Can music help us be more productive?

Although there’s no evidence that listening to music while we work can increase our productivity, a research team from the Stanford University School of Medicine found that “music engages the areas of the brain involved with paying attention, making predictions and updating the event in memory. Peak brain activity occurred during a short period of silence between musical movements—when seemingly nothing was happening.”

*The study was conducted using short symphonies by an obscure 18th-century composer, so I can’t promise that listening to The Number of the Beast will elicit the same results.  You can read more about the study here.

Music does play a role in our days at 360 PSG.  It energizes us (or in some cases, like on stressful days, relaxes us), makes us happy, and motivates us during the workday.   So we decided to share what we listen to and what devices and applications we use to listen while we work.

When do you most often listen to music?  (at work, in the car, at home, etc.)

Ben:

At work.

Chris:

At home.

Kelli:

My favorite place to listen to music is in the car. If it’s not raining or snowing my windows are down and the music is turned up.

Matthew:

Well, technically I listen to music the most at band practice, but that’s more participation I guess. Other than that I listen to music most while driving around in the car.  Nothing like a good tune while driving around.

Lee:

At the office and at the gym (Gotta get my swell on!)  LOL!

Angie:

Getting ready for work, on the drive to work, at work, drive home, and almost always at some point at night while doing chores. I don’t like complete silence for the most part unless I really have to read something thoroughly.

Jason:

In the car and when working out.

Jena:

In the car and in the mornings when I’m getting ready for work.

Jeremy:

On the ride to and from work and in the office.

 

What is your weapon of choice when listening?  Do you listen via iTunes; iPod or other MP3 player; a computer app like Grooveshark, Rdio, Pandora; record or CD player; or just a good old-fashioned-radio?

Ben:

Pandora

Chris:

Computer apps (YouTube and Pandora).

Kelli:

I generally listen to my music on some type of Apple product… iTunes, iPod, iPhone, or my laptop. However, I also really enjoy Pandora; it’s given me a lot of new music over the past couple years.

Matthew:

I listen to Pandora and my iPod all the time.  I barely listen to the radio for music any more.

Lee:

Usually on my iPod, but my phone, computers and iPod all tie into my Pandora account.

Angie:

I usually use my Rdio account, as I’m a channel changer. I can’t stand listening to something I don’t enjoy. I’ll put iTunes on occasionally to listen to a station or podcasts to mix it up; mostly Adam Corolla podcasts.

Jason:

iPod Shuffle and XM radio.

Jena:

Depends where I am, but usually iTunes, the radio, or Pandora.

Jeremy:

I listen mostly on my computer either through iTunes or Rdio.com.  When I’m not at my computer I use my iPhone to listen.

 

Do you listen to music while you work?

Ben:

Occasionally.  I haven’t really made it a habit, but I enjoy it when I do.  I think I need to spend more time setting up playlists that I can really look forward to and get excited about.

Chris:

No, it would be too distracting as I’m on the phone all the time.

Kelli:

I like to. Though, there are many times when half the day has gone by and I’ve just noticed that I never put my headphones on.

Matthew:

Listening to music at work gets me pumped up and can help give me energy when the day is dragging or pick up the pace when I need to power through a project.

Lee:

I prefer to listen to movies as I work.  Typically, I’m so ‘zoned-in’ that I don’t even hear them. This could be due to the fact that I typically fall asleep with the TV on at night to serve as a background noise.

Angie:

I listen to music at work to get my day going, to keep my energy up. Sometimes I pause the music while keeping my headphones to insure the most silence when it’s needed.

Jason:

It sometimes, tends to distract me.  If something is already distracting me though, I prefer to have music.

Jena:

I have tried but I can only make it through a few songs before getting interrupted (phones, etc) so it’s easier not to listen. Instead, I listen to Bryan and Nick’s competitive banter.

Jeremy:

Yes.  I love to listen to Radiohead, The Postal Service, or LCD Soundsystem while I work; those bands have upbeat songs that help me concentrate on the task at hand.

 

Imagine it’s summertime, you’ve got the top down on your Mustang or the sun roof open on your Beemer (or maybe your car is old and doesn’t have either of those first two things and your air conditioning doesn’t work but you’ve got those childproof windows that only go down two thirds of the way but that’s the best that you’ve got so you’re forced to suck it up and actually work up more of a sweat using the manual-crank handles to get them down…), and you’re cruising down the highway without a care in the world (unless you’ve got that last car, then you’re a little cranky). What’s your favorite summertime jam to blast through your speakers?  (Bieber’s “Never Say Never”? Canned Heat’s “Going Up the Country”? DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s “Summertime”?)

Ben:

My Spring jam, when the sun finally comes out and things start warming up, is “Cliff’s of Dover” by Eric Johnson.

Chris:

Black Keys “Keep Me,” Queen “I’m in Love With My Car,” Grateful Dead “Space”  and Frank Zappa anything off of “Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar.”

Kelli:

You can never go wrong with some pop punk in the summer… Well, let’s be honest, you can never go wrong with pop punk, ever

Matthew:

I can’t really pick a favorite tune to crank, there are so many options.  Most of the time I go for new stuff because its fresh and peaks my interest.  Classic tunes are good for casual rides, most of the time I like to crank up the metal and throw up my rockfist haha.

Lee:

Tim McGraw – Something Like That; It reminds me of the summer I first had my license cruising around in my old beat up truck looking for… never mind what!    lol

Angie:

My favorite summer time jam always changes but it’s usually something upbeat. Pop, R&B, rap, pop rock… this summer – it’ll probably be Bieber. let’s be honest. Anything that makes you want to dance & celebrate the nice weather since the winter lasts sooooooo long here in Buffalo!

Jason:

Summertime extended long play remix (but only in the summer time, I hear anyone playing that before May, it’s a beat down.)

Jena:

I’ll listen to anything as long as the weather starts becoming more like summer!  It doesn’t seem possible at this point…

Jeremy:

It changes every year for me.  But I think this year, the jam of the Spring/Summer for me will be “The Buffalo Morose” by Louiston; a catchy new  tune with an old school vibe.