What to listen to: 20 tracks for productive work

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Music can be productive, all you need to do is find the right playlist.

Tracks for productive work

Some of the more common audio choices for work are: choose music without words, use songs with predictable and simple refrains, listen to video game soundtracks and listen to popular songs. This is what we were guided by when choosing 20 songs for this playlist.

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How music contributes to productivity

Results of the study The effect of music listening on work performance. conducted by Teresa Lesik, assistant professor of music therapy at Winsor University, suggests that music primarily influences the mood of employees. And only then they, joyful and filled with dopamine, break productivity records and leave the workplace in a cheerful mood.

But with this relationship, everything is not as simple as it seems at first glance. Not every profession will experience positive changes in productivity when listening to music. First of all, music helps those who are engaged in physical, not intellectual work.

Research Music - an aid to productivity. confirm the thesis about the positive role of music in industrial production, even if it has to coexist with the noise of instruments and machine tools. When routine tasks are repetitive, the music makes them more fun to complete.

There is no need to think about the benefits of music if we are talking about working in a large and noisy office. Experiment The effect of speech and speech intelligibility on task performance. conducted by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Hygiene has shown that human speech affects cognitive performance more negatively than static noise. High-quality headphones that do not transmit ambient noise are a salvation for an employee in an open space.

What kind of music is right for the job

Here, as in the choice of music for any other task, everything is purely individual. But some recommendations can still be worked out.

Don't forget about the correct volume. Experiment Is Noise Always Bad? Exploring the Effects of Ambient Noise on Creative Cognition. conducted at Oxford University, confirmed that employees listening to music at a moderate volume (70 dB) are more productive than those who increase it to 85 dB or, conversely, listen to music at 50 dB or lower.

Instrumental music

Speech negatively affects productivity when listening to songs with words. This is especially true for music, where the words are easy to make out, and they are sung in their native language. Therefore, if your work is related to verbalics, postpone listening to Russian-language compositions for later.

Music from video games

Listening to game soundtracks at work is quite logical, because they are usually written so as not to distract gamers from the game itself.

Monotonous music

If the refrains in music are simple, there is no complex structure, key changes and other unpredictable turns, then it is ideal for work that requires concentration and involvement. For example, ambient or chillwave will do.

Familiar music

If we like music, then it brings more joy. Moreover, such compositions will be more predictable, because you have already heard them. True, one of the studies is Effects of background music on concentration of workers. shows that it is better not to overdo it with personal preferences either - it may be worth choosing something pleasant and neutral.

Sounds of nature

According to research by Tuning the cognitive environment: Sound masking with “natural” sounds in open-plan offices., published in the Journal of the American Acoustic Society, natural sounds also have a beneficial effect on productivity. Soft and unobtrusive background noise is what you should aim for. Various selections with sounds of nature can help with this.

Listen to a selection with the sounds of nature on Yandex. Music →

Listen to a selection with sounds of nature on Apple Music →

Listen to a selection with sounds of nature on Google Play →

What to use to listen to music at work

Headphones

For a personal audio system for a noisy workspace, it is best to use closed, full-size headphones - they provide the most complete sound isolation. Consider the Philips SHB9850NC with solid sound and ActiveShield Pro ™ active noise cancellation.

Two 40-mm radiators are responsible for the sound in SHB9850NC, and headphones work via Bluetooth and AUX-interface. Thanks to its closed nature and smart noise cancellation system, ambient sounds will not interfere with your listening to music, and what you listen to will not cause discomfort to people nearby.

Combine that with the convenience of cushioned ear cushions, interaction with voice assistants, and the ability to fold the SHB9850NC for compact portability, and you've got a great city headphone that's great in noisy office environments.

Loudspeakers

Little is required from office acoustics: good loud sound and compactness, which allows you to comfortably place the device on an office table. A great option is the Philips EverPlay BT7900 wireless Bluetooth speaker with two 1.5-inch active speakers.

The speaker is equipped with two active and two passive radiators, producing balanced and clear sound, and the power of 14 watts is enough to fill the music of the average office.