by Jennifer Goodwin Haigler

Created on: July 23, 2009   Last Updated: July 24, 2009

For me music really does have a calming effect. When sitting at my desk for hours at a time I feel more at home and therefore less stressed when listening to my favorite music. It also makes me inspired and more free-thinking.

When I am listening to music and working I try to gauge it to what I am doing as well as the mood I am in that day or at that particular time. If I need to be active say and move around a lot like when house cleaning I will blare the stereo with some of my most funky, dance and sing along, type music and it is as if the house cleans itself. Old Beatles tunes, Green Day, and Good Charlotte are some of my more active favorites.

If I have a long day of computer work where I need to concentrate and get a lot done I will play my music at a very low, background noise, volume level. I find soft rock, classical, pop tunes really work well for this Michael Buble is definitely one of my favorites for this along with Rod Stewart and Celine Dion.

If the mood I am in that day is a sad one as weird as it sounds I like to listen to sad music. It affirms to me that it is okay to be sad and to reflect on things and wraps me in my own little cocoon to hold me up and keep me going.

I know a lot of people really don't like to listen to music which I find hard to believe but some do find it distracting. I guess because I grew up listening to music (my dad is a huge oldies fan) and playing music (as I was a band dork) I find it soothing and as necessary as food and oxygen.

Maybe the next time you are feeling down or excited or unmotivated or even highly motivated you should try putting on some of your favorite tunes to go with or enhance your mood. You may just be surprised how fast you get the dishes or laundry done at home blaring your favorite tunes. Or how efficiently and error free you finish that dreaded end of the month report at 8:45pm when you should have left at 6. This is also good advise for bosses who see productivity taking a dip. Maybe let your workers wear headphones or play their music low enough (as long as there are no safety issues). The problem may very well take care of itself.

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