Scientists have identified the perfect music for work that boosts productivity

A large number of studies show that music affects human emotions. In a recent one, scientists have found out what kind of music is perfect for work and can even increase productivity.

A groundbreaking study shows that instrumental music with a "strong rhythm" and "simple tonality" can help people improve their mood and productivity, especially when performing complex tasks, the Independent writes.

In it, researchers compared the effects of four different musical styles on the mood and performance of nearly 200 participants during a cognitively challenging test called the flanker task.

The psychological experiment measured people's ability to focus on a central stimulus that is transmitted along with a "flanking" cue.

This flanking stimulus either matches the target or does not, requiring participants to focus and respond only to the central target.

Four groups of participants of about 50 each performed the flanking task while listening to four different types of music, including one that was advertised to support "work flow" and "deep focus."

The researchers say that these two music types were primarily chosen because they show distinct differences in musical characteristics that are expected to influence behavior despite similar marketing.

The researchers also compared the effects of popular music and office ambience noise on participants' test scores.

The specific "work flow" music in the study was derived from a similar playlist in a music therapy app, characterized by strong rhythm, simple tonality, moderate dynamism, and distributed spectral energy below 6000 hertz.

And the "deep focus" music was "relatively minimalistic" with a weaker rhythm and slower tempo, as well as more restrained dynamics, experts say.

"Neither work flow nor deep focus music had lyrics. Groups were well-balanced in terms of basic demographics, musical training, sensitivity to musical reward, basal mental health status, and stimulus volume," the researchers explained.

The researchers found that listening to music significantly improved the participants' mood. The effect of workplace tunes on mood was also independent of fluctuations in anxiety, depression, or stress levels reported by participants over the past week.

"This suggests that work flow music may be effective for mood management even when people are suffering from emotional distress. Work flow music may also be useful for people losing focus due to high levels of anxiety," the researchers said.

"We show that instrumental music intentionally composed to support focus and concentration during work – comprising strong rhythm, simple tonality, broad spectral energy, and moderate dynamism – improves mood and increases processing speed during a cognitively demanding task," the experts emphasized.

This study has real implications for providing the general population with effective and affordable strategies for regulating mood and productivity during routine work tasks, the researchers concluded.

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