Common sense would dictate that having intense focus and being able to concentrate on a task would ensure success – even if the task is something creative, such as writing a song, creating a painting, or any other action that gets your juices flowing.

Would you be surprised to find out that the exact opposite may be true? Enhanced levels of ambient noise (around 70db) can actually make you more effective and creative. The theory is that background noise may subconsciously distract you just enough where you aren’t concentrating TOO hard (like cramming for a test).

And music most certainly be the best ‘ambient noise’ you can find. This may explain why you can be more creative and productive when you have music playing. The whole theory may be a bit complex and it may not work for everyone, but it’s intriguing to explore.

There are a lot of ambient noise examples on YouTube and you can even buy white noise ‘machines’. If you’re finding yourself hitting creative blocks or finding it hard to concentrate, it’s worth experimenting with to see if it would help you too.