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Does Listening to Music Really Help You Study?

Experts from the department of psychology explain whether or not music is a helpful study habit to use for midterms, finals, and other exams.

By Mia Mercer ‘23

Students have adopted several studying techniques to prepare for exams. Listening to music is one of them. However, listening to music may be more distracting than helpful for effective studying.

There’s no season quite like an exam season on a university campus. Students turn to varying vices to help improve their chance of getting a good grade. While some chug caffeine, others turn up the music as they hit the books.

Although listening to music can make studying more enjoyable, psychologists from the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences have found that this popular study habit is more distracting than beneficial. 

“ Multitasking is a fallacy; human beings are not capable of truly multitasking because attention is a limited resource, and you can only focus on so much without a cost,” cognitive psychologist Brian Anderson said. “So when you’re doing two things at the same time, like studying and listening to music, and one of the things requires cognitive effort, there will be a cost to how much information you can retain doing both activities.” 

In basic terms of memory, Anderson explained that we do a better job of recalling information in the same conditions in which we learn the material. So when studying for an exam, it’s best to mimic the exam conditions. 

“If you have music going on in the background when you study, it’s going to be easier to recall that information if you also have music on in the background when you take the exam,” Anderson said. “However wearing headphones will almost certainly be a violation during most exams, so listening to music when you’re studying will make it harder to replicate that context when you’re taking an exam.” 

Even though experts suggest listening to music can hinder your ability to retain information while studying, some students choose to continue the practice. Steven Smith, cognitive neuroscientist for the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences , provided some suggestions for students who wish to continue this study habit. 

 “In general, words are distracting,” Smith shared. “So if you want to listen to music while you study, try to listen to something that does not have words, or if it does have words, hopefully, it’ll be in a language that you don’t understand at all, otherwise that’s going to distract from the stuff you’re trying to study.”

Smith also suggested listening to familiar background music, because it’s less distracting than something new or exciting. Additionally, Smith provided some principles that generally result in better exam results. 

“Make sure your studying is meaningful because comprehension gets you so much further than raw repetition,” Smith shared. “Also, you must test yourself, because it’s the only way you can learn the material; this is called the testing-effect. And finally, try to apply the spacing-effect, where you spread out your study sessions rather than cramming your studying all together, allowing for better memory of the material.”

Regardless of how students decide to study for exams, it’s important to remember that we all learn differently.

“There are individual differences between everyone,” Smith said. “Some people need a study place that is boring, predictable, and exactly the same so that they can concentrate, and others find it more beneficial to go to different places to study. It’s true that there are different personalities, so try and find what study habit works best for you.” 

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• Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
• Preparing for Exams

Pros and Cons: Listening to Music While Studying for Optimal Focus

Integrating music into your study routine may seem like a mere method of enjoyment, but it transcends this perception. It is, in fact, a powerful cognitive tool that has been proven to have remarkable effects on our learning capabilities. Research continues to shed light on the profound influence of music on studying, unveiling an array of benefits that contribute to more effective, focused, and enjoyable learning experiences.

Advantages of Studying With Music

1. an impressive aid in studying.

Venturing into the depths of how music helps us study, it’s essential to recall Dr. Gordon Shaw’s groundbreaking theory, ‘ The Mozart Effect ‘. This theory originated in the 1990s when Shaw extensively studied brain theory and spatial reasoning in problem-solving. His research with students led to the intriguing conclusion that frequent exposure to Mozart’s “ Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major ” boosted their IQ by nine points.

Not only does music provide a pleasant background for studying, but it also enhances endurance, keeping students engaged for extended periods. The persistence needed to master new material often clashes with the monotony of the task. Music comes into play here, transforming the tedious process into an engaging, even enjoyable experience.

2. A Powerful Catalyst for Focus

Music plays a crucial role in maintaining focus during study sessions in the era of endless distractions. It acts as a gentle, steady undercurrent, tuning out external disturbances. As you immerse yourself in your study material, music provides a consistent, comforting backdrop, allowing your mind to anchor itself firmly to the task.

Music mitigates the whirl of distracting thoughts and allows your brain to steer its attention to studying. It’s akin to a cognitive anchor, helping your brain bypass the temptations of wandering thoughts and bringing them back to the study material.

3. An Incredible Instrument for Concentration

Scientific studies, including brain imaging scans, have highlighted the effect of music on concentration. Listening to music activates the brain’s left and right hemispheres simultaneously, significantly bolstering learning abilities. By triggering different areas of your brain, music helps maintain its agility and health. Thus, nurturing your ability to concentrate by merely tuning into some serene sounds is within your grasp.

The influence of music on concentration is multifaceted. It helps reduce anxiety and facilitates healthy emotional processing, leaving your brain free to concentrate on the task at hand.

4. A Potent Enhancer of Academic Performance

Incorporating music into learning curriculums has repeatedly proven beneficial, significantly improving academic performance. For example, a primary school in Bradford achieved a remarkable rise in SATS results by merely integrating more music into the curriculum.

5. A Dynamic Motivator for Studying

One of the most profound challenges in studying is sustaining the motivation to persist through complex material. Music, with its varied tones, rhythms, and melodies, injects an element of enjoyment into the learning process, rekindling motivation and interest.

Creating a personalized learning playlist can serve as a backdrop to your study routine. Listening to your favorite tracks can inspire focus and stimulate your eagerness to learn, thus making studying an enjoyable endeavor rather than a dreaded task.

6. A Proven Memory Booster

Music is a well-recognized mnemonic device. It triggers the memory centers in the brain, making recall more manageable. To put it simply, music can play a vital role in helping you remember what you’ve studied. The melody and rhythm of music can link to specific information, making it easier to retrieve when needed.

Songs with catchy lyrics often get stuck in our heads. This phenomenon, often referred to as an “ earworm ,” can be put to productive use in learning. Pairing important information with melodies can help you remember details with greater accuracy.

7. A Mindful Way to Manage Stress

The soothing power of music is no secret. Numerous studies show that music can significantly reduce stress and anxiety levels. When you’re feeling overwhelmed by your study load, listening to relaxing music can help restore calm, allowing you to refocus and study more effectively.

Music has a unique link to our emotions; thus, it can serve as an extremely effective stress management tool. It can be a powerful medium to connect with our feelings, helping us process them more healthily and ultimately enhancing our ability to learn.

8. A Creative Pathway for Problem Solving

Disadvantages of Music During Study Sessions

While the benefits of integrating music into study sessions are indeed substantial, it’s crucial also to be aware of its potential drawbacks. Just as music can enhance cognitive function, it may hinder optimal learning under certain circumstances. Understanding these potential pitfalls is essential to leverage music’s benefits while minimizing its potential for distraction or inefficiency.

1. A Potential Distraction

While music can promote focus, it can also have the opposite effect, particularly when it contains lyrics. Lyrics can interfere with the processing of linguistic information, such as reading or writing. In essence, your brain may struggle to focus on the study material because it’s also attempting to process the words in the song. This is especially true if the music’s language aligns with your study material.

Moreover, complex musical compositions with intricate harmonies and melodies can similarly draw attention away from the task at hand. Rather than serving as a gentle backdrop, such music can command cognitive resources, leading to divided attention.

2. An Interrupter of Deep Learning

Research suggests that silence is sometimes more beneficial for complex tasks that require deep cognitive processing. Some learners may find music interrupting their thought process, making solving complex problems or grasping challenging concepts more difficult. Deep learning requires an undisturbed mental space, and music can fragment this continuity for some individuals.

3. A Misleading Sense of Mastery

Listening to music while studying can create a more enjoyable learning environment, which can sometimes lead to an inflated sense of understanding. Research indicates that students who study with music tend to believe they’ve learned the material better than they actually have. This can be problematic when it comes to recalling and applying information during an examination or in a practical setting.

4. An Unwanted Emotional Influence

While music can help manage stress and enhance mood, it can also evoke strong emotions that might distract from studying. For example, a song that reminds you of a particular event or person might trigger a flood of memories and emotions, leading your mind away from the study material.

5. A Potential Cause of Overstimulation

Listening to music while studying can lead to sensory overload, particularly for individuals with certain learning styles or neurological conditions. For instance, individuals with ADHD may find music overly stimulating and distracting. Similarly, individuals with auditory processing issues or those who are particularly sensitive to sound might find that music more hindrance than a help.

While music can indeed be a powerful tool to enhance studying, it is not universally beneficial. Understanding one’s learning style and preferences is vital to ensure the best use of music during study sessions. Just as the right kind of music under the right conditions can boost learning, the wrong type, or using it inappropriately, can have the opposite effect. Thus, balance and self-awareness are key when leveraging music in the pursuit of knowledge.

Does listening to music improve GPA?

No direct scientific evidence suggests that listening to music while studying will necessarily improve your GPA. The relationship between music and studying is complex and depends on various factors, such as the type of music, the task at hand, and individual learning styles. For instance, some students may find that certain types of instrumental or classical music improve their concentration and subsequently enhance their study effectiveness. However, the potential impact on GPA would also depend on many other factors related to study habits, comprehension, test-taking skills, and so forth.

Is it better to listen to music while working or to work in silence?

The choice between working with music or in silence is largely personal and can depend on the task at hand. Silence may be the best option if the work involves complex cognitive processing or linguistic comprehension, as it allows for deeper concentration. On the other hand, for more mundane or repetitive tasks, music can make the process more enjoyable and may help maintain focus. Importantly, music without lyrics or with a consistent rhythm tends to be less distracting. The key is understanding your work style and the nature of the task.

Why does music help me focus with ADHD?

Research has suggested that individuals with ADHD can benefit from listening to music during tasks that require concentration. Music, particularly with a steady rhythm, can stimulate the brain’s production of certain chemicals like dopamine and norepinephrine, which play crucial roles in attention and focus. Moreover, listening to music can make the task more enjoyable, which may improve motivation and persistence in individuals with ADHD. However, this isn’t universally true for everyone with ADHD. The type of music, the task, and personal preferences all play a role. Trying different approaches and seeing what works best for you is important.

Final Thoughts

The role of music in study and work environments is complex and multifaceted. The effects it has on productivity, focus, and creativity are contingent on a multitude of factors, including the nature of the task, the type of music, and the individual’s personal preferences and learning style. While research provides some guidance, the final decision on whether to incorporate music into study or work routines rests upon trial and error, as individuals gauge what methods best optimize their performance and well-being.

Furthermore, it’s essential to consider the limitations and potential drawbacks of this practice. Music can enhance mood and focus and can also be a source of distraction, particularly when engaging in complex cognitive tasks or when the music includes discernable lyrics. Hence, finding the right balance is crucial. Music is a tool that, when used strategically, can potentially improve both productivity and enjoyment in work or study environments. It underscores the importance of personalizing our learning or working styles, aligning our habits to our unique preferences, and continuously experimenting with ways to optimize our performance.

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7 Benefits Of Listening To Music While Studying

Annika Hope

Knuckling down to some revision can be hard. So what can you do to make your study time more effective and productive?  And what exactly are the benefits of listening to music while studying?

There are proven benefits of listening to music while studying , but it has to be the right kind of music. Research has shown that music can help you focus, concentrate, relax, feel motivated, improve memory and make the process much more enjoyable . 

Read on to find out how it can help with your academic performance, and what you should be adding to your playlist, for the most successful study periods.   

Benefits of listening to music while studying  

Have your parents, teachers or lecturers been encouraging you to plug into Spotify or iTunes while studying? If so, there’s a good reason behind it. You may be aware of the benefits of studying music, but did you know that there are many benefits to listening to music while studying all sorts of topics.

There are some caveats of course. Certain types of music work better than others and some subjects and learning approaches aren’t as conducive to using background sounds. But for the majority of students, there are a host of benefits.  

How is music beneficial to students?  

There are few things music doesn’t improve – be it a night out, meal, car journey, long flight, gym session or brisk walk. If you enjoy listening to music (and perhaps even if you don’t) music can motivate you, keep you studying for longer, make it more enjoyable and increase your cognitive function. We’ll be looking at the science behind the theories and experiences of many people.  

Advantages of listening to music while studying

#1  music helps you study  .

In the 1990s Dr Gordon Shaw developed a theory called The Mozart Effect. He had studied brain theory and spatial reasoning in problem-solving for decades. Following a period of research with a group of students, he deduced that their IQ had improved nine points, by frequently listening to Mozart’s “Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major.”

Scientists carrying out further studies didn’t always find the same results. So it seems it does vary from person to person. But one thing’s for sure, listening to Mozart – or similar sounds won’t make you less intelligent and it’s likely to do the opposite.  

How does music help you study?  

There are many ways music helps you study. One of the ways in which it improves your performance specifically in this area is by keeping you going longer. Less isn’t more when it comes to learning and by increasing your time spent revising, you’ll take in a great deal. But let’s face it, studying can be tedious and boring.

Playing music, especially for subjects you find dull and less inspiring can make it more interesting, meaning you won’t throw in the towel and stop as quickly as you might, without some accompaniment. Music = endurance.  

Is music bad for studying?  

Music can be bad for studying if it changes too rapidly. Seek out more sustained sounds with longer repetitive tracks. Don’t change songs frequently or use medleys. Many people say they find the music less useful for language study and reading fiction – the latter is likely because it requires your brain to imagine and visualise the world of the book.  

#2  Music helps you focus   

Endurance + focus is a great combination. But do you have a wandering mind? If you find yourself thinking about everything except work, as soon as you open your books, your problem may be in focus. Music is an ideal remedy when reading dry, factual textbooks, learning facts or solving problems.  

Why does music help you focus?  

You may find your mind wanders easily when carrying out these activities. Adding gentle sounds will provide a kind of white noise background, allowing your brain to zone into what you’re doing, rather than entertaining itself with background distractions, like intermittent traffic noise or voices.

There are times when your body and mind do need some silence. So be careful not to always fill every gap with sound. Take time every day to remove audio stimulation completely allowing your ears and mind to rest.  

How can listening to music help you focus?  

In this video, you’ll learn a little more about how it can help you focus on the task at hand and when listening to music doesn’t work so well for achieving focus.  

#3  Music helps you concentrate   

Similar to helping you focus, gentle music will enable you to concentrate on what you’re doing. Brain imaging scans show that music activates both the left and right sides of the brain at the same time – the activation of both hemispheres simultaneously can intensify learning abilities. Firing up different areas of your brain helps it stay in shape. Brain cells are known to die from inactivity – so use them or lose them! And boosting your brainpower can be as easy as listening to some lovely sounds.  

How does listening to music help you concentrate?  

As with the other benefits we list in this article, it does depend on what you’re listening to. Give the metal and miss and pop on some Classic FM or chill out sounds. Listening to music when you’re not studying can also have positive effects on your ability to concentrate when you do knuckle down to some work too.  

How does music affect concentration?  

Music helps reduce anxiety and process emotions in a healthy way. This leaves your brain free to concentrate on what you’re doing, rather than being plagued by worries and trying to sort through your feelings. Have you ever noticed how much better your mind works following some meditation or a massage? You can think more clearly and problem-solve more effectively. The same applies to the right kind of music exposure.  

#4  Music affects academic performance  

A primary school in Bradford made the news when it saw its SATS results dramatically improve after incorporating more music into the curriculum, despite being in a very deprived area, and usually producing poor academic performances. As so many of the students speak English as a foreign language, music breaks down barriers and enables greater degrees of communication, satisfaction and achievement.  

It has long been known that those who study music often do better in maths too. And introducing music at a young age aids cognitive development. If you have kids, enrolling them in music lessons often has a lot of advantages beyond simply learning an instrument (although that too is a super life skill).  

Does listening to music affect academic performance?

Researchers at Cardiff Metropolitan University tested reading comprehension with music and found that the subjects found it harder to concentrate with music present. But this was particular to reading and while there are no conclusive studies available to fully prove a comprehensive improvement in academic performance, there are many who find that it has a positive effect overall.

This is no doubt because of the mixture of benefits delivered. It is, as we’ve mentioned, also very dependent on whether your tunes of choice are likely to put you off.  

How does listening to music improve academic performance?  

Another reason academic performance might be affected is the ability for music to move the brain to pay attention. A study at Standford University used brain imaging to discover that peak activity often happened, during moments of silence within a longer musical movement. Music helps the brain sift events, allowing it to hone into the things that matter, better.  

#5  Music helps motivate study (so you enjoy it!)  

One of the biggest challenges with studying is actually knuckling down to it, then sticking at it once you’ve started. Add in some of your favourite tunes and it takes on a whole new lease of life. Create your very own learning playlist for a soundtrack to your study. Do you have a motivational song you listen to before going on stage or doing an audition? It’s a similar concept. Pick songs that get you in the zone. Focus on the outcome of your efforts and get excited about it.  

Listening to music while studying research  

We often talk about the positive effects singing has on the brain and body, improving mental and physical health. But you don’t necessarily have to make music yourself to reap some of the rewards. Scientists have discovered that listening to music releases dopamine in the brain. This is a feel-good chemical.  

Some of the benefits have to do with the vibrations of sound, others are associated with the ebb and flow and musical arcs experienced when listening.  

Listening to music while studying – an experiment  

We’ve talked a little about the types of music you should listen to. In this experiment using undergraduate medical students, many reported that it was distracting to have a soundtrack. Those listening to soft music reported 75% more correct answers than those listening to fast tracks. The message is – don’t use your dance beats, or electronica when studying if you want to do well academically.   

#6  Music improves memory   

If you’re a singer , this is a brilliant opportunity for some multi-tasking. The act of learning lyrics and the notes helps improve your memory and even fights against longer-term illnesses such as Alzheimer’s.

Your brain is a muscle, so the more you memorise and learn, the better it gets at it. And this crosses over from performance to academia. Listening to music improves mood and a positive emotional state is also linked to better memory.  

How can I improve my memory for studying?  

Learn a new song a week and you’ll soon impress your mates with your fantastic ability to remember facts and stories connected to your school, college or uni work. There are lots of tricks to help you remember things – try different ones to work out which suits you best. Here are some great tips and suggestions you might like to try.  

Listening to instrumental music while studying  

Memorising lyrics is a great way to boost those brain cells, but don’t attempt to do it while trying to study. Keep the two actions separate – use words to practice and exercise the memory, and then use wordless music to study with.

Try to avoid instrumental tracks of songs you sing. If you hear the melodies while working, you’re likely to automatically start singing the lyrics in your head. In terms of memory function, this is great, as it means you’ve cemented them in place. But it will put you off your thread when doing other tasks that require concentration.  

#7  Music helps you relax  

Music is excellent for your overall mental health and in aiding relaxation. The more relaxed and calm you are, the better you’ll feel and the more you’ll achieve academically. Stress is a big problem for students and is counter-productive, but can be hard to combat. Anything that helps relieve these feelings and promote wellbeing is likely to up your game and make you happier in the process. So it makes sense to include music in your work and personal life.  

How does music help relieve stress?  

As you listen to music , your heart rate often syncs in time with the rhythm. Because of this, people who regularly experience stress are often advised to listen to music that lowers the heart rate to a normal resting beat (classical music is a common favourite for this). If you’re feeling nervous, with a fast heartbeat and sweaty palms before an exam or performance, pop on some calming music, focus on sustained breathing and close your eyes. You can actually induce a state of calm and slow your heartbeat to a resting rate this way.  

What kind of music is good for studying?   

How do you want to feel when studying? Some people like to get the adrenaline flowing, although this is more likely to be beneficial in an exam type scenario, or when cramming, when you need a quick boost of energy.

For sustained, lengthy study sessions in which you need to absorb information or write a dissertation, you’re usually better off with something calm and chilled – but no so relaxing you drift off to sleep! Jazz, folk and classical are great genres for studying.

Streaming sites and YouTube are packed with great playlists, so you don’t have to spend valuable study time compiling your own playlists.  

Disadvantages of listening to music while studying  

Disadvantages tend to come with the wrong choice of music. Avoid anything with lyrics as this is more likely to distract and encourage singing along. Similarly, stay away from your absolute faves. Even without lyrics, you’re likely to tune into the melodies you love best.

For some people, any sound at all is distracting and the less external stimulation present when studying, the better. If this is you, find a quiet indoor spot without any screens (unless they’re directly connected to what you’re doing). And put your phone on silent and out of reach – notifications are the worst culprits for putting you off your stride.  

If you love to listen to music, then this will no doubt be good news. But the message is, don’t let your favourite playlists reign over your study time. Use music that best fits the task. It does help if it something you quite like, from a motivation perspective, but they shouldn’t be your top tunes. It’s also a great opportunity to expose yourself to different genres and periods.

Classical music tends to be less popular with younger people, but it can be a great source of study friendly compositions. Expand your musical experiences to styles you wouldn’t ordinarily pick and you may just up your grades in the process.   

Related Questions  

• What per cent of students listen to music while studying?  

A recent survey estimated that around 60% of students use music to help with studying. Previous studies have suggested around 50% do so. So it’s likely that at least half will have some when working – you’re certainly not alone if you like to have your favourite playlist while studying. 

• What are the benefits of listening to music in class?  

There’s something really powerful about a shared music experience and it’s not limited to choirs. You can learn theory and explore the creativity of composition with fellow students. It also helps keep the group calm and centred.  

• Is it bad to study with music on?  

It depends what you’re listening to and whether it’s distracting or encouraging. You might need to experiment with different tunes to find what works for you, not against you (and it might not be your usual go-to albums).  

Have you found the benefits of listening to music while studying? What genre of music do you find is best and do you have any favourite albums or artists for it? Tell us what you think in the comments below. 

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Curious Kids: is it OK to listen to music while studying?

Lecturer in Psychology, University of Wollongong

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Timothy Byron does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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I am in year 11 and I like to listen to music when I am studying, but my dad says that my brain is spending only half of its time studying and the other half is distracted by listening. He says it is better to leave my phone out of my room and concentrate on studying rather than listening to music. Is it OK to listen to songs when I am studying? – Robert, Year 11 student.

It’s a good question! In a nutshell, music puts us in a better mood, which makes us better at studying – but it also distracts us, which makes us worse at studying.

So if you want to study effectively with music, you want to reduce how distracting music can be, and increase the level to which the music keeps you in a good mood.

Read more: Curious Kids: Why do adults think video games are bad?

Music can put us in a better mood

You may have heard of the Mozart effect – the idea that listening to Mozart makes you “smarter”. This is based on research that found listening to complex classical music like Mozart improved test scores, which the researcher argued was based on the music’s ability to stimulate parts of our minds that play a role in mathematical ability.

However, further research conclusively debunked the Mozart effect theory: it wasn’t really anything to do with maths, it was really just that music puts us in a better mood.

Research conducted in the 1990s found a “Blur Effect” – where kids who listened to the BritPop band Blur seemed to do better on tests. In fact, researchers found that the Blur effect was bigger than the Mozart effect, simply because kids enjoyed pop music like Blur more than classical music.

Being in a better mood likely means that we try that little bit harder and are willing to stick with challenging tasks.

Music can distract us

On the other hand, music can be a distraction – under certain circumstances.

When you study, you’re using your “working memory” – that means you are holding and manipulating several bits of information in your head at once.

The research is fairly clear that when there’s music in the background, and especially music with vocals, our working memory gets worse .

Likely as a result, reading comprehension decreases when people listen to music with lyrics . Music also appears to be more distracting for people who are introverts than for people who are extroverts, perhaps because introverts are more easily overstimulated.

Some clever work by an Australia-based researcher called Bill Thompson and his colleagues aimed to figure out the relative effect of these two competing factors - mood and distraction.

They had participants do a fairly demanding comprehension task, and listen to classical music that was either slow or fast, and which was either soft or loud.

They found the only time there was any real decrease in performance was when people were listening to music that was both fast and loud (that is, at about the speed of Shake It Off by Taylor Swift, at about the volume of a vacuum cleaner).

But while that caused a decrease in performance, it wasn’t actually that big a decrease. And other similar research also failed to find large differences.

So… can I listen to music while studying or not?

To sum up: research suggest it’s probably fine to listen to music while you’re studying - with some caveats.

It’s better if:

• it puts you in a good mood
• it’s not too fast or too loud
• it’s less wordy (and hip-hop, where the words are rapped rather than sung, is likely to be even more distracting)
• you’re not too introverted.

Happy listening and good luck in your exams!

Read more: Why do old people hate new music?

Hello, curious kids! Have you got a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to [email protected]

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Doing Homework While Listening To The Music: Pros And Cons

“Music is the medicine of mind”

“Music heals the soul”

“Music is an effective way to increase productivity”

You must have heard such statements or very similar during your life. Well there is no doubt in the miracles of the music. Different theories exist about when the music was originated or who started it. Some argue that its sole existence owes to entertainment but then that is not true because it used to exist in ancient civilizations and old centuries in their religious practices. Some argue its origin was religion but then how about the music in nature or music for a profession. The subject is wide and contains an entire universe in itself. If we go into the details of this subject, it will extend beyond the scope of this article.

The basic concern of this article is to talk about the pros and cons of doing your homework while listening to music. Some students have a habit of working with music and they can easily concentrate on their assignments because there is no other distraction. Plenty of students may find it impossible to work with music. The advantages or disadvantages of working with music differ with different individuals, subjects, type of music and the intensity.

Below are some major pros and cons for students listening to music while doing their homework.

Pros of listening to music while attempting your homework

• You can avoid listening to the sounds in the surrounding environment like household stuff, your siblings, television programs, your friends, someone in the street or even minor sounds like tap water, fan, doors or walking. When you do not have anything else to concentrate on, your mind can easily focus on the homework
• It is ideal if you only have to write down certain assignment without any critical thinking or evaluation. You cannot memorize something or understand a concept if there is music in the background. You can attempt numeric work, math, writing assignments and similar tasks
• If you are listening to a certain genre then there are specific frequencies that can increase productivity, keep a person fresh and motivate him to do more work

Cons of listening to music while attempting your homework

• It might distract you to the lyrics of the song and you may not focus on the words you are writing
• You cannot memorize with music in the background

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M usic is an indispensable part of our life and you will hardly meet a person who doesn’t like listening to it. Of course, it can be a music of different genres, with or without lyrics, modern or classical, but people enjoy listening to music and can combine a variety of activities with it.

Young generations are also fans of music and every second student has always his headphones. Students listen to music everywhere: on-the-go, in public transport, in the shower and even when they do their homework. However, the last habit is quite controversial as scientists have different opinions about the effect music produces on studying. Let’s analyze the viewpoints of different scholars and decide whether pros or cons of listening to music while you do your homework will outweigh.

How can music be beneficial?

It is not surprising to see different studies about the influence of music on learning and their results are sometimes opposite to each other. Some scientists claim that music can influence the brain work positively as well as provide a learner with some huge advantages including:

• Useful for creative and reflection activities The study done at John Hopkin’s University confirms the viewpoint that music can be a great boost in writing , brainstorming, project work, problem-solving activities. It can improve productivity as well as be a perfect solution for several minutes of rest to recharge for the next activity.

Negative impact of music on doing homework

At the same time, many students still call music a distraction. Why does it happen? The answer is simple, students speak about absolutely different styles of music.

It goes without saying that listening to the song with words you will be more likely to distract from studying by repeating the words of the singer. This fact was confirmed by the University of Phoenix where researchers have proved that lyrics activates language-processing centers of the brain and that results in a lack of concentration and difficulties to recall the memorized information .

The last fact was described in the book “ Educational Psychology ”. Context-dependent learning means that people will recall information better in the same environment how they were memorizing it. If it was a music background at home, there are few chances that this background will be at school too, so information recalling will suffer greatly as well.

One more apparent point is a huge difference in people’s learning styles. Some people will have a much better productivity studying in silence, the others chewing a burger and one more group watching a TV. Music can be beneficial only to some of the students as any sound can affect the performance of others negatively. Consequently, it is impossible to make the only right conclusion about the ultimate benefit or the toughest negative impact of music on student’s performance of the home assignment. The only conclusion is apparent: everything depends on the person and his study environment .

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4 best music for homework that’ll dramatically improve your productivity

Choosing the right music for homework can help you focus better and learn faster.

Around 60% of students tend to listen to music while studying. Researchers also found that listening to music was the most popular side activity for teens who juggled studying with another task.

While we may prefer different genres of focus music, we can all agree that the right playlist has the magical ability to boost concentration.

This is because music activates the most diverse networks of the human brain. It’s been proven that people with ADHD focus better with the right music.

This is on top of  existing research  that has found listening to music reduces anxiety, blood pressure, and improves sleep quality, mood, and memory.

Johns Hopkins University researchers have done work on jazz performers improvising inside an fMRI machine to see which areas of the brain light up as well.

They found that jazz musicians make unique improvisations by turning off inhibition and turning up creativity.

In short, if you find the right music for homework, you can elevate both brain power and creativity.

While there isn’t a one-size-fit-all approach to this, let us help you narrow down some of the best genres for you to try:

Here are the five best music for homework to help you increase your productivity:

Having the right music matters, even for top athletes. Source: Tiziana Fabi/AFP

1. Classical music

When picking music for homework, you’ve probably heard how classical music can increase your focus when studying.

There’s a theory dubbed “The Mozart Effect” that suggests this genre of music can enhance brain activity and arouse your brain to focus.

There are also several studies done where students listening to classical music did better on quizzes than students with no music.

Suggestions:

• ClassicFM  (a free radio streaming platform that plays famous classical pieces)
• “Study Playlist: Classical Music” on Spotify
• “Classical Music for When You’re on a Deadline” on YouTube

2. Video game music 

This might surprise you but video game music is actually one of the best music for homework. According to Orion Academy , video game music is designed to keep you absorbed and focused — which is also great for memorising. 

When your brain is focused on just melody, it’s taking a break from trying to break down the lyrics of a song and thus increases your performance .

Video game music tends to stay at a relatively low, constant volume too, preventing you from becoming distracted by sudden increases in volume.

Since video game music is generally fast-paced, your brain will be constantly engaged in the task at hand.

• “Video game soundtracks” on Spotify
• “Video game music for studying” on YouTube
• Choose favourites from this list and create your own playlist!

If you’re someone who easily gets distracted, RnB may not be the best music for homework for you. There’s a high chance that you might spend too much time jamming to the lyrics of the song instead of focusing.

Though music under his genre generally has lyrics, many RnB fans reported feeling more relaxed, focused, and less stressed, which may have a positive impact on their ability to focus and learn.

• “Study R&B Smooth Songs ” on Spotify
• “Chill R&B Beats Mix – Beats to Relax and Study (Vol.1)” on YouTube

4. Nature sounds 

It’s been shown that nature sounds relax our nervous system. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute  have also discovered that natural sounds boost moods and focus.

The study found employees were more productive and had more positive feelings when nature sounds were playing in the background while they worked.

Nature sounds include the soothing sounds of the rain, ocean waves on the beach or even the jungle. Some prefer listening to bird calls and animal noises, so feel free to explore if nature sounds aren’t the right music for homework for you. 

Relaxing Nature Sounds for Sleeping – Natural Calm Forest Waterfall Music Meditation Sound for Study on YouTube

“Nature Sounds For Concentration” on Spotify

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The 7 Laws of Multitasking

The two main hazards (and two main benefits) of multitasking..

Posted December 16, 2014

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You’ve been told that multitasking is a bad idea. Articles and essays appear every day telling you why multitasking is dangerous, makes things take longer, tires out your brain, reduces the quality of your work, and lowers your IQ . And, for the most part, these warnings are all based on good research. 1, 2

But have you ever noticed that you still multitask in many ways, and it usually works out just fine?

The truth is that sometimes multitasking is a very bad idea, sometimes it doesn’t help, but also doesn’t hurt much, and sometimes it brings great benefits. The point of this essay is to help us tell the difference.

And, with that, I present the seven laws of multitasking.

Law One: Some tasks mix well.

In the simplest case, when you multitask, you have a primary task (task A), and a secondary task (task B). The primary task is your priority. The secondary task is tacked on as something else you can enjoy or accomplish at the same time.

Sometimes the two tasks will mix well. Here are some examples:

• listening to music while practicing a sports skill
• talking with strangers while waiting in line
• listening to a talk radio program while driving (sometimes)
• listening to music while working.
• talking on the phone while cooking
• cleaning a room while doing a weight workout
• doing dishes while waiting for a video game to load
• watching television while folding laundry
• listening to an audiobook while exercising
• drinking coffee while talking with a friend
• eating popcorn while watching a movie

And, contrary to idiom, even chewing gum while walking works out just fine most of the time.

On the other hand, . . .

Law Two: Some tasks mix poorly.

Sometimes tasks don’t mix well. Here are some examples:

• texting while driving
• monitoring social media while doing high-focus creative work
• watching television while doing homework
• listening to a podcast while writing
• listening to music with lyrics while reading
• talking with friends while watching a movie
• emailing one person while talking with another
• playing angry birds while landing a commercial passenger jet.

These examples, good and bad, come from my own experience, from common experience, and from the research literature. One or two of the examples might fail to resonate for you, but the point remains: multitasking is a mixed bag.

Now let’s see if we can figure out what makes multitasking good in some cases and bad in others.

Law Three: It’s partly about switching costs.

Imagine you have a small kitchen, and you plan to make two omelets and two batches of cookies. In what order should you do your cooking?

When you make an omelet, you must get out the eggs, the cheese, a cutting board, a knife, some spices, some vegetables, a skillet, and a mixing bowl. Then you make the omelet. And, if you’re like me, when you’re finished, you still have a dirty mixing bowl, cutting board and skillet sitting there, with the eggs, cheese, and maybe some extra veggies still sitting on the counter. At some point you will need to clean up and put things away.

So we can break the task of making a single omelet into three parts: 1) setup, 2) make the omelet, 3) cleanup.

And the same goes for baking cookies. You’ll have the same three components to that task: setup, make the cookies, and cleanup.

Now consider two plans for making the two omelets and two batches of cookies:

Plan 1 : omelet, cookies, omelet, cookies

Plan 2 : omelet, omelet, cookies, cookies.

And consider how much time and effort is required for each plan.

With plan 1 you will need to:

• setup for omelet
• make omelet
• setup for cookies
• make cookies

With plan 2 you will need to:

When you alternate tasks, you have to clean up task A before you can setup for task B (remember, this is a small kitchen). And it turns out that you can save a lot of work by focusing on one kind of food at a time instead of switching between them. You save two setups and two cleanups by following plan 2 instead of plan 1. This is the benefit of batch processing. It saves on overhead.

The same thing happens in your brain when you multitask. For example, when you sit down to do some homework your mind has to do some setup tasks. It must load certain information into short term memory , build appropriate mental models, erect filters to keep irrelevant information out, and so forth.

Now, if you switch your attention to watching television for a few seconds, you must free up some of the resources being used for homework, and prepare some new mental resources that are needed to track the show you’re watching.

So your mind has to perform some cleanup and setup work every time you switch from homework to television, and every time you switch back as well. These are known as “switching costs”, and they cost you in terms of both time and energy.

The costs might be small for an individual switch, but after an hour of homework/television they add up, and you might find you got only half of the homework done you could have, and you might be more mentally weary as well. 2

And the switching costs will be even greater if your primary task is a complicated creative endeavor, such as constructing a mathematical proof, developing a theory in physics, writing about a complicated topic, or coding a complex algorithm.

Richard Feynman had the following to say about allowing creative work to be interrupted (whether by accident or through multitasking):

“To do high, real good physics work you do need absolutely solid lengths of time, so that when you’re putting ideas together which are vague and hard to remember, it’s very much like building a house of cards and each of the cards is shaky, and if you forget one of them the whole thing collapses again. You don’t know how you got there and you have to build them up again, . . .” 3

The problem is that, when you’re doing complicated work, you often have to build up intricate mental models, and you’re pushing yourself to the edge of your capacity to concentrate. And when you take your attention away from your creative task and attend to an interruption, the mental models dissolve. And you probably won’t be able to build them back up the way they were.

It’s like having your computer crash while writing a paper, and realizing you hadn’t saved your document for half an hour. It will cost you time and energy trying to get everything built back up, and you might not actually get it back the way it was.

The real tragedy here is not that sometimes geniuses lose track of where they were. Geniuses typically value deep concentration and take measures to protect against interruption. The real tragedy is that many chronic multitaskers never bother with deep concentration, and might never discover the genius within them.

Law Four: It’s partly about resource conflict.

Another problem with mutitasking is that task A and task B might need the same mental resource, and they can’t both use it at the same time.

If a person listens to light instrumental music while sending an email message, there is typically little problem. Task B (listening to music) makes use of mental resources not needed for task A (writing the email message). If our email writer sub-vocalizes as she writes, there might be some auditory involvement, but the music won’t require verbal processing, so the degree of conflict is minimal.

If, on the other hand, she talks with a colleague while writing her email, then there is much more conflict over mental resources. Task B requires the person to construct and communicate meaning in sentences, just like task A does. Both require empathy and social strategizing as well. Trying to do both tasks at the same time will cause high switching costs and a greater chance of error.

Texting while driving is an iconic case of resource conflict. Both tasks compete over visual attention. When you switch your gaze from driving to texting, you will no longer be able to see new driving hazards as long as you are looking at your phone. Plus it takes some time to get situation awareness when you look back to the road. That’s why texting and driving is now the number one cause of death for teen drivers. 4

In general, when it’s important to do task A well, we should not also take on a secondary task that competes with the primary task for key resources.

Law Five: It’s partly about sweetening the pot.

But there are benefits to multitasking. Sometimes we are staring down a relatively simple task that we just don’t want to do (such as folding clothes). But we know that we would be much happier doing that task if we could do something else pleasant or useful at the same time (such as watching television or listening to an audio book). So we multitask in order to “sweeten the pot”, so we will have the motivation needed to perform the primary task.

We might not fold the clothes in record time. There will be some switching costs. But the alternative, if we’re being frank, is that we won’t fold the clothes at all. And, since the task is relatively simple, the switching costs will be manageable.

Or sometimes the primary task will contain periods of activity interspersed with periods of inactivity, while another task can be broken into small chunks that can fit those gaps. When I workout with weights, I perform sets of exercise with periods of rest in between. When I clean my office I do a series of discrete tasks with natural break points between subtasks (clear the clutter from my desk, empty a trash can, etc.).

That makes these two activities a natural fit. If I arrange to do cleaning tasks during the rest intervals in my workout, that “sweetens the pot” for both tasks. I normally don’t like cleaning my office, and will put it off repeatedly. But, if I can make use of the dead times in my workout, it seems worthwhile, because there’s little else of value I would be able to do during those two-minute rest periods.

Multitasking can help us start a task we don’t want to do, and it can also keep us doing a task when we’ve grown impatient. When the car trip gets boring , we can play twenty-questions. When we get impatient waiting in line, we can strike up a conversation with a stranger.

And pot-sweetening is just one of the two main possible benefits of multitasking.

Law Six: It’s partly about setting picks.

In basketball, it’s easier to score when you’re not being harassed by an opponent. That’s why teammates will sometimes position themselves at a spot on the floor and just stand still. The player with the ball can then dribble close enough to the teammate that the shadowing defender must either run into the teammate, go around the teammate, or switch assignments with the teammate’s defender. Sometimes this allows the player with the ball to get off a clean shot. The teammate in this case is “setting a pick”.

Likewise, a well-chosen secondary task can “set a pick” for the primary task by blocking out potential distractors.

When we work on a task, our minds do many things. Parts of our mind are concerned with executing our primary task. They help us keep the goal in mind, make plans, execute those plans, work around obstacles, keep the right things in memory for easy access, and so on. These are “foreground” processes.

At the same time other parts of our mind are looking out for signs of danger, looping through other problems we are dealing with, monitoring our internal states, or looking for opportunities to switch to more rewarding tasks. These are “background processes”. And background processes have a way of getting us off track at times.

So here’s the thing. This is where we can use multitasking to our advantage. If we choose our secondary task wisely, it can compete for resources with background processes that might otherwise interrupt us. And that means the right task B can actually help us stay focused on task A. Here’s how we might formalize that strategy:

Background Process Interference Strategy: when background processes are likely to interrupt a primary task, try to find a secondary task that will compete for resources with the background processes, but not with the foreground processes.

In other words, use task B to “set a pick” for task A.

If you don’t like doing yard work, and you know that parts of your brain will be looking for more rewarding things to do, and will be sending a constant stream of rationalizations to your mind to try to get you to quit, then you can run interference by listening to a podcast. Listening to the podcast will compete with the background processes for a key resource (strategic thinking), but will not compete substantially for the resources being used by the primary task.

On the other hand, if you’re writing an essay, and you fear your background processes will be trying to get you to quit, setting a pick with a podcast won’t work as well. In that case, task B will interfere not only with the background processes but also with the foreground processes -- like a clumsy teammate who tries to set a pick and knocks over the ball-handler in the process.

Law Seven: It’s all about making trade-offs.

It should be clear by now that we can’t say full stop whether multitasking is good or bad. It all depends on features of task A, features of task B, how A and B interact, and what a person’s goals are.

When it’s important to do the primary task well (driving), we must be extra careful about switching costs and resource conflict (that’s why texting while driving is a terrible idea). When it’s not that important, we can be more relaxed about those costs, and be more open to some of the benefits of multitasking (watching television while folding clothes is probably fine).

Sometimes it will be important to do task A quickly (studying for a test the night before an exam) and sometimes it won’t matter too much how long it takes (folding laundry on an otherwise empty evening). When it’s important to do a task quickly, we must be extra concerned about switching costs (and we might opt for some mid-tempo instrumental music to help us focus and block out distractions while we study -- instead of watching a television program).

Sometimes we are motivated to do task A (playing a new video game), and sometimes we lack motivation (working out). When we lack motivation, a well-chosen task B might just sweeten the pot.

Sometimes we are so familiar with task A, we do much of it on “auto-pilot”. And sometimes task A takes our full attention. That’s why listening to a talk program on radio can be a good idea for an experienced driver, but a bad idea for a student just learning to drive.

Sometimes task A is complicated (writing an essay), and other times it’s simple (folding clothes). Switching costs are usually higher for complicated tasks.

And so, in order to tell whether a given case of multitasking is good or bad, we will have to weigh the costs against the benefits on a case by case basis.

Conclusion: some specific and useful strategies.

We’ve covered a lot of ground. Here are the key lessons in a nutshell:

We’ve seen that multitasking can be a bad idea when:

• there are high switching costs
• there is resource conflict between task A and task B

And we’ve seen that it can be a good idea when:

• task B “sweetens the pot” for task A
• task B can “set a pick” for task A

And we’ve seen that the wisdom of multitasking can also depend on other features of task A and task B:

• how important it is to do them well
• how familiar they are
• how important it is to do them quickly
• how motivated we are to do them
• how complicated they are

Let’s finish with a few specific and useful ways to apply these lessons:

• Multitasking can be dangerous. When it’s important to do task A well, we should be very careful about choosing a task B, and err on the side of caution. We should never text and drive, or talk on the phone while driving. And we should take steps to make sure our passengers will not distract us with rowdiness or emotionally challenging conversations (this is of special relevance for those of us with children).
• Multitasking can hinder creative productivity . When working on a creative project that pushes us to the limits of our concentration, we should not multitask in ways that will expose us to interruptions of the primary activity (for example, while writing an essay, we should close our facebook, twitter, and email clients, and check them only after we’ve done a good chunk of creative work).
• Multitasking can assist creative productivity. Well-chosen secondary tasks can set picks for our creative projects, and can help us maintain focus against background processes that might otherwise interrupt us (for instance while writing an essay in a coffee shop, we might listen to invigorating instrumental music to block out ambient noises, conversations, and internal signals of discomfort).
• Multitasking can help us be more patient. We tend to grow impatient when we have a goal and we have just learned that it’s going to cost us more to reach our goal than we originally thought. And our tendency when we are impatient is to either try to find shortcuts or to abandon our goal for another goal. But sometimes the right course of action is to simply stay the course and absorb the extra costs. The right task B can both sweeten the pot, and set picks on those voices in our heads trying to get us to change course. For instance, we might talk with a stranger while waiting in line, so we don’t bolt, or listen to an audiobook while stuck in heavy traffic, so we don’t plot out risky and minimally productive lane-changing maneuvers (For more on impatience, see “The 7 Laws of Impatience” ).
• Well-chosen music mixes with almost everything. Well-chosen music has a magical ability to both sweeten the pot and set picks for almost any activity -- while avoiding resource conflict and switching costs almost entirely. The music must be chosen carefully, so it does not provide resource conflict (for instance songs with lyrics might not be optimal for reading, and death metal might be a poor choice for meditation ). But there is usually a good choice for almost any activity. Some tasks might not mix well with any kind of music, but these will probably be rare for most people.

1 Ophir, Nass, Wagner, “Cognitive Control in Media Multitaskers”

2 Armstrong and Chung, “Background Television and Reading Memory in Context”

3 Richard P. Feynman “The pleasure of finding things out.” p. 19

4 Delthia Ricks, "Study: Texting while driving now leading cause of death for teen drivers"

Further Reading

The 7 Laws of Impatience -- Jim Stone

Jim Stone, Ph.D., is a philosopher, avid student of motivational psychology, and developer of personal productivity software and workshops.

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Health & Fitness

Should students listen to music while doing homework, sarah lucca says you should never listen to music while completing homework. however, esther garcia explains why there is no harm in trying.

PeerGenius Tutors , Neighbor

Answer: No, never.  Sarah Lucca Many students feel that listening to music while doing homework will help them work more efficiently. Unfortunately, music is a major distraction, especially music that contains lyrics. While doing homework and listening to music, not only is your brain trying to comprehend the words you're seeing, but also the words you're hearing. So just listen to instrumental music, right? Sadly, this won't change that fact that listening to anything while doing homework is a distraction, which can cause you to retain less information. In the end, this can result in lack of knowledge and lower test scores. So the next time you sit down to do homework, it may just be best to do it in silence. Answer: Yes, if it works.  Esther Garcia Speaking from personal experience, I have found it very helpful to listen to music while doing my homework. Everyone learns differently, so the answer to this question is more complex than just a 'yes' or 'no.' Often, I find myself having to turn on music to be able to tune out other noise in my home. There are always members of my family home, and it is always quite noisy. Music allows me to focus more on my work. I have always received mixed reactions from friends as well. Some say it is impossible for them to listen to music and do homework, but others would agree that it is difficult to complete homework without music. So should a student do homework while listening to music? Well-- that is completely up to the student, but I think there is no harm in trying! What do you think? Leave a comment and join the debate!  Sarah Lucca is an 11th Grade PeerGenius Tutor . Esther Garcia is an 11th Grade PeerGenius Tutor .

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Does Music Help Students Focus on Homework?

Deborah Brown , Staff Writer January 12, 2017

Many students listen to music when they are doing homework. Other students find it distracting to listen to music while they do homework. I personally can’t focus on my homework without listening to music. I asked some Weedsport students if they listen to music while they do homework, what type they tend to listen to while doing the homework, if it helps them focus more on what they are working on, why it helps keep their focus on the assignment, and if they would recommend listening to music to students who struggle with homework.

I first asked Kaitlyn Jewell whether or not if she listened to music while she did homework. She told me that “she always listens to music when doing her homework.” She tells me that when she listen to music while doing homework she normally listens to “today’s hits, country, and rap.” I asked Kaitlyn if listening to music while doing homework helps her focus on her homework better and to explain why it does. She told me that “it helps put me in a happy place. Hearing the music helps me relax when I’m working on an assignment.” The music helps her understand the assignment better. The last and final question that I asked Kaitlyn was if she would recommend listening to music while doing homework to students who struggle with homework and don’t think to listen to music to help with focusing on their assignments. Kaitlyn strongly recommends students to listen to music while doing homework because she says that it will help relieve stress and usually the music helps put a teenager in a better state of mind while they are working on homework assignments.

The next student I interviewed was Kevin Crossman. The first question I asked him was If he listened to music while doing homework and what type he listened to. He told me that he constantly listens to music while doing homework assignments. He told me that he mostly listens to alternative music when he does homework. The next question I asked was, does it help you to focus on your homework assignments when you listen to music and why? Kevin told me that it helps him focus a lot because he is able to block out all the noises around him and that it helps to think better on what he is working on. The final question that I asked Kevin was, would you recommend listening to music while doing homework to students who struggle with homework and don’t think to listen to music to help with focusing on their assignments? He told that he would because listening to music while doing homework has helped him get better grades on the homework which then has made his grade in his classes go up as well.

Another person that I asked was Ariel White. I asked her if she listened to music while she did her homework. She told me that she will listen to music when she has a lot of homework to do. A second question I asked Ariel was, if yes then what types of music do you normally listen to when you do? Ariel said that the type of music she listens to all really depends on the type of mood she’s in. I asked her if listening to music while doing homework helps her focus more, and why. Ariel told me, “that often depends on the music I pick. If it’s something I know well then I don’t always focus on homework.” The final question I asked Ariel was, o the students who don’t listen to music while doing homework,would you recommend them to listen to music? She told me if you were to listen to music, don’t let it be a type of music that would ruin your focus. However do what you believe it best to get your work done.

Is music good when students do homework? It all depends on the type of person you are. If the music will help with your focus on the homework assignment, then listen to music when you do your homework. But if the music doesn’t help you with your focus on the homework assignment, then it is better to not listen to music when working on your homework. If you don’t know if it will help with your focus, try doing your homework while there is music playing and see how your focus is, and also try it without the music playing and see how your focus is while doing that as well.

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Why to Listen to Music While Doing Homework

Music is a proven tool that can help you concentrate. However, it’s not easy for some people to focus when even a light sound reaches their ears. Some people can even forget instantly that they were looking for essay writing help by Essayhub.com and remember about it when it’s too late. It can be also a sign of irritability but can be fixed with the help of music as well. The trick is to test what music your mind perceives better.

Psychologists constantly repeat that a person should adhere to the schedule and strict regime to increase their work efficiency.

It is important to create the same work environment while doing your homework. Your table should be free of distracting things, and you should have enough light not to strain your eyes. Besides, your chair should be comfortable enough not to cause tension in your muscles. And you should turn on classical music in the background if you want to completely focus on monotonous work and immerse yourself in implementing your tasks. Besides, they recommend putting on “special” clothes for homework and making a certain “ritual” before the beginning. All these stereotypical, permanent things allow you to get ready for doing your mental work and increase your efficiency. If you turn on music every time you start doing your homework, it becomes one of these stereotypes that triggers your mental activity. Thus, when I am going to write my essay , I turn on the same musical composition every time, so my brain tunes to exactly this task. So, what benefits can you get from listening to music while doing your homework?

It helps quickly relax before learning

Specialists from the US Department of Homeland Security conducted a musical experiment and confirmed that music helps cope with stress. The study was based on combinations of different frequencies, durations, and amplitudes of tracks, which their test subjects were listening to; they watched their state and ability to relax. Most of the soothing compositions were variants of classical pieces close to Chopin’s music. Such music reduced the level of cortisol in the blood, had a sedative and analgesic effect. Thus, if you want to relax after classes and distract yourself a bit, you can turn on appropriate music for about 10 minutes. Another option to reduce stress is to order an essay paper to meet a deadline.

It helps concentrate

If you find it difficult to force yourself to start doing your homework, you should try to find motivation and create the right conditions for comfortable brain activity. Scientists have found that Mozart music and similar compositions increase alertness and improve concentration. According to a Stanford University Medical Center report, music affects areas of the brain associated with concentration and memory development. Scientists conducted a study using MRI. They tracked which parts of the brain are most active. Experts have concluded that Baroque music, written in past centuries, helps people gather their thoughts and process a rich flow of information.

It improves memory

Mozart music helps significantly improve memory and activate neural connections that affect cognitive performance. Scientists divided the participants into several groups, and each of them was listening to Mozart and Beethoven’s compositions. As a result, it was noted that those who listened to Mozart’s sonatas had increased intellectual indicators. People remembered new information better and were less biased about solving an unfamiliar problem. Another group of participants that was listening to Beethoven didn’t show such obvious changes, so the results of the experiment were called the Mozart effect. Thus, if you want to improve your memory and learn everything faster, play Mozart compositions in the background.

It helps deal with noisy roommates

It often happens that people who coexist in the same space interfere with each other’s work. Thus, you can live with a roommate who is fond of talking and who doesn’t care about your presence and necessity to keep silent. So, you can get distracted by such a person, their endless phone calls, and conversations. Noise-canceling headphones and music can help solve this problem. While doing your homework, music can become the only possible way out if you don’t want to go to the library, of course.

But in addition to homework, students often have to write essays on various subjects. Someone does not have free time, and someone does not have enough writing skills to perform such a creative task. Online services for students write test papers, essays, dissertations, etc. Written papers are interesting to read, they always correspond exactly to the task at hand. But how to choose a proven service? On essaysadvisor.com , you can find detailed reviews of companies that specialize in student help. This way, you will save a lot of time on the search.

It helps increase creativity

Suppose you don’t want to die from boredom while working on some monotonous assignments. In that case, you can put on headphones, set the desired volume, choose your favorite playlist, and immerse yourself into the process with bigger pleasure. Be that as it may, loud music is unlikely to help when it comes to work that requires activation of the right hemisphere. It turns out that the average noise level is a kind of creative catalyst. By complicating the process of processing information, background noise stimulates abstract thinking and tunes the human brain into a creative work mode. That is why public places, such as cafes, dams, and parks, attract creative people.

It helps feel blue without consequences

Music psychologist Stefan Kelsch has concluded that listening to sad music positively affects empathic qualities and helps a person cope with problems. He believes that the listener associates themselves with the performer and empathizes with them. Currently, the brain regulates emotions, allowing you to let out negative emotions. Such sadness does not cause consequences on a par with real sadness that arises in difficult situations. Thus, sad music promotes the experience of pain without harm to a student’s psychological health.

It helps boost dopamine production

The hormone dopamine is produced as a reward for achieving goals and helps create a good mood. A study with a tracing of neural mechanisms using tomography showed that the subjects experienced an increase in blood flow during the experiment, activated parts of the brain responsible for emotions, excitement, and motivation. Listening to music that you like activates the brain’s reward system on a par with eating sugary, fatty foods, or socializing with loved ones.

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Is Listening to Music while doing Homework OK: 21 best Songs

Listening to music doing homework

Listening to music while doing your homework has always caused divisions in its effectiveness. Some argue that it is advantageous, while others argue that it does not help.

As long as the music doesn’t affect your concentration, then there is no reason why you should not play several songs as you do your homework.

This will help you if you want to handle assignments well. However, if you have no time for that, you hire an assignment writer to do the job for you.

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Is it ok to listen to music while doing homework.

The answer to this question is twofold. Music can help put us in a better mood, which is good for studying. Music can also distract us, which is not good when studying.

It is OK to listen to music while doing homework if it does not distract you from your studies. In fact, if you get used to listening to your favorite songs, you can increase the amount of time you spend doing assignments. However, listening to music can be a distraction from your studies if you are not used to it or if it is not your favorite playlist.

For music to be effective when studying, the rate at which it disturbs you should be reduced, and the rate at which it makes you feel good should be increased. 

Research has shown that listening to music while doing tests can boost your scores.

This is due to the ability of music to stimulate parts of the mind that play a role in mathematical ability.

This theory about maths was debunked, and it was concluded that the main reason music can make you do well in tests is its ability to put you in a better mood.

Kids enjoyed more pop music than classical music.

Children who listened to pop did better in tests, as per the research. When music makes us feel good, we try harder, and our minds are willing to take on challenging tasks. 

Music can distract us when studying. When you are studying, your mind manipulates several types of information at once and music can distract that.

The working memory gets worse when listening to music with vocals. Vocals and music lyrics can decrease reading comprehension. Introverts are easily overstimulated and listening to music while studying can distract them more than extroverts.

Bill Thompson, a researcher based in Australia, found that the performance of people when studying can be decreased by listening to music that is both loud and fast.

Those who listened to slow and soft music were less distracted. The difference was not too big. The decrease in performance was minimal.

Therefore, it is fair to conclude that listening to music while you are studying is fine if it puts you in a good mood and it is not too fast or loud.

If you are not an introvert, listening to music while studying is less distracting. Less wordy music is fine to listen to while studying. 

Why Do Students Listen to Music While Studying?

If you turn on music every time you study, it can become a stereotype that can help trigger your mental activity.

Students listen to music while studying to trigger their mental activity as they study. Some report that they enjoy music playing in the background as part of the studying environment. Students also listen to music as a form of entertainment while doing homework, a task they find boring.

Music can prepare and tune your mind to do assignments.

The following are reasons why students listen to music while doing their assignments:

1. It Helps Students Relax before Learning

Music can help you cope with stress.

In research conducted by the US Department of Homeland Security, it was concluded that soothing music consisted of classical pieces, and it helped reduce the level of cortisol in the blood.

The music had an analgesic and sedative effect, too. Turning on the appropriate music can help you relax after a long day of classes and concentrate on your assignments. 

2. Improves Concentration

When it is hard for students to concentrate and do their homework, music helps them to find motivation. Music helps create conditions that are right and comfortable for brain activity.

Mozart music, for example, according to scientists, helps improve alertness and concentration. Students can gather information and thoughts as well as process a rich flow of information. Using MRI, scientists concluded that music affects the most active parts of the brain.

3. It Improves Memory

Soft music plays a significant role in activating neural connections that impact cognitive performance as well as improving memory. Soft music increases intellectual indicators.

It enables students to remember new information better and be less biased in solving very unfamiliar problems. Students can rely on soft music to learn faster and improve memory.

4. Helps Increase Creativity

The average noise level is an example of a creative catalyst. If boredom is killing you as you are working on several assignments, you can put on your headphones to your desired volume and set your favorite playlist.

This gives students some pleasure as they work on their assignments. Always note that loud volumes may end up ruining your concentration.

Background noises complicate the process of processing information and stimulate abstract thinking, hence tuning the brain into a creative work mode. 

5. Helps Deal with Noisy Roommates

Most students live together in school hostels. Roommates at many times interfere with each other’s work. A roommate can be a very talkative person and merely cares about the presence of others.

Sometimes, they don’t see the need to keep silent. Music and noise-cancelling headphones can easily help you deal with this problem. Music can be the only way you have to concentrate on your work if the library is closed. 

5. Music Helps Feel Blue Without Any Consequences

Music boosts the psychology of students. Students often think about their problems when they are studying. According to psychologist Stean Kelsch, positively listening to sad music affects emphatic qualities.

A student can then easily cope with problems. Students listen to performers, associate with them, and empathize with them. The brain then can control emotions and allow the student to let out negative emotions.

The sadness that comes with listening to sad music does not cause consequences that are the same as real sadness caused by difficult situations.

6. Music Motivates Students to Study

Students face the challenge of knuckling down to studies. Sticking to studies once you have started is also a problem among many students.

Students’ favorite tunes help them deal with this by creating a playlist of songs that get them in the zone. If you don’t feel like doing your homework , you can use music as a motivator.

They get excited about the assignment they are about to do and focus on the outcomes.

Listening to music helps release dopamine in the brain, which is a feel-good chemical, according to scientists.

Tracing of neural mechanisms using tomography was used by scientists in the study.

It showed that listening to music helps increase blood flow and activate the brain parts that are responsible for emotions, motivation, and excitement. 

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List of 21 Good Songs to Listen to While Doing Homework

The challenge when it comes to selecting music to listen to when doing your homework comes with the type of songs. Do not choose music that distracts your need to stay focused.

Everyone can have a different list of songs depending on their favorite playlists. The music preference can be piano, acoustic guitar, classical music, Jazz, reggae, or any other genre.

The following is an example of a playlist that you can listen to when doing your homework:

• Jelly 292 –Jimi Hendrix
• Don’t play with my heart – India Shawn
• Death bed coffee for your head – Powu t Beabadoobee
• Friends Don’t Look at Friends That Way – Tate McRae 
• Say Something – A Great Big World, Christina Aguilera
• The Birth and Death of the Day –Explosions in the Sky
• What If I Told You I Love You – Alie Gate
• I hate you, I love you – Gnash t Olivia O’Brien
• Ad Astra Per Aspera –Acceptance
• Out of My Mind- John Mayer
• Happier – Olievier Rodrigo
• Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI-IX) –Pink Floyd
• Guilty Cubicles –Broken Social Scene
• Red-Eye –The Album Leaf
• You Don’t Even Know – The Internet ft. Tay Walker
• Open Eye Signal – Jon Hopkins
• Symphony No. 40 in G minor, First Movement – Mozart
• Canon. –Zox
• Svefn-G-Englar –Sigur Rós
•  Stone Cold Heart – Ana Whiterose x RUDENKO
• Let Me Down Slowly – Alec Benjamin.

Josh Jasen or JJ as we fondly call him, is a senior academic editor at Grade Bees in charge of the writing department. When not managing complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In his spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

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