Can you concentrate when listening to music ?

@ronnyb (6113)
Jamaica
April 3, 2009 12:08pm CST
There are many persons who find it difficult to do anything without listening to music. These persons study or work while listening to music. For me ,I like to work while listening to music and sometimes I even study listening to music but it must be a task that doesn’t require serious mental process and by that I mean something that doesn’t require any calculation or thinking .Let me see if I can explain ,I am talking about a process that is second nature to me like tracing over a plan or drawing which is what I do sometimes, an activity like this wouldn’t require serious thought as the line are already there and all I have to do is follow the lines in a digital environment .However if I was doing something like brain surgery ,I wouldn’t be listening to music well at least not metal music ,lol, maybe I would be listening to soft background music (which I am told these surgeons listen to sometimes ). So what type of worker are you ? do you have to work with music and if so can you work with any kind of music or does it depend on the type of work you are doing ?
7 people like this
46 responses
• United States
3 Apr 09
I listen to music when I am doing things. I turn the music on so I can clean the house, it helps me get up and get things done. When I was in school I would listen to music when I would do homework or a project.
2 people like this
@ajithlal (14716)
• India
13 Apr 09
I also like listening to good songs while browsing and doing some things.
• United States
3 Apr 09
some times i can but when a really good song comes on i just feel like i have to start singing to it so then i get nothing done
2 people like this
@ajithlal (14716)
• India
15 Apr 09
I am not good at singing, but I love singing very much.
@regal_aeros (2605)
• Singapore
3 Apr 09
when i'm outside (like in a cafe or something) doing my work, and there is the radio going on, i tend to be still able to concentrate. however, if i'm home, and music is playing, i won't be able to concentrate. *shrugs*
2 people like this
@berrys (864)
• Singapore
3 Apr 09
well technically speaking, it is scientifically proven that music help generates motion in your brain. music helps influence the way people think as well. example: a sad person would be listening to sad songs, a happy person would be listening to happy songs. how often do you see a sad person singing if your happy and you know it clap your hands? lol didn't think so. So in my opinion people do need to listen to music while working, you may think its distracting, but it is actually working your subconscious thus preventing you from getting distracted that easily.
2 people like this
@sanuanu (11235)
• India
4 Apr 09
I can do only one thing at a time either listening to music or reading or writing. Sometime I feel bore by doing mylot but then again I can't concentrate on writing while listening music so, I go and watch some funny videos to get a refreshemtnt and back to work after that.
2 people like this
• India
3 Apr 09
This incident happened to my during my 5th standard. My brothers friend gave me his walkman. I was studyin for exams and i thought let me study listening to music. After a few hours my mom came and asked as to whether i had finished studying. My answer was yes. She asked me a few questions and i drew a big blank. I got nicely from her that day. And that was the last day i listened to music while doin some important work!
2 people like this
• Philippines
4 Apr 09
I can concentrate when listening to the music. I can also work without music,it depends on the mood.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Apr 09
I do like to listen to music when I am doing something else. The problem is the music starts to take over in my mind. Than I start concentrating on the music instead of what I am doing. So most of the time I don't listen to any music when I am doing something that I need to concentrate on.
1 person likes this
@dodo19 (47034)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
3 Apr 09
There are times that I can focus, when I'm listening to music. It's not always the case, but it still does happen, when I can do both.
2 people like this
@syankee525 (6261)
• United States
4 Apr 09
most of the time i can, until like a good song comes on and i want to sign along and maybe do alittle dance lol. but it helps me to block out the noise around me
1 person likes this
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
4 Apr 09
Always! I have my favourite music on my laptop and as I write I have the music playing which consists of popular stuff and some rock. It does not affect my concentration at all, I find it motivating in fact. I don't do serious mathematical calculations or resolve complex problems, but as far as my writing goes, which is what I do, bring on the music! No problem at all!
@hsofyan (3446)
• Jakarta, Indonesia
3 Apr 09
Not everyone is able to share their concentration, and running parallel. Irrespective me as a musician, I enjoyed working with the music. But some of my friends prefer to work without music.
2 people like this
@ag_sekar (112)
• India
3 Apr 09
No, I cannot concentrate on work while listening to the music. Music is for relaxation while we do nothing important.
2 people like this
@xhaylea (361)
4 Apr 09
Sometimes i can, and sometimes i can't. But i can normally tollerate listening to music whilst doing work like homework, and if im not too confident in doing something i can put the music on and it takes my mind off of things, and makes me feel more confident, so thats a good thing. It also depends what im doing, and what type of music genre it is, if its rock and roll/indie sort of music its definitely gotta be switched off, i cannot deal with that headbanging music lol but other music is okay.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
4 Apr 09
it depends what kind of mood & state of mind i'm in as to what kind of music i' listen to. i love old country misic but sometimes it can get me in a down mood & that's not good. i associate music w/people in my past. some of them good some not,
1 person likes this
@thaMARKER (2503)
• Philippines
3 Apr 09
if i'm reading, writing, analyzing or anything that involves concentration -- music in the background is a no-no to me. but when i'm sleeping and some people are chatting, i would prefer listening to a music but if the place is nice and quiet, no music please. it does depend on the type of work i am doing..
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
3 Apr 09
I love listening to music!!! I keep music playing in the background most of the time I'm on myLot. When I need total concentration, I choose instrumental tunes. If there are lyrics, I tend to sing along. With an instrumental song, it knocks out any background distractions. I started doing this when I was given an office where I work but it had no door. I found the noises in the hall distracting & people got offended when I asked them to speak a little softer. So I took in a few CDs & found them to be soooo much help!!! It gradually grew to where I had over 1,000 CDs under my desk. I could go for months at a time & not hear the same song twice!!! I'm a HUGE Blues & Jazz fan. I learned the pleasures of Blues while creating my library of CDs & then I continued on by listening to Jazz. Music takes away any stress I might be feeling & gives me a happy heart!!! I'm listening to Martina McBride right. Now that woman is beautiful & has one helluva set of pipes!!!
@suzzy3 (8342)
4 Apr 09
It all depends on what I am doing.I tend to shut all back ground noise out myself.My son cannot do home work in complete silence he needs music or the tv on.He has done some of his best work while listening to music on his ipod or the tv.It would act as an distraction to me,when I was doing my btec I had to have complete silence,doing all the work while the house was empty.If I am doing the ironing I need to have the music or tv on but anything accademic silence is golden.love suzzy.xx
@ronnyb (6113)
• Jamaica
4 Apr 09
We are alike on this one Suzzy.If I am driving homw then I too would need music.Sometimes I may listen to music while studying but it really has to be background music and very low,generally I tend to avoid music if I am studying and I definitely need music while I am ironing.Thank you for your answer Suzzy
• Slovak Republic
3 Apr 09
I can not studying while listening to music..it is too dificult for me...but I can clearing when I am listening to music..it help me to clear snapyy and funny :) or I listen to music when I am cooking..I can concentrate of course.. :-)
23 Aug 11
hi:) I'm a music lover so I always listen to music,when I'm doing something like reading and thinking I listen to rnb, pop, love songs. but when I'm exercising or doing something that I need to move I listened to trance, hip-hop, heavy metal. I can't imagine my life anymore without music, that's my number one source of entertainment, and second the net, but even if I surf and doing mylot I still listen to music...so perhaps my life is full of music huh?..lol! :D