You don’t even notice it at first, your fingers tapping mindlessly to the beat of the song playing overhead.
Maybe you had been experiencing writer’s block, which rattles me far too often than I’d care to admit. Or perhaps you were just in a funk, feeling defeated and stressed and uninspired.
Whatever the case, you weren’t on your game. But now, the music…automatically your spirits are lifted, you feel the hint of a smile on your face and you’re typing actual words where moments ago a blank document stared defiantly back at you. Life is wonderful again!
It’s no surprise that music moves us and fulfills a specific need we’re feeling at that very moment. It soothes when we need soothing and energizes when we need a lift. And for more and more companies, it increases employee productivity and improves morale—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits music has in the workplace. Better sales? Yes, please.
“Music can have positive impacts for individual employees and groups across the entire business – directly impacting their mood and happiness. Music can unite employees and create a bond that unifies the organization.” — Phoenix Business Journal, Sept. 4, 2015
A couple weeks ago, we got a sweet new sound system at the office that allows us to tap into iTunes, Pandora and our own personal playlists. We bounce between Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin and Demi Lovato (don’t judge), and we razz each other about songs that mysteriously end up in the queue. Or songs that mysteriously disappear from the queue. Hmmm…
We laugh. A lot.
And then we get back to work. We type a little bit faster, tapping into a burst of much-needed energy and inspiration. Somehow I’m finding it easier to put all the pieces together, to crunch the numbers that need crunching, to zip off that plan that has been torturing me for the past 27 57 minutes. Check, check, check.
It may not be for everyone, and that’s quite alright. But for me, the promise of an impromptu Bruce Springsteen sing-along is music to my ears.
