Working with music: tips for more productivity

In fact, numerous studies confirm that music can actually help us reduce stress and be more productive. Music is also said to have a pain-relieving effect. It appeals to our emotions and has been shown to improve endurance during exercise and physically demanding work. Does this also apply to office work?

We have compiled an overview of when music is a sensible idea in the office or home office and which music is best suited for productive work.

Music influences our emotions: Some songs make us happy, others thoughtful, and still others make us nostalgic or sad. You should also keep this in mind when choosing music for studying or working. So that you are not distracted, music that either puts you in a positive mood or does not greatly influence your emotional state is basically suitable.

By the way, it's better not to turn up the volume too much: Ideally, the music should be quiet to just perceptible - whether with or without headphones. This will please your colleagues, your ears, and certainly your superiors as well. Loud music not only damages your hearing in the long run, but also quickly causes restlessness and distraction, since you automatically concentrate actively on what you are hearing.

A day's work can be very different depending on the activity: Sometimes you develop concepts creatively, sometimes meticulous precision is required. Do you work alone or together with others on a task? The nature of our tasks plays an important role in the choice of music.

Who hasn't experienced this? Repetitive routine tasks such as filing documents or sorting emails quickly become boring and can downright cause a dull feeling. Motivating and mood-lifting are particularly dynamic songs from the charts, pop and rap songs with a wide variation of highs and lows.

When an activity requires a lot of concentration, sounds and music can quickly become a double burden for the brain. That's why it's best to rely on uncomplicated music without lyrics, such as classical music, instrumentals or lo-fi playlists, during concentrated work phases. Nature sounds with a regular rhythm, for example ocean noise, also let us work more concentrated and productive in such moments.

When your work calls for a particularly high level of creativity, it's best to listen to: nothing. Read correctly. The Mozart effect, which became known in the 1990s, is now considered questionable. According to this theory, piano music positively influences the spatial-temporal imagination when solving creative tasks. Studies now refute this phenomenon and even show that creative tasks are solved better by test subjects when there is no background noise at all. Take advantage of quiet moments and let your thoughts wander undisturbed.

Whether with or without music: Regular breaks are important for productive work. So treat yourself to a few minutes off and listen to upbeat, cheerful songs or simply your favorite music during your break. Positive sounds make you happy by stimulating the release of dopamine, the “happiness hormone.” This way, you’ll tackle your work in a good mood and be even more productive as a result. Having a really stressful day? Sounds of nature and calm music—such as instrumental pieces, soft rock, or reggae—can help you relax. By the way, we have this in common with our four-legged friends: reggae and calm rock songs also have a particularly relaxing effect on dogs. You can read more about this in our article onrelaxation music for dogs.

Studies aside, music in the workplace ultimately comes down to personal taste. Try out different songs and see what works for you—always being considerate of your coworkers, of course.Follow us on Spotify for more musical inspiration.

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