Teachers and parents often tell us not to use headphones or listen to music while we’re working. However, a tedious assignment is difficult to concentrate on and music might just be turn out to be the best answer after all. Experiments done among assembly line workers have shown that incorporating music into the workplace not only leads to happier workers but gets more done overall. Further testing has revealed that music in a major key is a greater contributor to work rate. Many scientists agree that this is because music encourages focus and a good mood, which in turn creates better efficiency. Others see it as a method to block out the sounds of a noisy workplace or ward off would-be distractions.

There are some factors to consider before you go ahead and plug in your earphones. For starters, multitasking and memorization are shown to be made more difficult when one is listening to music. Playing music is generally more suited for repetitive tasks. The kind of music you listen to can also affect your work. The recommended type of music to listen to is anything that is mostly instrumental and has a steady beat. It’s best to create a playlist of these types of songs in advance so that you won’t be distracted with searching for the next song when you should be studying. Familiar tunes are better than new ones, as you won’t spend as much brain-power by paying too much attention to them. Some may even prefer natural sounds such as falling rain or waves. And most importantly, the music should be played as soft as possible as it is only meant to be “background” music.

At the end of the day, music really is dependent on the individual and what they feel works best for them. There are definitely people who prefer to do work in total silence, but there are just as many who don’t mind a little ambient noise. If you feel you cannot work with music but would like to listen anyway, schedule some breaks during studying when you can sit back and let the tunes carry your mind away. Experiment a bit and find what kind of environment helps you get the most done.