There’s no denying that music can improve your day and can shift your mood in an instant. It can be uplifting, evocative, irritating and soothing. But did you know that listening to music at work can affect your productivity too? Not only can music energize you, it’s been proven to help Alzheimer’s patients with memory and children learn math. A 2007 Stanford University School of Medicine study found that “[M]usic engages the areas of the brain involved with paying attention, making predictions and updating the event in memory.”
So clearly music can potentially improve your work performance. But we don’t all work in the same environment, we don’t all work in the same way and we definitely don’t all like the same music. So what tunes a right for you? Whether you’re able to blast tunes for all to hear or you need to play your jams quietly through earbuds, don’t shy away from listening to music at work. Here are 10 ways music can affect (and enhance) how you work.
1. Focus
Classical music has been shown to increase your focus and attention. Research suggests that classical music engages your brain so you not only sharpen your focus right now, but you’re more able maintain it. And let’s be real, is there any job where the ability to focus doesn’t come in handy?
Read Related: Slay the Day: 15 Ways to Become More Efficient at the Office
