Best music for work, according to scientists

Sounds of nature

Recent research by scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic has shown Tuning the cognitive environment: Sound masking with “natural” sounds in open-plan offices that the presence of “natural” elements in music enhances overall mood and helps focus.

Sounds of nature, like white noise, well mask human speech, to which we are easily distracted, and also have a positive effect on cognitive function and concentration. Thanks to natural sounds, the overall satisfaction of the test subjects increased steadily during work.

By the way, in addition to the chirping of birds and the sounds of rain, which are most often associated with natural ones, the murmur of the stream also causes a beneficial effect. According to the same studies, mountain stream noise is also included in the category of attention-enhancing sounds.

It doesn't matter if you listen to a recording of exclusively nature sounds or turn on music containing these elements: both options will have a positive effect.

Finding the sounds of nature is quite simple by the corresponding request, for example, on YouTube.

Favorite songs

Each of us has a certain number of tracks that we like more than others. It is useful to compose such a playlist, because it is the music we love that helps many of us work better. This is the conclusion reached by Teresa Lesiuk, who works as part of the music therapy program at the University of Miami:

“Stress forces us to make hasty decisions, and the area of attention is significantly reduced. Improving your mood through music allows you to look at things more broadly and consider more options."

Interestingly, favorite music has the greatest effect in cases where a person has not yet become a pro in his work: listening to his favorite songs allowed such subjects to complete tasks faster and generate better ideas.

Music you don't care about

The perception of the environment changes from person to person. A study by a Taiwanese university confirms Effects of background music on concentration of workers. A certain number of people, when listening to the most and least attractive music for them, react with a decrease in concentration. This is exactly the case when, having heard your favorite track, you forget about everything and completely go into it. If you observe a similar reaction to your favorite and hated music, then include the most neutral compositions that do not evoke expressed emotions in you.

Instrumental music

Words are distracting. According to Cambridge Sound Management's Sound Masking Studies and References, noise in general cannot be blamed for the drop in performance. It is the words that distract us, because a person, hearing speech, inevitably switches from the current activity and begins to listen to the topic of the conversation. This is our social nature, and 48% of the subjects were exposed to this phenomenon.

We can be distracted by any spoken words, regardless of whether we hear them in the office noise or in a song playing on headphones. Have you noticed how sometimes you find yourself listening to the text of a track? This is exactly the case. Instrumental music will help those who are prone to sticking to lyrics. No words, no distraction.

Baroque music

The effect of listening to music depends on its tempo. Canadian researchers discovered Exposure to music and

cognitive performance: tests of children and adults that the subjects are better at passing IQ tests to more dynamic music, and is a favorite here. The same conclusion was reached by Baroque Classical Music In The Reading Room May Improve Mood And Productivity by a group of researchers from Baltimore University and Hospital, as well as the University of Philadelphia. Baroque music really helps you work better.

Another study by scientists from the Malaysian College of Engineering found Estimation of effects of alpha music on EEG components by time and frequency domain analysis a marked reduction in stress sensations and signs of physical relaxation when listening to music at a tempo around 60 beats per minute. In the musical vocabulary, the term "largetto" roughly corresponds to this tempo.

Average volume

The ideal volume is medium. Is it Noise Always Bad? Exploring the Effects of Ambient Noise on Creative Cognition scientists from four universities: studies have revealed a positive effect of listening to music at moderate volume on creative thinking.

According to these studies, both moderate and loud music help abstract thinking, but excessive volume interferes with the brain's processing of information.