Music at Work: Calming or Distracting?

As a general rule I would say that listening to music while working, or doing most anything else, has a calming effect on the nerves. However, the whole affair depends on the type of music being played and its relation to the listener.

In my house there is almost always music playing. I have even been known to have music playing while the television is on. Since I am frequently writing about music it would stand to reason that I would have that music on as I write. But even when I am writing about something else I find that music often helps me to think and create. For me there is something about listening to music that helps to enhance my creativity. But it can't be just any old thing. Even when I was in college I would study with music playing. Anything that makes me want to dance or sing along while good for listening, singing, and dancing it does not work for creative ventures. Some of my favourite artists dont' work well for creating either.

Some jazz like Pat Metheny, Hiroshima, Yellowjackets, or Four Play was always good for studying. When it comes to writing new age, ambient, and chill out type music is good to help me create. If I am writing about a particular artist then the music of that artist is usually pretty good. It also helps me to create.

Many work places play music from the local radio stations. The music serves as a background and can help to drown out some noises and sounds that can be distracting. The right music can be very calming for anyone whether it be in the workplace, home, or most any place else; but not all music is suitable for this purpose. Loud music or that which may be considered obnoxious to some peole abvioulsy will not have a calming effect on anyone including the people who normally listen to that style of music.

When my son was a baby I would put the radio on to drwon out the sounds of raffic outside his window. I discovered that he was going around the house singing the songs that played on his radio.

Music playing while working is only a distraction when it is the wrong kind of music for that purpose; other wise it serves not only as a distraction to outside distractions but helps to calm the listener as well.