Music exhilarates, energizes, and makes you happy, so why not take advantage of that while you are at work? In most professions, there is no general ban on music. Nevertheless, employers are allowed to decide whether to allow music in the workplace. In most companies, the question is not so much whether music can be listened to, but rather how it is listened to.

In general, nothing speaks against listening to music at work, as long as the employee’s tasks are not forgotten under the rhythm. In addition, colleagues must not be disturbed by dull bass or by others humming along. Before you put headphones in your ears and turn up your favorite band loudly in the office, there are a few things to consider, especially: When is music a sensible idea while working?

What music is suitable for work?

When selecting music, the type of task plays a key role. Just as each employee has his or her own individual tasks, several types of music are particularly well or poorly suited for these tasks. Even our own favorite music should not be relied on too much, as it too can distract us in certain situations.

Music for concentrated work

During tasks that require extreme accuracy, or an important level of concentration, noise or music can quickly become distracting. If you want to isolate yourself from ambient noise, you should turn to particularly uncomplicated pieces of music, nature sounds or music with a regular rhythm. Just like classical music, these can help increase concentration and calm you down. Many people switch off the music briefly in moments that require particularly high concentration to be able to concentrate better. Silence is also worthwhile for tasks with a particularly high demand for creativity, to let the mind wander better.

Music for routine tasks

Employees with comparatively monotonous tasks need less inspiration and more sounds. Boredom quickly sets in during monotonous tasks, such as sorting the email inbox. Dynamic, exhilarating music can not only make work feel more pleasant, but can also help in completing tasks more quickly and satisfactorily. Since we unconsciously adapt to what we hear, a fast rhythm also influences fast work. Here you can use the full range of rap, pop, charts or your own favorite music

The wrong music

Be careful when choosing music - listening to the wrong music can lead to bigger problems than just your colleague playing air guitar on his desk. With the wrong choice of music, the opposite of the intended concentration can occur. For example, music with singing can lead to a kind of dyslexia in tasks with a high writing or reading workload, i.e., not being able to read, write or understand properly. In addition, studies show that particularly varied and stimulating music prevents the absorption of information into short-term memory.

Podcasts at work

In general, the same applies to podcasts as to music. For tasks that require a lot of reading or writing, podcasts should be avoided, as too many words quickly become distracting. In addition, the opinion is widespread that you must concentrate too much while listening to podcasts and thus cannot do anything else that requires thinking. Longer episodes are often dissolute and thus offer the opportunity to digress, even if that does not quite fulfill the purpose of a podcast. For monotonous tasks however, podcasts can also bring variety to an otherwise unchanging daily routine. In general, podcasts offer the opportunity to get information, be entertained or relax when and where you want. However, work where you need to actively think is less suitable for podcasts and these should preferably be reserved for times when you are on the way to work or during the lunch break.

Music during breaks

If it is not possible to listen to music during work, a work break can be used to relax with musical accompaniment, even with colleagues. A few minutes of downtime with upbeat music promotes happiness and stimulates the brain to release dopamine. So, you not only come out of your break in a good mood, but also can work more productively. Especially on exhausting or incredibly stressful days, it is worthwhile to jump into a "headphone oasis" for relaxation. In addition to your favorite music, soft rock, jazz, reggae, and instrumental music are particularly suitable for this.