5 Musical Ways to Increase Productivity
Have you ever struggled to get work done in a noisy and chaotic environment like the airport or a busy cafe? Or, despite your best efforts, found it really difficult to get any momentum going on a difficult project?
Not only can the right music drown out the noise around you, the right song at the right time can help achieve a state of effortless productivity, also called “flow”.
Real life example: I was making some of the edits to this email. I was feeling stuck and wondering where I would get my motivation from. Well I started playing some of the flow-inducing music I share below and committed to work on this for 30 minutes. And before I knew it, I had moved past the initial resistance and found my groove.
It often takes just 15 to 30 minutes of listening time to regain concentration. Music without lyrics usually works best.
Musical taste varies. I tend to prefer Cinematic Lo-Fi Beats, House and Ambient music to work at various energy intensities depending on what I’m doing.
Here’s a couple of my favorite Focus Music resources that I’ve loved using to get into flow:
This app is my go-to when I really need to be productive. The tracks are designed by neuroscientists to drop you into a deep state of flow. I can’t tell you how many days of effortless flow I’ve had where I kept pressing the start button for 30 minute work sessions and was amazed with how much I got done at the end of the day.
Classical Focus Playlist (Spotify Playlist)
While classical music may not actually make you smarter, I always feel more sophisticated. I find classical is for analytical activities like writing emails.
House Focus (Spotify Playlist)
Medium energy electronic music is what I’ll often choose when getting some programming work done. I find it’s just enough energy and beat to keep my mind engaged without being distracting.
Improve Your Productivity — Binaural Beats Focus Music, Study Music (YouTube Playlist)
Depending on my state of mind, sometimes I’ll get tired of beats and quickly changing sounds and want something more simple. I find drone soundscapes help me get into a deeper state of mind that’s perfect for reflection, writing, and journaling.
The Ultimate Cafe Restaurant Background Noise Generator (App)
Background noise can help improve creativity and focus. A recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research confirms that light sounds of a cafe, restaurant or even cocktail party can keep the brain in a heightened and productive state.
If you try out some of this music for focus, let me know how it goes!
What have you been reading, watching or listening to that helps improve your focus and productivity? Comment and share below!
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