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Laura Tejeda is a columnist with LCCMedia

Work at your beat | Laura Tejeda Meza

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It is well known that music can have excellent results when stress relief is needed. However, the “how to” introduce this well-being booster at work and how it can positively impact work productivity is not always well known.

Science has shown that music, even in the complete absence of lyrics, can carry powerful emotional assets and influence the body and the brain in a positive manner. Music works on the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for controlling blood pressure and heartbeat, as well as on the limbic system, which is responsible for feelings and emotions.

Health and all that jazz

Music has often been used in clinical settings to reduce pain, ease muscle tension and relieve symptoms of anxiety. Listening to music on a regular basis can help to prevent back pain, which is really useful for all of us who spend several hours in the same seating position.

Stress hormones can slow digestion, perturb the sleep cycle and alter other body systems. But music can help to bring them down and contribute to better digestion and even sleep better.

Beyond the physical benefits, the music quiets the mind profoundly and lifts the mood by awakening joyous memories. Also, it is an emotional escape that can be taken wherever we need it just by pop in up our earphones.

But that’s not all! It is also a great way to build relationships with colleagues, which will have a positive impact on self-esteem and productivity itself. It is a way to reach out to colleagues with empathy since music allows us to show our inner selves, as well as make known what we are going through. Music creates the perfect setting for sharing personal stories, which can help you relate to other people and understand their perspectives, and vice versa.

Focus on the present

Take time off, pick a track that suits the situation you are dealing with and immerse yourself in music. Turn up the volume and pay close attention to the beat, instruments, voices and lyrics that interact with your own thoughts and feelings.

In fact, the music engages the ears, captivates the mind and encourages the listener to settle in the present. It also invites us to tune in to our surroundings by teaching us how to perceive through all our senses: the feeling of the air on the skin, the everyday life sounds, and the appreciation of the beauty and the colours in front of us.

A clearer and more mindful vision with a peaceful mind allows clearer thinking for problem-solving.

Choose your beat

It does not matter which type of music you choose, since the best one is your favourite music. The one that makes you feel better would surely improve your mood and productivity.

However, here are some ideas of music for enhancing job productivity:

Classic music:

The best-known music type is to perform tasks more efficiently by stimulating creativity and learning skills.

Nature sounds. Enhance cognitive function through relaxation, which allows better concentration without being distracted by a cacophony of sounds.
Cinematic and video game music. They can make you feel like you’re doing something inspiring or important, as they are designed to give a sensorial experience. The most mundane tasks will feel like you’re changing the world, thus heightening your concentration and productivity.

High-tempo (120+ beats per minute or BPM): It would raise your personal tempo and get you done faster with work since it activates the motor areas of the brain and, therefore, is directly associated with a boost of energy.

Manage your beat

As with everything in life, not all is pink. Music is indeed a useful mindful tool, but it should be used and chosen wisely. Maybe your beat will be a relaxing escape for you, but not for your colleague. We should be empathic if we want to receive empathy too, so it is highly recommended to use headphones at work to try not to interrupt and to respect the moments of silence or the personal worlds of others.

 

Read more:

 

For the Love of Music | Jacqueline Biollo, MBA, ICD.D

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