Is listening to music whilst revising just wasting time? Or do you truly believe it helps productivity? Well, it can be effective for different people depending on what revision technique you're doing, what subject, what music it is that you are listening to, as well as many other factors.
Some may find that music drowns out the other loud noises, which is especially helpful if you're trying to concentrate in a loud study room or social space. Having background music can improve motivation and focus, as well as helping beat stress and anxiety, depending on whether the music is soothing or relaxing. As well as this, music may aid motivation during long sessions, and develop new ways to make learning fun or put us in a better mood to continue.
Despite this, many find that music can distract you from your hard work and make your learning harder to understand and absorb. This is why it is best to avoid fast, loud, and lyrical songs. Instead, opt for a slower, possibly instrumental, advert-free playlist that avoids any surprises (due to lack of rhythm) and is played at a lower volume. You may think that this removes most choice, however, thousands of playlists on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and many more can be easily found to suit you and your learning style.
I conducted a student vote around college and found that 74% of students do listen to music whilst revising, however, 54% of them then admitted to getting easily distracted or not performing as well as they did previously, or as well as they could, in tests. Personally, I use my playlists when revising to drown out the other noises, as previously mentioned. Revision techniques that I typically use whilst listening are writing essays, exam questions, or making other revision sources: things that don’t involve absorbing any new or extra information. Many experts would disagree and say that music may hinder your learning due to the distractions, however, it may just be down to personal preference.