[Health ★★★★]
(P1) There are some obvious pros and cons to the open office space. For one, off-the-cuff collaboration is easier, but it’s often harder to focus. Since calls, meetings, and all kinds of conversation are happening in the open, it’s natural to want to tune the world out with some headphones, especially when the office feels overwhelming.
(P2) But there’s a time and place for everything, and headphones are no exception. Here are the best times to listen to music in a way that will boost your productivity, instead of adding a distraction to your plate.
1. Noisy workplace? Play ambient, upbeat music.
When your environment is bustling, your brain will try to process all the sound as data. In that case, it’s a perfect time to slip on your headphones and some feel-good music.
This helps decrease stress and increase dopamine, so you can keep calm and focused.
2. Flip on the tunes during a repetitive task.
Entering spreadsheet data or making 100 name tags for an event? Music triggers neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine, resulting in faster results with fewer errors.
3. Listen to your oldies.
Your brain is constantly trying to process new data, so listening to familiar songs or ambient music is best for concentration. Anything too new, and your brain will be running extra hard in the background, even if you are trying to focus on that report.
(P3) In short, music can help amplify your productivity, especially when you’re strategic with when you choose to listen to it. When you do, quality headphones like the CES-honored A-Audio Legacy Noise Cancelling Headphones are a great way to further reduce distractions. This set is particularly useful for its ability to switch between passive audio, bass enhanced, and active noise cancellation modes, allowing you to curate your audio for optimal productivity.
WORDS: 300
SOURCE: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/287136
VOCABULARY: off-the-cuff, ambient, bustling, dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, curate
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.
- Briefly, summarize the content of the article in your own words.
- Do you think this article is advertising the aforementioned headphones? Why or why not?
- What genres of music do you listen to? Why?
- In your opinion, do you think music helps a person de-stress so they can keep calm and focused?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:
EXPRESSIONS or PHRASES:
- According to the article, what type of music type of music should you listen to in a loud work environment?
- Listening to some good music with headphones can help elevate ___________ and lower _____________.
- Music can set in motion neurotransmitters which can help produce ______________ with _______________.
- According to the article, it’s better to listen to songs you know instead of ones you don’t know. (T or F)
- What are the three positions the headphones can be put in?
What do the following expressions or phrases mean?
- open office space (P1)
- tune the world out (P1)
- adding a distraction to your plate (P2)
- flip on the tunes (#2)
- listen to your oldies (#3)
Image source: by Image credit: StackCommerce https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/287136