Working to music ‘is more of a distraction’

HAVING classical music on in the background may seem like a relaxing way to help you focus while working.

But we actually perform worse in mental tasks when there is music playing, a study has found.

Researchers led by the University of Central Lancashire and Lancaster University asked 18 people to do word puzzles and found right answers fell by 6 per cent on average with music on in the background.

The effects of instrumental music were even worse, at 10 per cent.

Their abilities were not affected by background noise from a library, suggesting the ‘changing sequence’ of sound in music is disruptive.