Have you ever noticed how your mood changes when you listen to music? Do you find yourself more productive while listening to music when you work? Is there a go-to playlist that you turn to for tackling writer’s block?
I had a Walkman (yes, I used to own one) that had all the top hits I recorded off the radio. It was my go-to playlist before YouTube existed, and I played it whenever I was on the bus, during recess or lunch break, and even while completing homework. When I became a parent, I followed the advice from many parenting experts of turning to music to help with my child’s development. I wasn’t one of those parents who played Baby Mozart non-stop. On the flip side, I was the parent who turned to the breadth of music that was classified as “ambient music.” The songs on my ‘destressing playlist’ encouraged a sense of calm or contemplation that I felt was the necessary mix when things got too stressful in the house. This ambient music emphasized tone and atmosphere, often lacking structured melody or vocals.
Witnessing the power of music firsthand, I still believed that there had to be some scientific explanation behind it. Through Self-Publishing School (SPS), I had the privilege to experience the power of music by participating in a workshop hosted by Sean Sumner of SPS, who invited the COO of Brain.fm, Chandler Perog, to run a productivity session using their neuroscience-backed technology. A company that vouches to offer you a playlist that is scientifically proven to increase your productivity! Is this for real?
As a SPS student, it wasn’t the first time I heard about Brain.fm. But like with many things in my life, I was skeptical because many companies make claims about being the best of the best without any evidence. Plus, I was under the impression that the evidence advertised on their website was more of a marketing gimmick where the few success stories were exaggerated to validate their credentials. However, I’ve always been opened to explore new things, and I knew that it wouldn’t be right to judge a technology that I never even tried. So, laying all speculations aside, I went into this workshop thinking about how participating in this event could help me find songs to add to my work playlist that improved my productivity and focus.
So was Brain.fm really that good?
Check out the August edition of ‘Hold On‘ to read my full review on Brain.fm and what alternatives you can turn to (if you don’t want to pay their monthly membership) to improve your productivity. If you haven’t signed up for my newsletter yet, you can get access to read my digital magazine here.