Headphones as Productivity Boosters in the Work Environment

Headphones have become something you use every day. In fact, some of us can’t even imagine what commuting would be like without listening to our favorite tunes. 

Seeing as how music helps us relax, wearing headphones at work has become quite common and there are many reasons why this became a widely accepted social trend.

1. Privacy

While certain tasks call for employee communication and teamwork, others are best performed in privacy. Unfortunately, this is usually impossible, since we live in a world of cubicles and open-concept offices. 

Having headphones to help you relax with tunes of your own choice is already a huge step towards privacy. Once you dig into work with nothing but your favorite music in your ears, your surroundings will get blurred out and your productivity will increase instantaneously.

Of course, during collaborative efforts, wearing headphones is not only counterproductive, but is also considered rude.

2. It’s personal

Some people aren’t comfortable with working in office environments and working from home is usually not an option in most companies. Headphones let you personalize your workspace beyond the visual aspect – listening to your desired tunes will make you feel more comfortable while you’re in the office.

On the other hand, certain types of music can be really distracting to certain people, and no matter how generally acceptable and non-distracting default in-office music is, you might actually find it a huge productivity killer. 

This is yet another benefit of using headphones while at work, as it prevents you from being frustrated with the music that suits neither your taste nor your productivity!

3. They’re fantastic for repetitive tasks

The single most dreadful part of anyone’s workday is probably doing repetitive tasks. Unfortunately, the endless grind is an integral part of every profession, from a doctor to a retailer, which means that finding a way for daily activities to be less tedious is of the essence. 

While it is true that some types of music can be distracting, when it comes to repetitive tasks that require little actual thinking and no creativity, any music genre you find enjoyable will do.

4. Reducing distractions

Even the least busy workspace is full of distractions; from ringing phones and loud colleagues to noise pollution from the outside, an office is rarely a quiet environment. Quality noise cancelling in ear headphones are a perfect solution here – no noise will be able to distract you.

However, headphones can go even a step further when it comes to reducing distractions: they show your coworkers that you’re unavailable, or that you need to focus at the moment – there’s nothing worse than a bunch of people constantly asking you questions during a workday – this is a serious productivity killer!

5. Relaxation after meetings

Usually, meetings tend to go seamlessly, but every once in a while, a tense one pops up, where a lot is said, particularly in terms of critique. Similarly, every once in a while, a new agenda is presented at an official meeting, which might require some contemplation afterwards. 

Sometimes meetings need to be properly digested, and in order to be able to do this, an employee needs to have an opportunity to properly decompress afterwards. This is where rhythmically simple, not too fast (70-90 BPM) music can be of tremendous help. 

Take a half-an-hour break with music for-your-ears-only and get back to work afterwards, feeling refreshed and ready to tackle whatever needs tackling.

6. Caffeine replacement

Yep, you read it right! It turns out that music can keep you awake and alert. A lively syncopated beat of 120-140 BPM will keep your blood flowing, and you’ll quickly realize that this is a superior alternative to coffee and unhealthy energy beverages.

Just as downbeat tempo helps you relax, taking a 10-minute-break to listen to pacier music can help you get in the zone. There are many reasons why using headphones at work can be extremely beneficial for a workplace. 

Of course, not every situation is perfectly suitable for jamming, nor is cranking the volume up to 11 a cool thing to do. Keep in mind all the benefits and use your headphones at work, but conscientiously.