Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Thomas Chamorro-Premusic asks whether music can contribute to productivity. Indeed, music is now readily available for general work environments as well as for individual listening through headphones so the impact on productivity is a practical concern.
There is no one correct answer to the question of the impact of music. Under some conditions and for some individuals there can be a positive impact. Individual personality dispositions seem to play a role with introverts and extraverts benefitting under different circumstances. For example, extraverts appear to be more productive in the presence of music while introverts are not. The nature of the task and the aims of the performer also play a role with more routine tasks and more creative individual aims benefitting from background music. The presence of other elements in the environment and the type of music are additional considerations.
With a number of factors in play, determining the impact of music might begin with self-assessments of performers who can then tailor the music experience (or lack of it) to their goals, inclinations, and the task at hand.
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