Research has shown that listening to music while working can improve cognitive performance, enhance mood, & boost creativity.

1. Workers are turning to music as
stressful workplaces become the norm.
Here’s the science of how it works, &
how to find your soundtrack to success
Unlocking the power of music to boost your brain can be a game-changer in getting
your most important work done in your day.
BY JAMIE PABST December 12, 2023
Music can help with focus, stress, & productivity. Getty Images
Modern work culture is notorious for its long hours, fast pace, & work-at-all-
costs mentality. The demands placed on employees often lead to burnout,
anxiety, & depression. Work-related stress accounts for billions in lost
productivity, absenteeism, & increased healthcare costs annually. This
underscores the urgency of addressing the mental health challenges faced by
the global workforce.
Mental health issues have been a silent but steadily growing concern among
workers. The constant pressure to perform, meet targets, & excel in a

2. competitive environment takes a toll. Many employees silently battle anxiety &
depression, fearing stigma or career consequences if they seek help. The
isolation & loneliness that can accompany a demanding work schedule further
exacerbate these mental health challenges.
Employees often find themselves trapped in a cycle of stress, anxiety, &
reduced productivity, which can impact not only their job performance but their
overall quality of life. Depressive episodes are up 90% in the last decade, 83%
of workers report work-related stress, & only 24% of workers feel their
employers care about their wellbeing.
Helpful harmonies
Given the demands & stress of the modern workplace, senior managers &
employees alike are constantly seeking ways to improve their mental well-
being, productivity, & focus. Historically, many have turned to caffeine,
exercise, therapy, or meditation to help give them a mental boost during the
day, though oftentimes these options aren’t as effective, accessible, or as
culturally relevant as a tool that doesn’t often get the recognition it deserves:
music.
Research has shown that listening to music while working can
improve cognitive performance, enhance mood, & boost creativity. There is
also good evidence to support that music can improve senior management
function, particularly when it comes to performance on cognitive tasks that
involve sustained attention, response inhibition, repetition, & flow, which is
critical when we want to execute tasks efficiently & operate at our best in the
workplace.
It’s important to understand the science behind music & the brain. Studies
have shown that listening to music can improve negative moods & reduce
stress. When we’re in a relaxed, positive state, our brains are primed for
productivity: We’re better at attending to & focusing on the work at hand & we
get more done. Music stands out in this context because it is one of the easiest
& most accessible ways to boost mood & decrease stress, particularly while on
the job.

3. As it turns out, many employees are already taking advantage of music’s many
benefits during their workday: Nielsen reports that 75% of workers listen to
music at work at least once a week.
The soundtrack to success
Not all music is created equal, & there are a lot of nuances to consider. Picking
the right music requires following these five key tips.
1–Don’t choose based on genre
People often make the mistake of choosing genre as a starting point, believing
one specific genre to be more helpful than another. Given there is a lot of
structural variances within a genre, it’s better to get more specific than that.
As an initial guidepost, you can start with instrumental music to enhance
cognitive performance. This is because instrumental music is less distracting
than music with lyrics, which can interfere with verbal processing & memory.
2-Calibrate the tempo & volume
Next, consider tempo & volume. Up-tempo music can be arousing, which is
good, but it’s important to not go too high with the tempo, otherwise, you might
start a dance party instead of getting down to business.
The same applies to volume, if you go too high the brain will start focusing on
the music rather than the task at hand.
3-Get familiar with music texture
Consider texture in the music. Music that is dense in texture will likely be too
attention-grabbing to aid in work focus, & music that is too light in texture may
not be stimulating enough.
Experiment & see what the right balance is for you. This is one factor that
tends to be personal for each of us.
4-Match the music to your mood
Music is not one-size-fits-all, & selecting the right music for focus can vary
greatly depending on your emotional state, the task you are doing, & your

4. environment. Leveraging learning from music therapy - the iso principle, a
technique by which music is matched to the mood of a person, & then
gradually altered to affect the desired mood state.
If you’re feeling tired, you might first want to select down-tempo music to
match your low-energy profile, helping you to acknowledge & embrace your
current mood. Then gradually select music that can pull you out of fatigue into
a more energized state.
Unlocking the power of music to boost your brain can be a game-changer in
getting your most important work done in your day. This is important to
recognize as stress, anxiety, & mental health issues cast a long shadow over
productivity & job satisfaction. The cost of this silent suffering is measured in
billions of dollars & countless lost opportunities, having a detrimental impact on
the workplace.
Music is such a crucial part of our daily lives but isn’t often enough looked at
as a solution to major issues such as stress & productivity. Yet its benefits are
well-researched & clear.
By incorporating music into the work routine, employers can help reduce stress
& improve cognitive performance. This leads to increased productivity & job
satisfaction & ultimately reducing costs. For all you workers ready to boost
your productivity, with some trial & error, you may discover that music is just
the boost you need to level up.
Jamie Pabst is the Founder & CEO of Spiritune, an evidence-based
therapeutic music app that supports emotional & cognitive health. Jamie is
devoted to expanding the use of music to treat a broad range of mental health
conditions & helping everyone to benefit from the therapeutic power of music.
She is also a DJ & sees DJing as a real-time example of music’s ability to shift
the energy & mood of an environment.