Vladimir_Golovin comments on Working Mantras - Less Wrong

32 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 24 August 2009 10:08PM

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Comment author: gwern 25 August 2009 06:05:00AM 6 points [-]

I don't listen to music while working, because of studies showing that, e.g., programmers listening to music are equally competent at implementing a given algorithm, but much less likely to notice that the algorithm's output is always equal to its input.

This is absolutely true. I'm a little shocked at how many programmers and other 'mind-workers' (students are especially bad at this) think that putting on some music is helpful, or neutral. It's neither; even classical music or chants hurt.

(I have no studies handy for this, but I've tried music with Mnemosyne, Gbrainy, and Dual N-back, and in all 3 and all the sessions, my statistical performance was hurt to a greater or less extent.)

Comment author: Vladimir_Golovin 25 August 2009 12:45:02PM 1 point [-]

I also prefer to work without music, but I use it to switch my brain into "action mode".

The music I tend to use for such mood-switching is usually energetic and sometimes aggressive (examples include action pieces from movies like Predator 2 or Matrix, various electro DJs, selected rap / hip-hop etc.) -- and I stay away from serious music (in my case its mostly Arvo Pärt, John Tavener and J.S. Bach).

Also, music is sometimes helpful for mentally isolating myself from coworkers, especially when they bug me with questions -- however, just putting the headphones on without music can do the trick. I read that Tim Ferris does that too.

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