For some, work can be a stressful or unpleasant environment, and many struggle to get through the day. Music provides entertainment and can make the day go by faster. Listening to a genre of music you enjoy can alleviate a certain amount of stress and also improve your mood. Being entertained while you're at work in some cases may increase production, and some companies even allow employees to use headphones so they can choose their own style of music.
Music playing during working hours can be a distraction for some people. However, others find it helps them focus on a particular task or the overall job. Listening to music can boost the levels of dopamine, a brain chemical that can help people focus. According to Pete Quily, a coach for adults who suffer from attention deficit disorder (ADD), improvements have been shown in their ability to focus when music is played in the workplace.
For many, music is a source of motivation at work. Certain genres of music can help listeners perform certain tasks. For example, if you have to do a task that you don't enjoy, listening to an up-tempo, energetic style of music or a song you enjoy, will often make accomplishing the task easier. Other genres, such as classical, provide a soothing soundtrack to an otherwise stressful environment.
Just as certain genres increase productivity and others help you relax, some music might just help you be more creative. Clinical psychologist, Charles Emery of Ohio State University did a study to show that music stimulates the frontal lobe of your brain, and there are benefits to listening to music while performing a variety of activities. If your job calls on you to be creative, consider music to get your juices flowing.