Is it actually better to study with music or not? This obviously depends on the person, but also on the music and how much you have to concentrate on the study material. Ultimately, the best way to found out if music actually improves your way of studying is to try different music styles or silence on different study material. However, it is still useful to compare the benefits of online studying to the disadvantages. Furthermore, I will give some tips on different playlists of good, productive study music, including my study playlists.
Is it better to study with music?
Advantages of studying with music
- Music could increase your focus on the study material and getting less distracted of surroundings. While being focused on studying and the music, you will get less distracted by your phone or other things in your room. The music will help to get you in the zone of studying without distractions.
- Studies have actually proven that listening to music while studying could increase your memorization of the study material. For example the Mozart effect: better memorize the study material while listening to Mozart
- Studying becomes less boring and more fun. This could reduce procrastination, increase study motivation and boost your productivity!
- Music reduces the stress, anxiety and nerves that studying can cause. For example, when the material is hard and you start thinking about the exam, how are ever going to pass it? This thoughts will be less when listening to music, as you will listen to the music instead of thinking negatively about the study material.
Disadvantages of studying with music
- Getting distracted by the music itself; you start to listen to the lyrics, sing or dance. This is obviously the biggest disadvantage
- Listening to the lyrics decreases focus on study text. You are focusing on the text of the music and therefore your brain will memorize less of the text you are studying.
As you see, more advantages than disadvantages! Lots of people indeed, including myself, listen to music most of the time while studying, as they notice that it decreases the boredom of studying and increases the focus and increases the focus on the study material.
Productive Study Music
What music to listen to while studying?
This obviously depends on you as a student. Some people really like to listen to dance music while studying, as it gives them energy to study harder and longer. Other people however, listen to classical music to avoid getting distracted by the music itself.
Furthermore it also depends on the task and the concentration that is needed for this task. If the material you have to study is difficult and requires a lot of you mentally, for example reading a complex text, it is better to listen to slow music or no music at all. This will increase your focus on the text. However, when the study task you have to complete requires less concentration, for example when making exercises, it can be good to listen to happy / pop / dance music. In this way, studying becomes more fun and you will be able to study for longer and therefore complete your easy tasks faster.
Study playlists on Spotify
Playlists
Soft pop as study music
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05xyO7biBhcZ9OIXPBRiST?si=04785e113696424b
Almost 30 hours of study music
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/192TjZu4npLsMe3e6qYGkI?si=19f7b5da79ae4a12
Reducing stress playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/32gzGnTXOLzqZWLA0XtKjn?si=15440a0b08004f4c
Albums
Energizing study music:
https://open.spotify.com/album/3xw89mziiZerqSqJ7M4Tc7?si=OMoMihKxQPGM-ZlCdh7O6g
Easy study music:
https://open.spotify.com/album/2YoYuJrX1fMmdJ5MxE9O9K?si=z3rbwwVPR-eSknUKLbwHjA
Calm study music:
https://open.spotify.com/album/0Rv6J9RkUGXfhZEqo33va7?si=rzMcNnxoQwCEZXuSBrZIDA
Study playlists on YouTube
I highly recommend Einaudi. This is beautiful piano music, which is great for studying.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQxsahIsaO7_nDwVlFRMQiA
Easy music to increase focus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjkrrmBnpGE
Mozart music (Mozart Effect to remember your material better)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB6SIKl8Md0
Pop study music playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMBUtcMLJlk&list=PLo3pNg0eiPc8HrbDZQ-8awp7JRoGVdftY
My study playlists
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7M8JBO9hA4ZKotQQlZ7GHU?si=db7b496bd16c486c
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Otv8QY20Dzd2TQMS095N9?si=96352b1d411242e6
