[For Desk Work] AI Music Therapist's Recommended Music Programs for Productive Mornings and Afternoons [April]
Do you ever listen to music while you work?
Have you ever felt stressed because music you didn't like was playing in the workplace, or have you been distracted by outside noise? Depending on how it is used, music and ambient sound can significantly affect your concentration and work efficiency.
Therefore, this time, for those struggling with their sound environment at work, I will introduce music programs suitable for morning and afternoon tasks.
▶︎ Updated on the 1st of every month: "AI Music Therapist," a magazine that proposes music programs tailored to situations and purposes.
Expected benefits of listening to music while working
In a business setting, the habit of listening to music can have many positive effects. For various tasks, including desk work, music is expected to help increase concentration, reduce stress, and improve mood.
Dr. Teresa Lesiuk's research shows that listening to music while working improves work performance. In this study, software developers who worked while listening to music came up with better ideas and completed tasks more quickly. This suggests that music can increase productivity in the workplace, improve mood and cognitive function, and keep people motivated for longer.
Program Overview
In the business world, the importance of concentration, which is directly related to the efficiency and quality of work, is immeasurable. To enhance and maintain this concentration, music can be a very effective tool. This time, among the music that can be expected to improve concentration during desk work, I have created a program specifically suited for this purpose, divided into ambient music for the morning and Lo-Fi HipHop for the afternoon, due to the unique effects each possesses.
The characteristics of each are as follows.
Ambient music to listen to in the morning
Ambient music helps calm the listener's mind and deepen concentration. Its smooth, fragmented melodies and textures are suitable for calming the mind, creating an ideal environment for immersing yourself in work during the highly productive morning hours. In addition, ambient music is very effective for maintaining concentration in open spaces or noisy office environments, as it blocks out annoying noise and provides the quiet, focused environment necessary for work.
Lo-Fi HipHop to listen to in the afternoon
In the afternoon, many people experience a drop in energy levels, and their concentration tends to wander. To overcome this "afternoon downtime," Lo-Fi HipHop is ideal. The relaxed beats and melodies of this genre support sustained concentration while keeping the mind active yet relaxed.
As you can see, it is important to choose the right music according to the time of day and your mood. The morning is structured to maximize concentration, while the afternoon is designed to minimize downtime and maintain focus.
Who is this best for?
It is perfect for those who want to work with focus, those who want to stay refreshed while working, and those who feel a difference in performance between the morning and afternoon. I recommend it to all business people who want to improve the quality and comfort of their work through music.
Recommended way to listen
I recommend using headphones or earphones when listening to music during desk work. Especially in offices or shared workspaces, noise-canceling models are ideal out of consideration for others. Set the volume so that the music plays in the background without directly drawing your attention. If you are working from home, playing it through speakers at a moderate volume can create an environment that envelops the entire workspace.
When sharing music in a workplace or open space, it is important to be considerate of volume and preferences so as not to disturb the atmosphere of the workplace.
Introduction to the Music Program
[Morning Focus] Ambient music that makes desk work go smoothly
The morning program begins with Brian Eno's "Ambient 1: Music for Airports 1/1," passes through Ólafur Arnalds, Max Richter, and Aphex Twin, and ends with Sigur Rós's "Untitled #3." The selected tracks provide pleasant background music for the work environment, leading from a gentle start to a relaxed state. It also includes tracks by artists such as Jon Hopkins, Eluvium, Tim Hecker, and Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto, allowing the listener to experience a variety of emotions and textures. This music program is perfect for morning work, deepening concentration, promoting creativity, and making the start of the day calm and productive.
[Lo-Fi HipHop to listen to from the afternoon] Change your mood and keep your concentration
The afternoon program consists of 30 tracks to help you overcome downtime. It starts with jinsang's "affection," providing a calm and comfortable beat. Each song has been selected with the goal of providing the perfect atmosphere for tasks such as desk work, and is designed to allow you to work on tasks efficiently while staying relaxed.
Other effective genres and more
To increase concentration while working at home or in the office, music without lyrics is best. Without lyrics, the parts of the brain that require language processing remain inactive, making it easier to focus on your work. In addition to the ambient music and Lo-Fi HipHop introduced here, here are other music genres to help boost your concentration:
Classical Music - Music from the Baroque era, especially works by Bach and Handel, features calm rhythms and harmonies that help improve concentration. Works by Mozart are equally effective.
Jazz & Blues - Characterized by complex rhythms and improvisation, jazz and blues are suitable as background music when performing creative tasks.
Electronica / Chillout - Featuring repetitive beats and melodies, this is ideal as background music for focusing. Artists like Tiësto and Boards of Canada fall into this genre.
Minimalist Music - Works by composers like Philip Glass and Steve Reich are characterized by repetitive patterns and simple harmonies, making them suitable for enhancing concentration.
Nature Sounds - Nature sounds refer to sounds from the natural world, such as flowing water, rain, waves, and birds chirping. It has been scientifically proven that these sounds reduce stress and help with relaxation while simultaneously improving concentration. In particular, mild background noise can stimulate creativity and help you engage more deeply in your work. For those in urban or noisy environments, nature sounds can act as a quiet sanctuary.
Noise - There are various types of noise, including white noise, pink noise, and brown noise. All of these are said to help increase concentration, improve sleep, and reduce external distractions. White noise contains sounds of consistent frequencies and is similar to the sound of an air conditioner or a fan. Pink noise is balanced, with stronger low frequencies and weaker high frequencies, similar to the sound of calm rain or rustling leaves. Brown noise focuses even more on lower frequencies and is characterized by deep sounds like a distant waterfall.
Since music is a matter of personal preference, if you feel the programs introduced here do not suit you, please try creating your own optimal work playlist from the genres above to improve your concentration and productivity.
In conclusion
I hope this article has provided you with a new perspective on how to listen to music while doing desk work. Choosing the right music leads to improved business performance. Please utilize the appropriate morning and afternoon music programs to spend your day working comfortably and efficiently.
Music program creation: AI Music Therapist