The Power of Music to Focus Your Mind

The Power of Music to Focus Your Mind

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Everyone Knows the Power of Music

You hear a certain song and it takes you back to a time, a place, maybe even a certain someone.

But did you know that music has the power to focus your mind? It’s true.

Of course, it has to be the right kind of music. It always has to be the right music for anything you do.

Music to Focus Your Mind

Right now, as I am writing this, I am listening to one of my favorite Stevie Wonder songs, “Golden Lady”. I love that song, and it will be stuck in my head for days, but it’s not the best for helping me The Power of Music to Focus Your Mindwrite. It’s got words, and I’m singing them. That might have something to do with it.

This afternoon (because it’s Valentine’s Day), my son-in-law sent me a video from an old Ed Sullivan Show featuring an Italian singer singing Volare. (It’s OK if you don’t know what any of that means.)

As far as I know, the song meant nothing to my daughter, but the fact that he took the time and was thoughtful enough to send it to me and wish me a happy Valentines Day kept me in tears most of the day. Good tears.

And you know when you need to get the house clean and do it fast, the best way is to put on some good dancing music.

But none of these will help you focus your mind.

Because they’re not the right kind of music.

You need special music in order to focus and concentrate.

What kind?

Basically, classical music. Baroque, in particular. Just search for it on Pandora.

Another choice is New Age. You want instrumentals without words.

Let’s Talk About Your Brain

The brain has two sides, or hemispheres: the right and the left. Each processes information differently.

The left side is the logical, analytical side. It works in a linear manner, thinks in words, notices details, and is good at factual kinds of things like math.

The right side is creative and non-linear. It thinks in images (imagination) rather than words, responds to color, music and rhythm, sees the whole picture, and excels in the arts.

If they were pictures, the left brain would be black and white, and the right brain would be blazing color.

All of us use both sides of our brains, but we often have a dominant side.

For those of us with ADHD, that is the right brain. (By the way, that means that we are most likely visual learners – we learn best by seeing pictures, graphs, etc.)

Your Brain, Music, and Focus

Think of the right side of your brain as the playful side, and the left as the studious one.

When you are trying to focus (left brain), the right brain gets bored and wants to play.

So it looks for distractions. You know what that’s like; anything will do.

That’s why when you’re trying to concentrate on getting something done, your mind keeps wandering away:

  • What am I going to make for dinner?
  • What’s on TV tonight?
  • Wonder how it would look if I dyed my hair purple?

This is where the power of music comes in.

Studies have shown that listening to music, preferably classical, has the power to focus your mind.

This is because the music gives your right brain something to enjoy – it’s the artistic side, remember – while your left brain does whatever boring thing it needs to do.

There’s even a website called Focus@Will that provides the music for you, and will even keep track of how long you were able to focus. I’ve tried it, and it works! They even offer a variety of channels for you to choose from, so that you can see which one works best for you.

And of course, you can always use something like Pandora.

By the way, I would definitely use earbuds with this, or if you can, headphones. I have some noise cancelling ones that I got for Christmas that are worth their weight in gold!

So let’s have some fun.

Leave me a comment below and tell me your all time favorite song. Mine is “This Old Heart of Mine” by the Isley Brothers.

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle is the writer of Lacyestelle.com and the Podcast host for An ADD Woman.

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