Whistle while you work
I try to write about my jobs past and present to help me work through some of the challenges that crop up from time to time in the workplace. It may bore you or you may find a nugget of information that you can use. Either way it helps me to get my head on straight.
Music in my current workplace has been an issue off and on for months now. For the first few months I was at my current job there was a well rounded variety of music issuing from the giant Bluetooth speaker in the middle of the building and the time would flyby. It was also in it’s own way a team building tool.
Sadly this is not the case recently
Lately there are a lot of nights when there is no music at all for the whole 10 hours of the shift or there is a continuous stream of Hip Hop issuing from the speaker.
Now don’t get me wrong. I do like some Hip Hop. I also like some Rock, Classical, Country, Tejano, etc. So a variety of songs from different genres would help the evening to move along a lot easier.
My musical experience
I grew up in a family where everybody in my mothers family played at least one instrument. I have over the years played the Violin, Trombone, Six String Guitar, Bass Guitar, Mandolin and Diatonic Harmonicas in different keys.
I have also been exposed to all genres of music. I have worked in Country, Rock, Hispanic, Black, Gay, Nude and Strip clubs. As a child I was exposed to the Beatles, Gospel, The Dallas Symphony and even Opera at the music hall at Fair Park in Dallas.
I have met celebrities like John Popper, Randy Travis, Earl Thomas Conley, Salt and Pepper, Vanilla Ice and others. I think I might be fairly well rounded. So when I say I don’t have a problem with Hip Hop it’s the truth.
But music is an issue in my current workplace
As I said before my workplace is either devoid of music all night or Hip Hop blaring all night. I understand that in some cases that listening to music on a job site can be problematic. I have been through some OSHA training over the years. I understand that we can’t wear earbuds even though we don’t have things like forklifts running around the building.
Not to mention productivity
Benefits of listening to music while working
In addition to boosting productivity, listening to music while working is beneficial in other ways as well, including:
Indeed.com
- Lessening anxiety: Hearing something familiar or soothing can create a more relaxed environment for you to approach your daily tasks.
- Improving focus: With music or background noise, you are more closed off to external distraction and therefore less impeded when it comes to focusing on your current task.
- Increasing morale: Listening to music that you find favorable can help improve your mood and contribute to a positive outlook surrounding day-to-day tasks.
- Heightening creativity: Because of the increase in mood and a heightened sense of focus, you may find that you’re able to be more creative at work when listening to music.
There are plenty of studies out there that show that productivity can be increased up to 15% by playing the right music for the particular work environment. This is because the right music can tell the brain to produce Dopamine for the pleasure centers of the brain which is like the feeling you get after eating a really satisfying meal or watching your favorite movie.
Lastly in the work environment we work in we need upbeat songs to release that dopamine and keep us moving through the long nights of repetitive work. Not some guy that sounds like he is taking a dump with a Bass or Drum loop playing behind him.
Thank you for your time
© 2023, Richard Bailey. All rights reserved.