1. Relaxation: “It calms me down”, “eases my stress”
Music at work can contribute to relaxation by channeling your stress and negative emotions,
and can remind you of not being at work. It can also provide a mini-break from being mentally active and allow you rest and recover. In this sense, music can create a sense of well-being in offices by putting employees in a good mood.
Music at work can contribute to relaxation by channeling your stress and negative emotions,
and can remind you of not being at work. It can also provide a mini-break from being mentally active and allow you rest and recover. In this sense, music can create a sense of well-being in offices by putting employees in a good mood.
2. Concentration: “It improves my ability to focus on what I am working on”
Music can aid your concentration by suppressing distractions around the office. Some people experience these effects when they do simpler tasks, but it could also help when doing more complex work. You can control your soundscape in the office and replace external interruptions with sounds of your choice.
3. Emotional management: “It helps me to remain positive”
Music can be inspirational; it can encourage thoughts and motivate you. It can act as a stress reliever and be a‘fellow sufferer’ in a public space, where it might not be appropriate to act out all your frustrations. It can also provide a sense of company when your working space is too quiet or empty.
4. It blocks out distractions: “It helps me concentrate, especially when someone else is in the office, or talking on the phone, or having a meeting nearby”
Being able to block out distractions can be a way to cope with stress, as it gives you more control over your environment. Headphones in particular help to improve concentration in two ways.
They block out other sounds. Employees often use headphones to block out surrounding noise from the environment or colleagues.
They act as a ‘do not disturb’ sign. Employees also use headphones to send a visual signal that they are busy and not to be interrupted by others.
5. It creates variation and helps you think about something else: “If music was not my distraction, then something unproductive would be, such as fiddling with papers or gazing out of the window”
Music can provide you with a diversion so you don’t engage in other distracting behaviors. It’s a strategy to manage internal interruptions like daydreams or thoughts that could make you lose your flow. It might also stop you from doing other unproductive things like browsing the internet or chatting with colleagues.
