Listening to Music has gone so far from being a mere form of entertainment. Today, it can also encourage us to be more creative and productive while studying or working. Listening to music has a lot of benefits: it improves your mood, is therapeutic, relieves stress, and improves your focus.
Whether you’re cramming or plainly shutting down the noisy environment around you, there are research-backed types of music to listen to that are proven beneficial to humans. These types of music have helped in the productivity and focus of people who are working.
If you see yourself struggling with staying focused while working, then this is the article for you. Read further to find out which types of music you should listen to while working to boost your mental performance.
Classical Music
Classical music is no doubt topping our list. For decades, this type of music has been believed by researchers to help improve people’s mental ability. In fact, there’s a theory behind this: named the Mozart Effect, this theory suggests that listening to Classical Music not only enhances brain activity, but it also improves overall wellbeing. Some studies even claim that ambient classical music can help improve people’s spatial ability.
Why? The effect can be attributed to the lack of lyrics, which can be a form of distraction when you’re trying to focus. If you want to listen to classical music, these classical selections may help you give the boost that you need:
- Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67
- Franz Schubert’s ‘Du bist die Ruh,’ D. 776
- Frédéric Chopin’s Nocturne in B-flat minor, Op. 9, No. 1
- Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No.2, “Moonlight”
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Serenade No. 13 in G Major, K 525, “Eine kleine Nachtmusik”
Nature Music
Have you ever wanted to work by the beach but don’t have the luxury to? Then listening to ambient nature sounds may do the trick. It transports you to wherever you want to be—the beach with the crashing waves, the mountains wherein birds are singing and roaming happily, near a waterfall where the water is crashing by the flowing river, and so much more.
A study from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute concludes that nature music elevates focus and mood. The study surveyed employees and have founded out that they are more productive and experienced positive feelings while listening to nature sounds.
Why? Probably it is because nature music helps minimize harsh environmental noises such as people typing and talking.
Here are a few nature sound ideas to type on your music server:
- Rain showers
- Thunderstorm sounds
- Ocean waves
- Birds singing in the mountains
- Flowing water
- Jungle ambience
Video game sounds
Are you a gamer? Then listening to video game music while working would make work seem like a game! You can make your job a game this way to help you focus. Every element in a video game, including the music, is developed to aid your senses to have an amazing gaming experience.
When you think about it, video game music is generally fast-paced, which motivates you to keep moving forward. Therefore, if you find yourself in a stressful situation, listening to this kind of music will help. It will keep you engaged, hence making you better at solving problems.
From orchestral melodies to vaporwave sounds, here are some video game soundtracks that you may want to listen to:
- Final Fantasy VI
- Doom
- Hotline Miami
- Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven
- Streets of Rage 2
- Kingdom Hearts III
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
New music
If your day at work is too tedious for you, then you want to make sure to exercise your brain while still keeping your focus. Listening to new music is one way to keep your brain engaged and stimulated.
You may want to listen to songs that are not your usual cup of tea, including indie songs. Listening to new music is a new way of engaging yourself with the present and embracing a wonderful perspective that is not yours. Additionally, you can also listen to music from another country. Why not give the booming k-pop or k-indie industry a listen?
Here are some indie songs that you may want to listen to:
- Believe by Mumford & Sons
- Crystals by Of Monsters and Men
- Burning for No One by The Cribs
- Ophelia by The Lumineers
- Some Trouble by Two Gallants
- Cave Me In by Gallant, Tablo, and Eric Nam
- Bound to Break by This Wild Life
Here are some k-pop and k-indie songs to introduce you to the thriving k-music scene:
- After School by Weeekly
- Paint the Town by Loona
- Illa Illa by B.I
- 200% by AKMU
- Love Like That by LambC
- For Lovers Who Hesitate by Jannabi
- Hug Me by 10cm
- Close by AB6IX
- God’s Menu by Stray Kids
- Good Evening by SHINee
Your favorite music
If you are working on boring tasks, then listening to your favorite music may help put you in the right mood for work. While the temptation of being carried away, head banging, and singing along are present, it can help you perform tasks faster and better. We would have attached your personal playlist here, but sadly, we don’t have a link to it!
The post Types of Music to Listen to While Working to Maintain Your Focus first appeared on Home Office Geeks.
