Holiday Music Can be a Grinch for your Productivity
Listening to holiday music on repeat can create a mental drain.
While music is great for retail sales, too much of it can have a detrimental affect on your ability to think.
“People working in the shops at Christmas have to actively tune out Christmas music because if they don’t, it really does stop you from being able to focus on anything else,” according to psychologist Linda Blair.
Although the holidays are a time for celebrations, they also hold distractions that create a loss of productivity at work.
Many try to cram personal holiday tasks on top of their regular schedule. This is particularly stressful for those who are coordinating gatherings. They tend to be the same people who are buying the gifts, sending the holiday cards, and baking all the treats. I was an adult before I realized my grandmother dreaded the workload of Christmas. She treasured the gatherings, but... I get it now.
Retail stores are pushing the holidays earlier by stocking shelves and playing festive music by October. This is a calculated move to improve sales, but has other impacts on shoppers and employees alike. With sleep disruptions from daylight saving time, work deadlines at the end of year, and family obligations holiday fatigue is not uncommon. By the end of the year, many are experiencing emotional and physical exhaustion.
So what can we do?
There are a series of simple hacks that can help alleviate holiday fatigue. Overplayed holiday songs can be a source of irritation when they have been playing on a loop since October. Managers and C-suite executives also take vacation in record numbers and oversight and supervision drops. This impacts employee motivation and productivity.
So, how do we cope with holiday sales hype and the drop in motivation?
There are simple ways to combat a lack of focus by managing distractions. The reality is that most of us cannot take two months off to indulge work-free in the holiday season. To fight fatigue and loss of focus, alleviating stress is worthwhile by managing things we can control.
One obvious hallmark of the season is holiday music.
Strategic management of the “Hohoho” jingles can prevent mental fatigue. It decreases stress and defrays frustration from the work of “tuning out” the music.
I don’t suggest banning them from your world, but I recommend being strategic about how and when you listen to it.
So enjoy the beauty of the season, but…
Don’t play holiday music when doing challenging mental tasks.
Instead, the best times to play holiday music are
before cognitive tasks to improve mood and motivation
while doing repetitive tasks (without lyrics)
for kids doing creative projects ( familiar tunes are best)
holiday gatherings (not on a loop)
The bottom line?
Holiday traditions are meaningful and music has a significant role in celebrations. But our holiday music need not be a brain drain.
So, enjoy the holidays.
Enjoy the holiday music.
Avoid the frustration of a loss in productivity.
Simply be strategic about when you hear the bells ring.