Does music help you focus more?

[MotionMan]

I like having music on most of the time. Working, showering, washing the dishes, eating, etc. If not music, then I like having the TV on.

In the car, it is either a podcast or music.

At the office, I mute the music for phone calls and conversations.

MotionMan

 

[dighn]

it helps me focus when the task doesn't require a lot of attention. for more demanding tasks it's a distraction.

 

[lothar]

All sounds are a distraction when reading or studying, music included.
I quite frankly never understood people who say listening to music helps them "focus".
MOST of my college undergrad roommates were like this. One of them even claimed leaving the TV on while studying helps him focus and did that almost every night.

I have no problem with listening to music when showering, washing the dishes, eating, driving, etc... for enjoyment or relaxing.
I seriously doubt it helps one to shower or wash dishes faster though(this is assuming you're one of those people who claim listening to music helps one "focus").

 

[MotionMan]

All sounds are a distraction when reading or studying, music included.
I quite frankly never understood people who say listening to music helps them "focus".
MOST of my college undergrad roommates were like this. One of them even claimed leaving the TV on while studying helps him focus and did that almost every night.

It drowns out all uncontrollable and annoying noises with one you can control and enjoy.

MotionMan

 

[lothar]

It drowns out all uncontrollable and annoying noises with one you can control and enjoy.

MotionMan

What uncontrollable and annoying noise are in your bedroom that one needs to study with the television on?

At the school library? I agree, there were lots of noisy people at my school library, but there were always quiet spots. I studied in the library most bottom basement(S-2) where no one wants. There was barely any lighting in that basement besides desk lamps. Or I get myself a group study room with 2 different ID's with only myself in it.

If library noise is too loud/uncontrollable/annoying, I study in my room not get a CD player and start listening to music while studying.
If studying in my room is too loud/uncontrollable/annoying, I go to the library not get a CD player and start listening to music or turning on the television while studying.
If both library and room are loud/uncontrollable/annoying, I find another quiet spot. No need for me to drown out loud/uncontrollable/annoying noise with another kind of noise. Noise is noise, regardless of how controllable or enjoyable it may be. I would rather study without it.

We are not talking about studying/reading a book at Starbucks or a shopping mall food court.
If the noise is really uncontrollable and distracting, find another studying spot?

But hey...If people claim it helps them "focus" and it works for them, who am I to judge?
I'm just stating my opinion that's all.

 

[MotionMan]

What uncontrollable and annoying noise are in your bedroom that one needs to study with the television on?

At the school library? I agree, there were lots of noisy people at my school library, but there were always quiet spots. I studied in the library most bottom basement(S-2) where no one wants. There was barely any lighting in that basement besides desk lamps. Or I get myself a group study room with 2 different ID's with only myself in it.

If library noise is too loud/uncontrollable/annoying, I study in my room not get a CD player and start listening to music while studying.
If studying in my room is too loud/uncontrollable/annoying, I go to the library not get a CD player and start listening to music or turning on the television while studying.
If both library and room are loud/uncontrollable/annoying, I find another quiet spot. No need for me to drown out loud/uncontrollable/annoying noise with another kind of noise. Noise is noise, regardless of how controllable or enjoyable it may be. I would rather study without it.

We are not talking about studying/reading a book at Starbucks or a shopping mall food court.
If the noise is really uncontrollable and distracting, find another studying spot?

But hey...If people claim it helps them "focus" and it works for them, who am I to judge?
I'm just stating my opinion that's all.

Music is like white noise to me. Also, I do not study and I do not control where I have to do my work at the office.

MotionMan

 

[lothar]

Music is like white noise to me. Also, I do not study and I do not control where I have to do my work at the office.

MotionMan

Your position is understandable.

Do you work in a cubicle/private office, or do you have one of those jobs where you have to work with other staff members in the same room and physical communication is required?
My own job is the later. I don't have an option to drown out noise with music(or any other sound) because most of the noise from my coworkers, doctors, nurses, and even dentists are required/useful for me to do my job.

I'm guessing for you it's the former?

 

[MotionMan]

Your position is understandable.

Do you work in a cubicle/private office, or do you have one of those jobs where you have to work with other staff members in the same room and physical communication is required?
My own job is the later. I don't have an option to drown out noise with music(or any other sound) because most of the noise from my coworkers, doctors, nurses, and even dentists are required/useful for me to do my job.

I'm guessing for you it's the former?

I have an office with a door, but I need to interact with people often, so the door is usually open. Our walls are relatively thin, so I hear my neighbor yelling at her college-aged daughter on most days. The music is loud enough to be the only sound I hear, but not too loud to be distracting.

MotionMan

 

[SlitheryDee]

Not for challenging things that I have to actually think about.

Music does help make boring tasks more doable though. It's not that it makes me any more focused on my task. It's more like it fills up the idle part of my brain enough that I'm not constantly obsessing over how much I'd rather be doing something else, which means that I find it easier to take my time and do things right.

 

[zCypher]

Music without vocals is ok sometimes but generally the less noise, the easier to focus.

 

[DominionSeraph]

I raise you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5blyX0jY03g&feature=related

Teto has one of those.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnpSAMnGi78

 

[AznAnarchy99]

I cant tell you if this trance is making me sleepy while writing this paper or if its cause im still up at 2:30 doing this shit.

 

[DominionSeraph]

I cant tell you if this trance is making me sleepy while writing this paper or if its cause im still up at 2:30 doing this shit.

WAKE UP!

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Reading/using brainpower = no music, or very soft classical at most. I can't concentrate or figure out sciencey stuff with music.

Menial tasks like Excel spreadsheet, graphing, photo editing, doing stuff that's not too hard, music is fine.

 

[exdeath]

Nothing like some Disturbed to put the pedal to the metal no matter what it is I'm doing. It helps me pound away code faster and keeps me from falling asleep. Ctrl-S... F5.... Alt-F4... edit... Ctrl-S... F5....Alt-F4.... set breakpoint... F5... <Stricken solo coming up>

 

[xanis]

Where's the option for "depends on the kind of work"? If I'm doing mindless tasks, music definitely helps me be more productive. If I'm doing stuff like reading/writing, music (or any loud noises for that matter) just distract me.

 

[ThatsABigOne]

it helps me focus... however,

it degrades my memory of what i was studying.

^what this guy said. I have done testing of my own, and this is a valid fact for me.

 

[CurseTheSky]

It depends on the music and what I'm doing. If I'm coding (website design / programming), then certain music helps a lot, but certain other music makes me lose focus. I generally just let my playlist play and zone out on it, but then certain songs or parts of songs come on and completely kill my zombie coding session. Nothing like the solo + last verse of Stairway to Heaven to get your blood pumping and snap you out of a trance.

 

[tysjiang]

It depends. Sometimes it help me focus, other times it does not. Usually when I'm stuck on something and I need I break, I turn on music and it helps me focus on the issue more. Other times while I'm working, I turn on the music and end up listening to it instead of working.

 

[Locut0s]

I don't know that it helps me focus more, but it makes me happier. Especially if I sing a long = instant endorphins.

Fuck that, if you are working on my teeth I want you focused not "happy go lucky lets stick this probe down to the root,... oops shit"... 😀