Music Moves Brain to Pay Attention

We spend a lot of time talking about how to make workplaces work when some of the answers lie in the simplest of solutions. Take music. A Stanford School of Medicine report documents the effect of baroque music on the area of the brain involved with paying attention, making predictions and updating events in history. In short, musical techniques that go back 200 years are effective in helping the brain organize incoming information.

If you have heard of brainwave entrainment then you would easily recognize that the effect of baroque music is to harmonize the brainwaves to the state and place where peak functioning occurs. This is a handy bit of understanding for workplaces where managers, employees are inundated with information and struggle to sort it out.

I am not saying that playing Baroque music will resolve the information overwhelm issue but there is no doubt that it can help much more than hurt. This tempts the idea to pipe Baroque music into workplaces and see the effect on productivity and well-being. Are any workplaces out there doing this?

Comments

[Steve Roesler]

Dawna,

As a lifelong working musician (the guy your father wouldn't let you go out with), the Stanford study really confirms what most musicians have experienced: music can change the heart and mind in unimaginable ways. For many of us, that is why we keep performing.

As for Baroque in the workplace, I'm thinking about the client locations that I've visited over the past couple of weeks. None had any music--in fact, in some offices it is not allowed. But I was placed on hold during a number of different phone calls and am always aware of the type of music selected. One firm did use Baroque and it was, in fact, quite soothing.

Now I not only have to listen to the interview with you and Dr. Lipton, but am digging into the iTunes for a little Baroque background melody. I'll see if it has any personal impact and let you know.

In the event that I start to nod off, there is a great James Brown track as a back-up.

Good stuff, Dawna...

[Dawna Jones]

Thanks Steve! Always good to hear a musician is helping consult with the companies. Would love to find out how your training as a musician bridges and informs workplace situations. Appreciate your comments.