Meta Description – Music is known to improve our senses which directly impacts our study grades and overall results. So can background music also have similar benefits and boost homework productivity? Let’s explore.
You may wonder whether something as simple as playing background music could really affect your homework productivity. After all, it is known to affect cognition, emotions, and overall well-being.
A background music definition is music that plays in the background while performing homework tasks. There is no direct relationship between the music and the task. There is evidence that suggests it can help you to concentrate when doing a task. A number of studies have tried to establish whether this is true when doing homework but the results have been varied.
Different types of music have different effects
When looking at the value of background music for learning, it’s important to take different types into account. Light background music is often preferable to listening to loud music with lyrics. Most people know about the Mozart effect where listening to classical music can help the brain to absorb and interpret new information. In a 2014 study, older adults did perform better on memory and processing tasks when listening to classical music.
You may find homework challenging as a student at college, despite whether you listen to background music or not. You may not realize that you can pay people to do your homework for you. A professional writer from a homework service can provide you with homework help. The work you receive will be of a high quality and free of plagiarism. You will have a great example to learn from so you can improve your own homework productivity.
Music characteristics
The characteristics such as the tempo and how loud it is have an influence on the effect of background music. Soft music may have a positive influence whereas loud may be distracting. A 2014 study found that instrumental is less distracting to students than songs with lyrics. However, it is more the effects on a particular student that influence learning outcomes than the music characteristics per se.
Your preference matters
Music doesn’t affect everyone in the same way. Your own preferences will determine whether it has a positive effect on you or not. Music that helps you to focus may distract someone else and vice versa. If you don’t enjoy classical, homework help you get from it may be minimal. You may have to experiment with the music to listen to while doing homework if you want to find music you like that helps you to concentrate.
There are various studies about the effect of background music when it comes to education. The findings show that students may react differently in response to background music in the school classroom. Some may be adversely affected by it while others may find it beneficial. But the idea is to pick the one that you think will provide you with benefits.
The type of task
Complex and intellectually demanding homework requires focus and concentration. A quiet environment with minimal distractions is probably best. If you are writing an argumentative or analytical essay, music that’s too loud or fast could interrupt your thought processes.
Repetitive and less demanding homework tasks don’t require such high concentration levels. Playing background music may make routine homework tasks more enjoyable and lead to being able to go on for longer periods.
Reduces stress
Music has the ability to reduce stress and relax you. Stress can interfere with your ability to retain information. When you are more relaxed, you are likely to absorb more. This will improve your learning outcomes.
In a 2021 study, patients in the ICU who listened to music for 30 minutes experienced less anxiety and pain than before. When you feel anxious, background music can help you to relax and concentrate.
It motivates you
A 2019 study found that music engages several reward-related brain areas. It can act as a reward to drive learning. Even if you don’t want to listen to background music while studying, rewarding yourself by listening to your favorite tunes you enjoy during breaks can motivate you. Promise yourself that you can listen to tunes you like for half an hour after an hour of doing homework.
The effect on working memory
You use working memory when you try to remember items on a list or review the steps for solving a math problem. Some research shows that if you find it difficult to work with multiple pieces of information, listening to background music could make it even more challenging. You would have to divide your attention between your learning task and the music. Your cognitive resources would have to go to processing the background music and the learning task.
A 2017 study found that the higher the capacity of their working memory, the better students could learn with background music. An additional burden on working memory capacity for certain students could negatively affect productivity in homework.
Tips when using homework music
Background music will be most helpful for work and study if you keep the following tips in mind.
Choose instrumental music rather than one with lyrics. As song lyrics engage the language centers of the brain, they could be a distraction.
Slow music is usually better than fast one. If you don’t enjoy classical music, soft electronic or ambient music may be suitable. Ambient music features gentle melodic sounds and repetitive patterns which can be calming.
Avoid tunes that lack a fixed rhythm or make abrupt changes. This could distract your brain.
Keep the volume low as it could disrupt your thinking process if it is too loud.
Conclusion
As a student, you should explore different genres while doing homework to figure out what works best for you. You may need to experiment a bit to discover the best options. Everyone reacts differently to music and your preferences will play a part in what you choose. Soft instrumental music with a fixed rhythm appears to work well for most students. You may just find that it helps to calm you down so you can concentrate and be more productive.