Music is in our everyday lives, encouraging creativity, productivity, and self-expression through each note that floats through the air. It spurs us to create, but also helps us concentrate while relieving us of stress. That’s why music is beneficial to us when we work—it helps us learn and improve, blocks out distractions, and can even be the catalyst to solving an otherwise persistent problem in our lives. Certain genres of music work better than others if you want to use them to boost your productivity—here are a few of them.
Classical
Research has led us to what’s called the Mozart Effect, suggesting that listening to classical music enhances brain activity and improves people’s health and well-being. Studies have also confirmed that classical music enhances a person’s ability to manipulate shapes and solve spatial puzzles, making it a great genre to listen to while studying or working. The lack of words within the songs takes away some potential for distraction, and classical music, in general, is known for being calming and stress relieving.
Nature
When you can’t physically be outside and surround yourself with nature, putting on its sounds is proven to enhance both cognitive function and concentration. This doesn’t mean any sound will do; soothing sounds, like waterfalls or rain, work much better than otherwise jarring sounds, like bird calls. Nature sounds also work best to boost moods and focus—research from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has shown that sounds from nature made employees more productive and feel more positively while they worked.
Video Game
If nature and classical music aren’t up your alley, try listening to video game music instead. Contrary to what you might think, video game music is great for focusing because the music has been designed to help you concentrate in the first place. Video gaming is an experience meant for all of your senses, so when its music is made, the goal is to help you focus on your task rather than bombard you with sounds. The music is also fairly fast-paced, designed to keep you moving forward and engaged with the task at hand, so if slow-paced music isn’t your cup of tea, this will be perfect for you.