Music and Productivity

One of the things that has the power to help me focus, and to completely distract me, is music. I love listening to music while getting ready in the morning, in the shower, in the car, and while cleaning. It helps me focus and motivates me to work quickly and efficiently. That said, when I try to listen to music (even classical) while studying of any sort, I end up sitting there staring at a textbook and singing the words to whatever I'm listening to. Whenever I try to read, I need complete silence to focus on the words I'm reading, instead of the words in a song. What I've learned through attending college is that you need to learn when music is appropriate and helpful, and when it's just going to be distracting. As a music major and a music lover in general, this is quite difficult. Luckily for some people, they're able to read when music is playing, and even read faster with it. Sadly, my brain doesn't function that way. So if you're like me, you just have to know when to pause pandora, and open your book.