The Perfect Work Music Playlist
Now to tackle the question that’s been plaguing the human race since the invention of recorded sound: how to create the perfect work music playlist.
First, Ask The People.
What do the people working in your coworking space or office want to listen to? Make it a fun team/rapport-building activity to chat about favorite musicians, genres, and build a Spotify playlist using your team member’s suggestions. While you can’t please everyone, workers will cheer up when they hear their favorite Queen or Beyoncé song come on.
Next, what mood are you going for?
If you’re hoping to foster a productive mood – for more productive workers – music can definitely help. The trick is finding the best music to boost productivity while causing the least distraction.
So you can:
Use music that includes nature sounds. According to Rachel Gillett of Business Insider, “Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute recently discovered that adding a natural element could boost moods and focus.” So turn to the birds and the bees and get down to work.
Choose songs you don’t care about. Researchers from Fu Jen Catholic University in Xinzhuang City, Taiwan found that people had more difficulty concentrating when they heard a song they passionately loved or hated. So put on those tunes your most indifferent to for the biggest difference.
Listen to songs without lyrics. Words can be distracting for many people, so lean towards Beethoven and Zoë Keating for classical or jazz standards to enhance focus.
Focus on tempo because it affects the pace you work at. Researchers at University of Maryland in Baltimore, MD, Harbor Hospital in Baltimore, MD, and the University of Pennsylvania Health System in Philadelphia, PA discovered that Baroque music can improve “efficiency and accuracy” while boosting your mood. So add some Baroque to your playlist.
Play the chill classics. While you may be tired of hearing “Hotel California” by The Eagles and “Take Me to Church” by Hosier, there’s something to be said for playing popular music. Because people have already heard these songs hundreds of times, they’ll settle into the background and prove less distracting simply because of how normal they are.
Comments