The days of being hampered down by a Walkman are long over (do kids even know what a walkman is now?). Music is easily accessible to us with the prominence of smart phones and laptop computers. I have both of these at my convenience at work every day, which makes listening to music at any time very easy.

But the question remains: is it okay for me to listen to music at work? Fortunately, at Obsidian, hunkering down in “headphone mode” is a habit that many of us have created for ourselves. While some workplaces don’t allow music during the workday, it can actually be very beneficial to your morale and productivity.

• Motivator: If I’m having a particularly rough day where the coffee just isn’t kicking in, I plug in my headphones and turn on one of my favorite songs. By instantly improving my mood, the music helps me to move on with my work. Endorphins work wonders.
• Concentration: There have been many studies done on the effect of music and learning. While jamming out to the latest Taylor Swift single may be what you want to do, classical music has actually been found to increase memory skills and learning. So instead of turning on Pandora with 50 Cent or Luke Bryan, opt for some Mozart or Beethoven, because it may actually improve your quality of work.
• Online radio: Don’t have any of that classical music in your iTunes library? No problem! With online radio, such as Pandora and Spotify, that’s no longer an excuse. You have accessibility to any type of genre you could possibly want, giving you the perfect opportunity to plug in those headphones and relish in your newly found favorite composer.
• Earplugs: Okay, headphones aren’t really earplugs, but they can certainly function as some if necessary. If your office gets loud, music can ease the outside noise, keeping you in your zone to get assignments done quickly and efficiently. They can also function as the opposite. If the silence in the office is driving you crazy, soft music in the background can ease those ticking nerves.
• Soft noise: Music doesn’t work for everyone! But if working in silence is still overbearing to you, play soft background noise. Tracks, such as rolling ocean waves or backyard birds, are great to soothe and relax your mind, allowing you to focus and crank out assignments.

While having the freedom to listen to music is a wonderful benefit, keep in mind that this is also a privilege that you should not abuse.

• Don’t listen to your music so loud that it disturbs others in the office. Keep it at a low to reasonable volume that allows you to hear it, but doesn’t allow others to jam out with you.
• Don’t take yourself away from someone being able to ask you a question or run an idea by you. If someone says your name, you should be able to respond without him or her trying to get your attention multiple times with no success.
• Don’t listen to music that will create irresponsibility surrounding your workday. If you lose concentration or find yourself not as focused on your assignments, change your music choice or try to work without music to see if that alleviates any issues surrounding your productivity.

What have you found? Does listening to music during the workday help you concentrate? What do you listen to? Tell us below!