Here’s how music boosts your productivity while working from home

Music can alter your mood in a way nothing else can. It is amazing how a specific pattern or sequence of sounds and rhythms can have such a pleasing effect on the human mind. Music does just that and how! Music has a magical way of filling up an empty space, calming your frayed nerves, uplifting your mood, and also giving a boost to your creativity. Many of you might even attest to music increasing your productivity at work. But does the same hold true when you’re working from home?

Let’s consider this. After months of working from home, you’ve reached a point where you feel stuck in the drudgery of a set routine. The initial comfort of working from home has now given way to boredom, monotony, distractions and a lack of motivation. You’ve tried every trick in the book to spur your energy and interest, but nothing seems to work. So, you carry on with the faint hope of making tomorrow a more productive day. But unfortunately, that ‘tomorrow’ never comes around, while your productivity continues to suffer. So, how do you solve the dilemma of not being able to get anything done despite your best efforts?

The remedy might lie in your music playlist. Music can come to your rescue as always, and this time, it can help you tune out your distractions and amplify your productivity levels while working from home.

The effect of music on work performance has been studied and debated for years now. While some might consider music a distraction, it can in fact enhance productivity by blocking out external noise. This explains why a lot of people prefer to work while listening to music.

Here’s a catch. Your productivity also hinges on the kind of music you listen to. According to a study, instrumental music has been proven to show the best results, while listening to familiar vocal music or songs that are heavy in lyrics can interfere with memory and concentration.

Let’s take a deeper look into the impact of music on your productivity.

Unleashes your creativity

You find yourself staring at your computer screen, trying your best to come up with a solution but your mind refuses to comply. You’ve exhausted your ideas and your creativity has taken a back seat, or so it seems. In such a situation, where do you turn to for inspiration?

Listening to music can be exactly what your tired mind needs to get back to its A-game. When you listen to music, certain brain cells and neurotransmitters get stimulated, in specific dopamine or the brain’s ‘motivation molecule’. Music helps increase the brain’s dopamine levels, which in turn makes you feel happier, motivated and more creative. Listening to music can open up your mind to new ideas and emotions, thus acting as a powerful tool to unleash your creativity.

Saves you from monotony

Spending hours behind your computer screen following a similar work routine can be extremely tedious, especially when you’re working from home. From comprehending the pattern of repetitive tasks to helping you feel more energetic, music has many rewards when it comes to breaking the monotony. According to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience of Behaviour and Physiology, a person’s capability to recognise familiar patterns gets enhanced when their favourite music plays in the background. Music can thus help you get through repetitive tasks faster and with less boredom.

Helps you beat the Monday blues

‘Monday blues’ is not a myth, even when you’re working from home. The feeling of dread as the weekend comes to a close and the let-down of returning to work is fairly common. And therefore, Mondays are by far voted the worst day of the week as far as productivity is concerned. However, Mondays don’t always have to be a downer, because thankfully, there’s music. Listening to music while working can considerably amp up your motivation and productivity. The lively beats and lyrics of your favourite songs can lift your spirits, while also prepping you for a productive, engaging and satisfactory workday.

Improves your break-time

Whether you’re doing routine tasks or activities that require you to constantly brainstorm and think out of the box, it is important to take breaks from time to time. Taking frequent breaks allows your brain to reset and refocus on a task better. But while you’re working from home, the lines between break-time and work-time often get blurred due to the lack of focus and dwindling energy. The solution is to time your breaks with music. Not only will it help you keep track of your time, but also rejuvenate your mind before you tackle the next set of tasks.

Sets the tone for the day

The quality of your mood before commencing work each day plays an important role in your productivity. Usually, making your daily work commute interesting by reading your favourite book or listening to a great playlist can do the trick in charging you up for the rest of the day. But how do you kick lethargy and build the same momentum when you’re working from home? The solution, once again, can be found in music. Instead of solely depending on caffeine to charge you up before work, try starting your day with music. However, you shouldn’t expect the first song on your playlist to miraculously induce a state of productivity in you. Rather, allow yourself to gradually transition from a slow track to a power-packed one for a great start to the day.