With countless numbers of music genres out there, there are only a few that top our lists. We create playlists to listen to in our cars, on the subway, in the kitchen, and at work. And in the busy work settings we find ourselves in today, turning on tunes can help eliminate distraction.
For me, I work in an open concept office where anything from a sales call to a rowdy game of foosball can throw off my concentration. And as a writer that's always on deadline, I like to put the earphones in and the music on to get my work done on time and without disruption.
Does music make you more productive at work?
An experiment recently conducted by Mindlab International included 26 participants who were asked to do a series of tasks such as spell checking, data entry, mathematical problem solving, and reasoning. Working in an office-based environment, each of the 26 were asked to either listen to background music or no music at all to determine which was more productive.
The research showed that music does boost work productivity by speeding up the completion of tasks, and in a more efficient manner. Eighty-eight per cent of the participants completed the tasks accurately, and 81 per cent worked faster while listening to music.
Three genres that boost productivity
Outside of work, I'd say I'm more of a ÔÇÿ90s R&B kind-of-girl, (who doesn't want to blast some TLC in their car?). But at work, my playlist is the complete opposite. On a day when I have a lot of writing to do, I'll throw on some Norah Jones. And on a research or social media day, I'll put on some top-40.
The music genres we listen to at work vary from person to person, but the research shows that pop music works best for people to work faster, classical helps with problem solving, and ambient music for better concentration and efficiency.
So if you don't already listen to music in the office by now, maybe it's time to reconsider. You'll never know how productive you can be without trying!
Photo:Wavebreak Media Ltd./Thinkstock
Megan Santos is the staff writer for Jobpostings Magazine and Jobpostings.ca. She's a big time foodie with a love for books, basketball, and shoe shopping. Follow her on Twitter @megnifisantos.