Sep
5
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Mike Seddon asked:
There are many people who like to listen to music while they work and I am certainly one of them. I find it helps me focus more on the task at hand. Of course I can imagine that there are people who listen to music because it helps them NOT to focus on their job.
Whilst there may be many reasons for wishing to listen to music in the workplace, can it really improve your productivity?
We know that music can alter your mood. Films have been using musical scores for years to create the right mood for a scene. At times you hardly notice the music at all but you are very receptive to the mood being conveyed. So can we use music to put us in a “productive” mood?
Research seems to support such a claim. For example, a trial where 75 out of 256 workers at a large retail company were issued with personal stereos to wear at work for four weeks showed a 10% increase in productivity for the headphone wearers. Other similar research conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois found a 6.3% increase when compared with the no music control group.
So if we accept that music does increase productivity, does it matter what types of music we listen to? Does all music have the same effect or are certain types better in certain circumstances?
If your goal is to increase your concentration then music which has a constant, easy beat and light melodies are recommended. These are said to be good for those trying to study as they help you pace your reading to aid focus and memorising. Baroque music is reported as an excellent example, especially the works of Vivaldi, Bach and Handel.
Rock music can have a similar effect. According to a report in the journal Neuroscience of Behavior and Physiology, the Russian Academy of Sciences discovered that a person’s ability to recognize visual images, including letters and numbers, is faster when either rock or classical music is playing in the background.
If you are aiming to be more productive through being more relaxed, then you may be interested to learn that research has shown that music with an upbeat rhythm can reduce stress hormone levels by as much as 41%.
Some of the most publicised studies into whether listening to music increases productivity have centred on what has been termed the “Mozart effect”. The term got its name after a study showed that college students had performed better solving mathematical problems when listening to classical music. The effect of listening to Mozart does not appear to be limited to humans either. Apparently cows will produce more milk if Mozart is played.
GROVER
There are many people who like to listen to music while they work and I am certainly one of them. I find it helps me focus more on the task at hand. Of course I can imagine that there are people who listen to music because it helps them NOT to focus on their job.
Whilst there may be many reasons for wishing to listen to music in the workplace, can it really improve your productivity?
We know that music can alter your mood. Films have been using musical scores for years to create the right mood for a scene. At times you hardly notice the music at all but you are very receptive to the mood being conveyed. So can we use music to put us in a “productive” mood?
Research seems to support such a claim. For example, a trial where 75 out of 256 workers at a large retail company were issued with personal stereos to wear at work for four weeks showed a 10% increase in productivity for the headphone wearers. Other similar research conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois found a 6.3% increase when compared with the no music control group.
So if we accept that music does increase productivity, does it matter what types of music we listen to? Does all music have the same effect or are certain types better in certain circumstances?
If your goal is to increase your concentration then music which has a constant, easy beat and light melodies are recommended. These are said to be good for those trying to study as they help you pace your reading to aid focus and memorising. Baroque music is reported as an excellent example, especially the works of Vivaldi, Bach and Handel.
Rock music can have a similar effect. According to a report in the journal Neuroscience of Behavior and Physiology, the Russian Academy of Sciences discovered that a person’s ability to recognize visual images, including letters and numbers, is faster when either rock or classical music is playing in the background.
If you are aiming to be more productive through being more relaxed, then you may be interested to learn that research has shown that music with an upbeat rhythm can reduce stress hormone levels by as much as 41%.
Some of the most publicised studies into whether listening to music increases productivity have centred on what has been termed the “Mozart effect”. The term got its name after a study showed that college students had performed better solving mathematical problems when listening to classical music. The effect of listening to Mozart does not appear to be limited to humans either. Apparently cows will produce more milk if Mozart is played.
GROVER
Jun
2
Filed Under Self Help | Leave a Comment
Daniel Kobialka asked:
Meditation music produces measurable results. It slows our heartbeats down to about one beat per second, which can allow us to relax, let go, meditate and/or fall asleep.
There are different types of meditation however, and different types of music are appropriate for each. A relaxing meditation is intended to help you slow down and release stress, so the best music is easy to listen to and has elements that embody peace and harmony. The instruments and type of music are those that you associate with these qualities. This can differ from person to person. For example, you might associate flute music with lilting tunes and it might then invigorate you, while someone else may equate flute music with peaceful forest scenes or waterfalls.
Positive music is the best kind for meditation because it has beneficial qualities and is emotionally and spiritually uplifting, many believe even healing. Additionally, it can be relaxing, calming, or even physically and mentally stimulating. Positive music is not about lyrics, but about the music itself.
The music of the ’50s was almost all positive, so much so that there was no need to call it that, as there was no “negative” music to speak of. Today’s music is much different; heavy metal, grunge, punk rock, and other genres all contribute to a large body of negative music, music that expresses and evokes images of anger, fear, ugliness, hatred and pain. Even classical music written with a lot of discord can be considered negative. In the early 20th century, the works of Arthur Schonburg were rejected and in some instances almost caused riots amongst concert goers. Since then discordant music has been accepted and incorporated by modern music composers and music schools.
Negative music has become a part of modern tv and movies, forming the basis of music scores that evoke terror, suspense, and fear, and thereby helping to shape modern culture.
Positive music, on the other hand, has been present through all time, and thanks to modern media, people are becoming aware of positive music forms they never even knew existed before, examples of which are Gregorian chants and ancient Jewish and Arabic music. Positive music has the ability to transform and uplift, infuse people with feelings of content and wellbeing.
This is not to say that sad music is negative. I’m thinking specifically of the music of Sarah McLachlan when I say that a singer/songwriter can reach deep and then soar, and leave you with a feeling of being understood in your sadness, yet uplifted with comfort and hope. There is rock music such as the music of the Moody Blues or U2 which can evoke images of angels.
This is not a statement about any particular genre of music in its entirety, just that if you listen carefully, you will recognize whether the music you are listening to is positive or negative by the way your mind, body, emotions and psyche react. When you are practicing a relaxing meditation, you can learn to choose the right music, and positive music is a great place to start.
CARROLL
Meditation music produces measurable results. It slows our heartbeats down to about one beat per second, which can allow us to relax, let go, meditate and/or fall asleep.
There are different types of meditation however, and different types of music are appropriate for each. A relaxing meditation is intended to help you slow down and release stress, so the best music is easy to listen to and has elements that embody peace and harmony. The instruments and type of music are those that you associate with these qualities. This can differ from person to person. For example, you might associate flute music with lilting tunes and it might then invigorate you, while someone else may equate flute music with peaceful forest scenes or waterfalls.
Positive music is the best kind for meditation because it has beneficial qualities and is emotionally and spiritually uplifting, many believe even healing. Additionally, it can be relaxing, calming, or even physically and mentally stimulating. Positive music is not about lyrics, but about the music itself.
The music of the ’50s was almost all positive, so much so that there was no need to call it that, as there was no “negative” music to speak of. Today’s music is much different; heavy metal, grunge, punk rock, and other genres all contribute to a large body of negative music, music that expresses and evokes images of anger, fear, ugliness, hatred and pain. Even classical music written with a lot of discord can be considered negative. In the early 20th century, the works of Arthur Schonburg were rejected and in some instances almost caused riots amongst concert goers. Since then discordant music has been accepted and incorporated by modern music composers and music schools.
Negative music has become a part of modern tv and movies, forming the basis of music scores that evoke terror, suspense, and fear, and thereby helping to shape modern culture.
Positive music, on the other hand, has been present through all time, and thanks to modern media, people are becoming aware of positive music forms they never even knew existed before, examples of which are Gregorian chants and ancient Jewish and Arabic music. Positive music has the ability to transform and uplift, infuse people with feelings of content and wellbeing.
This is not to say that sad music is negative. I’m thinking specifically of the music of Sarah McLachlan when I say that a singer/songwriter can reach deep and then soar, and leave you with a feeling of being understood in your sadness, yet uplifted with comfort and hope. There is rock music such as the music of the Moody Blues or U2 which can evoke images of angels.
This is not a statement about any particular genre of music in its entirety, just that if you listen carefully, you will recognize whether the music you are listening to is positive or negative by the way your mind, body, emotions and psyche react. When you are practicing a relaxing meditation, you can learn to choose the right music, and positive music is a great place to start.
CARROLL