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What is the Best Music To Work To?

Working around other people can be distracting, especially during this past month and a half. You might overhear someone having a meeting or a phone conversation and it becomes difficult to concentrate on the work at hand. For most people there is a simple solution to that and that is to bring some headphones and listen to music. Certain types of music have been found to help increase productivity and you may have found just the type that you are looking for. So, just what is the best type of music to listen to while you work?

Silence

Many people simply prefer silence. The saying goes that silence is golden and for many people working that holds true but if you have been in at Freelance York you know that it can sometimes get a bit noisy. That can be said of any co-working space and really any office space in general, be it in a skyscraper or in your home office. Chances are you will not find true silence in many places as other people move around, phones ring and cars go down the street.

Probably Not Death Metal

Now, there is no one correct answer but there are some types of music that people steer away from. Some people may love listening to death metal but that is probably not everyone’s cup of tea. For most people this kind of music, and in fact any music with lyrics can be just as distracting as someone talking near you. 

You will find yourself singing along and you may not even realize it. The same goes for podcasts or talk radio. It can be just too difficult to concentrate on what is being said and on your task at hand. You might be able to do it, or you might just use it for background noise and if you can more power to you.

No Lyrics Or Talking

Ambient soundtracks can do just what you need it to do. It will drown out the noise around you giving you a more pleasant background to work to. If that is not for you some people prefer jazz or blues music. Still others may like video game music. Music for video games is designed to enhance the experience and it may work for you while you work just the same as when you are blasting bad guys with guns or building empires. 

Then there is also just the soundtrack of nature. It is easy to find natural sounds and many people find it very easy to work to. There’s something soothing about the rustling of trees and the chirping of birds. It is soothing, relaxing and peaceful. 

Classical Music Is The Best

But what is really the best? Classical music. Classical music, particularly music from the baroque period, has been found to increase mood and concentration while working but there are plenty of works to choose from. These can be the works of Beethoven, Mozart or Vivaldi to more modern compositions like movie soundtracks. Classical music lacks spoken words and can be put in the background providing just enough noise to cancel out the nearby printer or chatty coworker/freelancer. Many works are also long enough that little to no changing will be required while you get your tasks done.

What is out there to listen to? Personally when I sit down to work my go to soundtrack is from the 1992 movie The Last of the Mohicans as well as the related song The Gael which is from the climactic scene of the movie. Someone was nice enough on YouTube to create a one hour loop of it, which also makes it good for timing. Also on the playlist is The Planets from Gustav Holst, though when Mars: The Bringer of War comes about I can’t help but thinking about Star Wars. Speaking of Star Wars, I find that the soundtracks to the original three movies are enjoyable to listen to and the same goes for the soundtrack from the 2000 movie Gladiator or even the Lord of the Rings trilogy. For other classical works try Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons or any of the symphonies from the famous composers.

Lots Of Options To Pick From

There are plenty of suggestions out there. All Work provided their list of best movie soundtracks and The Muse asked their readers for their thoughts. Silicone Republic gave us their top 8 soundtracks and GQ chimed in as well with plenty more available, just search the web. There are a lot of options available and a lot of options for you to explore. Start on YouTube and let the algorithm take you along for the ride. Your day might be over before you know it and you might be amazed just how much you could get done. 

So, what music do you listen to while you are at work? Leave a comment on our Facebook page and get the conversation started. And get back to work!

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