We often ignore the auditory part of our work environment. Often putting on random music or even having a video or podcast playing. But for optimal focus and performance, try experimenting with binaural beats.
What Are Binaural Beats?
The “beat” in music is the pattern between two sounds.
“Binaural” is sound that is typically recorded to be heard differently by your right and left ear.
Binaural beats are auditory illusions that are created when your left and right ears are given sounds with a certain difference in frequency.
How Will These Sounds Help Me Focus?
The music you listen to affects your brain waves. Your brain wave patterns can be intentionally modified by choosing right music to listen to.
There are basically five wave patterns: Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. Delta, Theta, and Alpha are more focused on relaxation and sleep while Gamma seems to be linked to just staying generally alert.
For focus and increased productivity, look for binaural beats aimed at the Beta pattern. This pattern is supposed to boost concentration and alertness. A word of warning however as some people find this particular pattern makes them anxious. If you are experiencing negative effects such as anxiety from listening to any sounds, move on to something else quickly.
You may need to experiment with several different audio tracks to find one that works best for you. You may even find that one of the meditative or relaxing patterns works better.
Where Do I Find These Beats?
YouTube has many channels dedicated to this genre. A wide variety of instruments as well as natural and exquisite sounds are available to experiment with.
You can also find playlists on Spotify and other streaming platforms.
One of my personal favorites (I am actually listening to it right now as I write this article is:
Keys to Getting the Benefits of Binaural Beats
Use headphones. Remember the “Bi” in binaural is because you need both ears set up to hear the separate audio tracks.
Experiment. You won’t necessarily enjoy or benefit from every binaural audio track. Also you might not want a sleep wave inducing one while you’re working. If you experience any negative feelings from a track, such as anxiety or nausea (it can be intense), stop listening immediately and try something else.
Even if you decide that binaural beats aren’t for you. Pay attention to the auditory aspects of your workspace to remove distractions and improve your ability to focus and do amazing work.