University of Illinois researchers found in a study of 256 office workers that listening to music of their own choice soothed frayed nerves, drowned out distracting office chatter, boosted mood, and significantly enhanced office performance.

Also among the positive effects: greater satisfaction with the employer and reduced interest in switching jobs!

Sound and rhythm create mental and emotional environments. What is the most conducive to your task?. Do you need help concentrating or simply staying awake? Is there a big meeting coming up? The intentional use of music in the office is a perfect application of “soundwork.”

Here are suggestions for music to help you enhance your concentration, or to increase your energy, or stay awake:

For enhanced concentration and mental immersion.
In 1993 researchers at the University of California at Irvine found that college students who listened to Mozart’s Piano Sonata K. 448 for ten minutes prior to taking a spatial IQ test scored eight points higher than those who did not. The concept is that listening to music might somehow enhance the brain’s ability to perform abstract operations immediately thereafter. This phenomenon is known as the Mozart effect.

Dr. Georgi Lozano believes that adagio movements from the baroque repertoire induce a relaxed-mind alert state, where concentration, memory, and imagination is heightened. Most of these pieces were sixty beats a minute, corresponding to a relaxed heart rate.

What music will relax your body while stimulating our mind?

Staying awake, increased energy.

This is the best time for up-tempo, fun music. Pull out the jazz, country, reggae, pop, or classical allegro movements. Turn up the volume a bit. Be considerate of those around you; they may not need the sonic hit you are looking for.