Discover the Sound of Focus
Music is a powerful thing.
Whether it's a catchy jingle used to sell a product or service, a calming intrustmental piece intended to soothe or evoke calm emotions, or a thumping techno beat to hype up a crowd—music is often used in a number of ways to affect a setting and the people in it.
The same can be said for helping ADHDers find focus. But, not all music is created equal, or will it achieve the same results.
Use music to grab focus, not attention
Recently, on an episode of Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast, Pete and I spoke with Dr. Kevin J.P. Woods, Director of Science at Brain.fm. During this discussion, Kevin shared his expertise as a neuroscientist with a focus on auditory neuroscience, highlighting the importance of the type of music used for focus.
"The vast majority of music in the world is made to grab your attention... a good music producer is trying to distract you... if you're trying to get things done, it is really, really counterproductive."
Music styles that promote focus
There are different styles of music that can more easily promote focus over other styles of music. The next time you're searching for a playlist to help you focus, try looking for some of these music styles and genres:
Binaural Beats
Lo-fi
Classical
Instrumental (no vocals/singing)
Techno/EDM
Ambient room sounds
Use what works for you
Not every type of music or sound track will work for everyone. It's important to find something that you find enjoyable that you can also listen to without it becoming a distraction.
I would encourage you to do a little experimenting and try a few different types of audio playlists and see what works. You can even keep a journal to record the positive or negative affects you experience when trying to focus using different music and sounds.
If one doesn't work, don't get discouraged—just hit Skip and move on to the next track.
Thank you for your time and attention,
Nikki