How can music improve productivity and focus?

Greg Aiello, head of commercial at music licencing company, PPL PRS Ltd, explains why playing the right music while you work can help boost productivity

Going about your day-to-day life, you’re more than likely to stick on your favourite playlist in the background. Whether you’re in the car, at the gym or sitting at your desk, your favourite artist is no doubt keeping you company through your speakers. But have you ever stopped to consider how the music you listen to is affecting your brain?

The idea that music can aid productivity in the workplace is not as new as you might think. Way back in 1940, the BBC launched a twice-daily weekday radio programme, ‘Music While You Work’, designed to increase factory workers’ productivity. The show proved so popular that for a while there was even a third edition, broadcast later in the evening and specifically targeted at night shift workers. In total the scheme ran for an incredible 27 years, finally being retired in 1967.

What genre aids productivity the most?
There is no clear answer as to what genre of music best helps you to maintain focus: what you listen to should really be governed by what it is that you’re doing.

Carrying out clear, repetitive tasks can often be mundane, but listening to music can make these kinds of tasks more enjoyable. Listening to your favourite songs causes your brain to release dopamine, which improves your mood and reduces stress and anxiety. But how does your mood affect your concentration?

Well, it’s common knowledge that conditions like anxiety and depression can trigger behaviours like procrastination that hinder your ability to clear your workload. Being in a good mood means that you’re more likely to be able to stay on track and get everything done.

You would think that listening to music that pumps you up would be great when you’re immersed in a creative task, but that’s not always the case. Instead, listening to classical music whilst you’re carrying out immersive work can get your creative juices flowing, with no lyrics to tear you away from the depths of concentration.

Familiarity is best for focus
When you’re looking to get deep into your work for a long time, listening to familiar songs can help you stay focused for longer. That’s because certain regions in the brain that improve concentration are more active when we listen to music that we know, rather than something that’s unfamiliar. So, listening to songs you’ve heard over and over is a good idea when you really want to get in the zone.

Unfamiliar songs can also be a distraction for some people: when your brain is hearing something new, it’ll make the most effort to listen. Sticking to your favourite radio station, albums or playlists could be the best way to use music to help you focus on an unfamiliar, detailed task.

Use music to create a positive working environment
There’s no denying that an upbeat playlist can make even the most mundane task more enjoyable, so don’t underestimate the power of having music playing in the workplace when it comes to boosting staff morale. If you’re in a private workspace like an office, playing music that everyone can enjoy can really increase the energy in the room and be a driving force throughout the day.

If you work in a public space like retail or hospitality, ambient music can have a huge impact on how both your team and your customers feel and behave. Pablo Ettinger, co-founder of Caffè Nero, says that he sees the value of this every day: “I think people recognise that our music is not background music, it’s a lot more than that… later in the evening we play much more upbeat music when staff are clearing because it makes them feel good. In the morning before the customers get there we try and play something that’s more upbeat as well when staff are getting going in the morning.”

Listening to music clearly has an overall positive effect on focus and productivity, which is why so many of us rely on it to get through the working day. So, next time you’re feeling less than motivated at work, take a minute to pay attention to the sounds around you – if music doesn’t feature, it could be the missing link.