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Calming

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so the manager and I decided to leave a skeleton crew on the floor and pull everyone else to the back for freight. We had two full trucks lined up at our loading dock. It was still fairly early so the store wasn't all that busy but it would get busy shortly and most of us would be needed on the floor. To top it off, those truckers don't like to have to hang around too long. They have a job to do too and they are unionized so they do not do the unloading. That is our job. They just deliver. Okay, here is what we did. The manager popped a "Country Rock" CD in the player in the stock room and turned it up just a little, enough to get our attention but not too loud to be distracting or heard out on the main floor. The next we knew one or two of us began to pick up the rhythm and the rest soon followed along, we were even singing along. The music was fast paced. The music made us happier, we felt energized by the beat. We worked with the beat of the music. Unloading those trucks was almost like a dance. In no time those two trucks were unloaded, the drivers were on their way, and we were back on the floor covering our regular positions with no one worse for wear. Mission accomplished and in spite of the grumbling on our way to the stock room, we'd had a good time doing the job that had to be done. Music works.

My job also entailed a fair share of paper work. I hate getting bogged down with paperwork. It bores me to tears and after an hour or two I could easily slip into a coma, my brain goes on tilt; but until the paperwork is done, the job isn't done. Music again was the answer, not loud, not rock, just easy listening, something with an easy rhythm, a light beat in the background. That music changed the whole atmosphere in that tiny, closed in office space and helped me get the job done, before long I'd be humming along to some favorite song as my fingers tapped along the keyboard to the rhythm of the tune, numbers fell into place, totals popped up, reports came together; click file, click save, click send, copies 3; manager, district manager, self; job done. I'm outta here. Music works.

Learn more about this author, Annette Bromley.
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