Music. Jams. Tunes. Jingles.
Whatever you prefer to call it, it’s a form of creativity that could perhaps stimulate creativity. Think about it.
It’s this question: Does background music spark productivity and get creative juices flowing, or is it simply a distraction?
It’s an interesting question to raise considering that listening to music is becoming increasingly prevalent in the workspace. This could be the case bearing in mind that many workers use computers or iPads for their job, making favorite tracks easy to access with Pandora, Spotify, iTunes, you name it.
Let’s be honest, if there is any way we can boost dreaded Mondays, improve boredom or even escape distracting office commotions, we seize it…willingly. This is where music could conceivably come into play.
Take a look at some facts and insight, both for and against the argument, and draw your own conclusion.
Music and Reading
Back in 2011, one study examined “the effect of background music on reading comprehension.” The findings revealed “listening to background instrumental music is most likely to disrupt reading comprehension when the music is fast and loud.” Listening to music while reading is considered multitasking, and although the act of multitasking is quite common, it may not be executed successfully by all. This study argues that, “the potential cost of background music listening for reading comprehension is that it places demands on attention.” On the other hand, the study also mentions a potential benefit of listening to background music, which is “it can enhance arousal levels and mood.”
Along these same lines, music with lyrics could potentially disrupt a worker trying to write a proposal or a blog post, for example. Once again, multitasking comes into play. We are processing the words of the song all while trying to organize our thoughts to craft a blog post. That’s a lot of language flying around in one brain.
Music and Loud Office Noise
The girl at the front desk is blabbing loudly about who knows what, and the dude in the cubicle next to you is talking to himself again. Headphones + good music = sweet, sweet relief.
A New York Times article brought up an interesting argument. When workers feel as though they are losing focus – perhaps because of office commotion – they will plug in and let the music drown everything out. Music, in a way, can refocus our mind back to where we need it to be.
Music and Workplace Performance
The New York Times article previously discussed also brought up a study conducted by Dr. Teresa Lesiuk:
“Dr. Lesiuk’s research focuses on how music affects workplace performance. In one study involving information technology specialists, she found that those who listened to music completed their tasks more quickly and came up with better ideas than those who didn’t, because the music improved their mood.”
Let’s be honest, when we are overwhelmed or our mood is sour, our decision-making isn’t at its finest. However, when we are having a better day, we are successfully able to weigh all solutions/ideas available, rather than making a choice too quickly.
Dr. Lesiuk also mentioned, “music may also serve as an anxiolytic treatment, that is, an anxiety preventative or anxiety reducing measure.” An increase in physical stress was evident for those who prepared an oral presentation without music. For those who listened to music, increases in anxiety levels, blood pressure and heart rate were repressed.
When appropriate, I personally like listening to a low-key yet fun playlist, hitting shuffle and putting the volume on fairly low. This way I can still listen to the tunes that get me stimulated, all while not disrupting others in the office. Plus, if Spice Up Your Life “randomly” starts playing, I don’t need my coworkers to know I’m team Spice Girls…still.
The Gossip Genie team is all in favor of jamming to tunes that will get creativity flowing. Below are our favorite artists/playlists to listen to while being successful busy bees on social media.
Can you guess which GG team member matches with each artist/playlist?
