Since music has become a bigger and bigger part of people’s every day work routine it is worth finding out if this is having a positive effect on motivation at work, or a negative effect.

“As art decorates space, so does music decorate time.”

This quote expertly explains why music has become so important in the workplace environment. Music allows what would be boring tasks to become less so, the key is to not in turn let the music become a complete distraction that takes you away from completing the task at hand. We will look at both the upsides and downsides to listening to music while working:

Pros

There are many benefits to listening to music while completing your daily tasks at work such as making the more repetitive tasks more pleasant. It offers a bit of distraction and can help the time pass more quickly. Some workplaces can be very noisy, and in this instant music can become an escape so that you can focus on what you are working on versus all of the many distractions around you. If you are working in a creative environment the music that you listen to can boost your creativity thus making you more productive!

Cons

On the other hand, anything can become burdensome when it is no longer being used in moderation. Listening to music too loudly or even music that contains too many distracting lyrics can cause you to focus more on what is being played than what you are doing at work. When you have highly in-depth tasks that you are trying to focus on, any kind of outside influence can become distracting, so music could become harmful to your productivity.

All in all music in the workplace seems to fall under the heading of “Everything in Moderation.” As long as you are listening to music that is not overly distracting such as classical music or something that you are familiar with it could actually put you in a better mood and help with your productivity and motivation at work. So keep on listening!

The Culture Counts blog is a discussion of law firm culture and legal innovation, including topics such as effective leadership, employee engagement, workplace culture, ideal work environment, company core values, and workplace productivity.  

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Klemchuk LLP is a litigation, intellectual property, transactional, and international business law firm dedicated to protecting innovation. The firm provides tailored legal solutions to industries including software, technology, retail, real estate, consumer goods, ecommerce, telecommunications, restaurant, energy, media, and professional services. The firm focuses on serving mid-market companies seeking long-term, value-added relationships with a law firm. Learn more about experiencing law practiced differently and our local counsel practice.

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