How Music Enhances Your Brain and Boosts Productivity

音樂如何塑造大腦并提高工作效率

An ongoing debate focuses on whether or not music belongs in your workspace. From studying to working in an office to exercising, many different researchers have considered what effect music has on our brains, and how we should as a society embrace or shun music in spaces that require a certain amount of concentration.

音樂是否應(yīng)該應(yīng)用于工作環(huán)境的問題爭(zhēng)論已久。從學(xué)習(xí)到辦公,再到鍛煉,眾多研究人員研究了音樂對(duì)大腦的影響,以及作為集體的我們應(yīng)如何在需要一定程度注意力集中的空間內(nèi)接受或避免音樂的影響。

Let's take a look at the available research so that we can understand how music supports the brain and the places where it serves as a distraction.

看看下面這些已有的研究,我們就能理解音樂對(duì)大腦有何益處,以及它在某些場(chǎng)合會(huì)分散我們的注意力。

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1. Strengthen your brain

強(qiáng)化大腦

Most of us have brains that are larger on either the right or left side; this roughly correlates to our skills with logic and creativity, although the processes are much more complicated than that explanation indicates. Musicians, however, have brains that are much more likely to be symmetrical.

大多數(shù)人要么右腦發(fā)達(dá),要么左腦發(fā)達(dá),這與我們的邏輯和創(chuàng)造力大致相關(guān),盡管其中的過程比這個(gè)解釋要復(fù)雜得多。然而,音樂家的左腦和右腦的發(fā)達(dá)程度則更對(duì)稱。

They show higher scores on traditional intelligence tests, indicating that the two sides of their brain work better together. Researchers have also found that musicians have improved spatial relationship skills, showing a correlation between music and visual skills that we don't fully understand yet.

他們?cè)趥鹘y(tǒng)智力測(cè)驗(yàn)中會(huì)得到更高的分?jǐn)?shù),這說明他們的左右腦能更好地協(xié)同工作。研究人員還發(fā)現(xiàn),音樂家具有更強(qiáng)大的空間關(guān)系想象力,展現(xiàn)了一種我們還未完全理解的音樂和視覺之間的關(guān)系。

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2. Eases task fatigue

緩解工作疲勞

When you need to complete a repetitive task that doesn't require a great deal of attention once it is learned, music is a critical way to reduce task fatigue. Task fatigue refers to how completing a task over and over can start to feel boring and frustrating.

當(dāng)你需要完成一項(xiàng)重復(fù)的工作,它一旦掌握就不需要花費(fèi)太多注意力時(shí),音樂是一種不錯(cuò)的緩解工作疲勞的方法。工作疲勞指的是一遍又一遍重復(fù)某項(xiàng)工作可能會(huì)讓人感到無聊、枯燥和乏味。

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3.?Reduces sensory input

減弱感覺輸入

With more awareness of autism and ADHD in the public sphere, it's likely that employers may start to have employees explaining that they will do better at work if they can put on headphones playing their own music. Research supports the idea that simple noise suppression is uncomfortable, but that in busy environments, having some music to focus on can make sensory input bearable.

隨著公眾對(duì)自閉癥和多動(dòng)癥的意識(shí)不斷提高,老板越來越有可能接受員工指出,如果他們可以戴上耳機(jī)播放自己喜歡的音樂,他們會(huì)更好地完成工作。研究支持這樣的觀點(diǎn):?jiǎn)我坏脑肼曇种茣?huì)讓人感到不舒服,但在繁忙的環(huán)境中,專注于一些音樂能使感覺輸入變得更易于接受。

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4.?Improves mood

改善情緒

We have long since known that music increase dopamine production, so much so that music therapy is a valid technique in some situations. Dopamine is the brain chemical that is released during rewards, so having music boosting dopamine levels while completing tasks can help us feel rewarded and powerful while completing tasks that otherwise can feel very frustrating.

我們?cè)缇椭酪魳纺艽龠M(jìn)多巴胺的產(chǎn)生,基于此在某些情況下音樂治療是一種有效的治療方式。多巴胺是大腦中的一種化學(xué)物質(zhì),在獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)的過程中會(huì)釋放出來,所以當(dāng)我們完成任務(wù)時(shí),讓音樂促進(jìn)多巴胺的分泌,有助于我們?cè)谌蝿?wù)完成后有被獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)和更加強(qiáng)大的感覺,否則我們會(huì)感到非常沮喪。

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5.?Stay focused in the moment

著眼當(dāng)下

One of the ways that music is particularly helpful is that it marks the passage of time. Especially when you're working on something repetitive and not particularly engaging, time can seem to dilate.

音樂的一個(gè)特別有用的方面是它標(biāo)志著時(shí)間的流逝。特別是當(dāng)你在做一些重復(fù)性的、不太感興趣的事情時(shí),時(shí)間似乎會(huì)變慢。

Since music creates a more deliberate demarcation in time, it's easier to keep your perception of time accurate, and not get discouraged by feeling like you've been doing the job forever.

而音樂能在時(shí)間上創(chuàng)造出更明確的界限,所以你更容易準(zhǔn)確地感知時(shí)間,不會(huì)因?yàn)楦杏X自己一直在做這份工作而喪氣。

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6.?Create community

創(chuàng)造社群

If you've ever been a fan of a band, music, or song, you know that community can be created around music. Talking about music gives us a chance to get to know another person without delving too deeply into personal particulars.

如果你曾是一個(gè)樂隊(duì)、音樂或歌曲的粉絲,你就知道音樂是可以創(chuàng)造社群的。談?wù)撘魳纷屛覀冇袡C(jī)會(huì)了解另一個(gè)人,而不必過于深入地探討個(gè)人細(xì)節(jié)。

In a work environment, where supporting work friendships helps to create a positive work environment, the community can be a valuable benefit.

在工作環(huán)境中,支持性的友誼的形成有助于創(chuàng)造一個(gè)積極的工作環(huán)境,而社群就能成為一個(gè)積極的因素。

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7.?Support positive work environment

營(yíng)造積極的工作環(huán)境

Allowing employees to bring in their own music to listen to on headphones can greatly help employees to focus and avoid distractions. Even if they only put one headphone on or earbud in, so that they can hear someone trying to catch their attention, their ability to focus and concentrate will probably be dramatically improved.

允許員工帶著耳機(jī)聽自己喜歡的音樂,能極大地幫助員工集中注意力,避免分心。即使他們?yōu)榱四苈牭狡渌枰宜麄兊娜说穆曇舳淮饕粋€(gè)耳機(jī)或耳塞,他們的注意力也或多或少會(huì)得到顯著提升。

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8.?Increase motivation

增強(qiáng)動(dòng)力

When employees aren't dragged down by one task after another, they are happier at work overall and have more energy for all of their work. Even the things they normally enjoyed can be approached with more joy and innovation.

當(dāng)員工不再因一項(xiàng)又一項(xiàng)工作拖垮時(shí),他們會(huì)在工作中更快樂,并且有充沛的精力應(yīng)對(duì)所有的工作。即使是他們通常喜歡的事情,也會(huì)用更快樂和創(chuàng)新的方式來對(duì)待。

Researchers have found that some types of music are better for workplaces than others; music without lyrics and music that incorporates the sounds of the natural world are more relaxing than music with lyrics. Familiar music is more relaxing than new music.

研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn),有些類型的音樂更適合工作場(chǎng)所,沒有歌詞的輕音樂和融入自然世界聲音的音樂比有歌詞的音樂更令人放松。熟悉的音樂比新音樂更令人放松。