Before you criticize, let me explain myself…
I love music. I find that music calms my soul and helps me to think clear. I always have music on, whether it’s the radio in my shower or my iPad with Apple Music in play, it’s the first thing I do when I wake up: turn on my music.
So, how exactly can music increase our productivity? And can headphones really boost this for your business? Or possibly just slow me down?
After doing a bit of research and speaking to different women in various office environments, I’ve found that when your headphones on, you’re more focused on what you have to do as opposed to what is happening around you. You don’t have to be listening to music, you could be listening to a pod cast or an e-book.
So, let’s get to it: Using headphones to increase productivity 101!
Headphones In; World Out
Have you ever had your attention wander because a colleague is gossiping a few desks away? Or because someone is having an impromptu chat behind you? Or because there’s construction work next door and the drilling is doing your head in?
Enter headphones! They are the perfect antidote to all that pesky workplace noise and chatter. Block out all the distractions and you can really focus on your work!
The Gift of Music
There’s an overwhelming amount of research out there showing how the right soundtrack can increase your productivity. Instead of trawling through all of that, though, our best advice is work out what motivates you. Despite the somewhat variable effects of music on the individual, one thing is definitely clear: A noisy workplace can end up halting productivity in its tracks.
In a study published in the journal of Neuroscience of Behavior and Physiology, a person’s ability to recognize images, letters, and numbers was much faster with rock or classical music playing in the background compared to when they weren’t listening to anything.
There’s a perfect sound that will stimulate you to work twice as hard – it just takes some digging to work out what that is for you personally.
Boost Your Mood with Personal Playlists
If you’re not in the right mood and frame of mind, your productivity can be seriously affected, as can your interactions with people around you. A happy mind is always a more productive one.
So when you’re bluesy on a Monday morning or suffering from that Wednesday midweek slump, you need those headphones with the perfect tunes to boost your mood! Have a happy playlist ready for just those moments.
It’ll discourage others from distracting you
We all have those moments at work where we’re struggling to focus or feeling a bit absent minded. Your headphones are the perfect way to disguise that, though! No matter how distracted you are, you’ll look focused to everyone around you. And hopefully, wearing your headphones, you’ll get your focus back soon enough too!
So, do you think you can work with headphones in? Currently on my iPad is a playlist called "Barcelona". And trust me when I say, it motivates me to get a lot accomplished! Follow me on Apple Music to see what i am listening to!
With Love | Nikki xo