. Cinematic Music
Performing the most mundane task and listening to an epic cinematic score can make you feel like you are doing something important at NASA! Thus, you heighten your concentration and productivity.
An intense film score can uplift your mood and send your productive energy through the roof! When you’re feeling tired and need an energy boost, tune in to some epic cinematic music to lift you in grandiose motivation.
Cinematic music scores to listen to:
- “The Social Network”
- “Moon”
- “Lawrence of Arabia”
- “The Bourne Identity”
- “Cloud Atlas”
4. The Music of Nature
If you want to enhance your concentration and cognitive skills, put on some nature music. The sound of water crashing against a shoreline or a bubbling brook whispering to you is always relaxing. The soothing sounds of nature are the most effective ones, like rainfall or flowing water.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute researchers discovered that the sounds of nature enhance focus and moods. Employees were more productive and positive when nature music played in the background. Calming nature sounds also had a therapeutic effect on brain functions.
Here are nature sounds you need:
- Ocean waves and sounds
- Rainfall
- Water fountains
3. 50 And 80 Beats Per Minute
Researchers are at loggerheads over this one. Some studies suggest that this tempo music does not support productivity focus. Studies found, however, that music with 50 to 80 beats enhances and stimulates learning and gets your creative juices flowing.
Music written in the 50 to 80 beat range gets the brain in that alpha mode. That’s according to Dr. Emma Gray, a cognitive-behavioral skill therapist. We are in a beta state when we are awake. That’s our heightened state of alertness in brain activity of between 14 and 30 HZ. Then comes our relaxed alpha state of between 7 and 14 HZ, where we are open and receptive and less critical.
Scientists associate this state of mind with activities that involve our imagination. Also, intuitiveness and memory–this includes our Eureka moments! When you listen to music you are familiar with and do not hear the music anymore, you have tuned out and tuned in. That’s the classic alpha-induced state.
This playlist will get you there:
- “Mirror,” by Justin Timberlake
- “Last Goodbye,” by Jeff Buckley
- “The Lazy Song,” by Bruno Mars
- “Chasing Pavements,” by Adele
2. Video Game Music
You may think this a strange one, but video game music is a stimulus for getting creative and staying focused. The creators of video games designed them to involve all your senses in the process.
The music is composed, therefore, to keep you specifically engaged on the task of gaming. To the exclusion of all else! The music is typically quick of pace and keeps you moving forward to be a winner!
As a gamer, you subject yourself to stressful challenges in simulation. The games often involve solving puzzles and lock you in some intense battles, and so the creators must invest resources to find the right balance for the game and music.
As you navigate and evaluate your options through these games with their make-believe worlds, the music keeps you engaged and your brain focused. It’s no wonder then that the same music can propel you to focus and be engaged in your day-to-day activities.
Check out these selections:
- Battlefield One
- Halo
- Final Fantasy 7
- The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
1. Your Favorite Music
Your favorite music is always going to get you excited and push you to a higher place. You will be able to tackle projects you don’t enjoy with the help of music you enjoy. Experts found that personal choice of music is essential, especially for people who are not so skilled in the job at hand.
An assistant professor at the University of Miami, Teresa Lesiuk, did research revealing that those who listen to their favorite music complete their tasks faster and have better ideas than others. The particular genre of music improves their mood and helps boost creativity.
