I was quoted today on CNN’s website on an interesting article called “Listening to music at work — dos and don’ts”by Anthony Balderrama

Listening to music at work can be more than just fun for some people. According to Peter Quily, adult Attention Deficit Disorder coach, music can have a physiological effect on his patients who suffer from adult ADD. According to Quily, listening to music boosts the levels of neurotransmitter dopamine, a brain chemical that can help people focus.

Some of Quily’s clients listen to music when they can’t focus or when they’re performing a task they find boring. People who have ADHD often have dopamine levels that are low or quickly used up, and the music is a welcome help.

For some of his clients, music is just another distraction that they don’t need. And while many workers can’t imagine a day without music, plenty of people, such as Jay Levitt, prefer to leave the tunes outside of work hours.”

Check out the full article.

Just a clarification, I don’t have patients, but I do have Adult ADHD coaching clients

Music can also help Adults with ADHD (and non ADDers too) get motivated and focused to do things around the house that they may find boring like housework, cleaning, doing the dishes etc. Pick the music you like, crank it up or put on the headphones and go at it. I know some people that just use white noise to do it.

Some students with ADHD use music to help them focus or just to tune out the other noise around them so they can concentrate better.

I even have a play list on itunes called a wake up list that contains music that I find energizing and stimulating that I use from time to time. You might want consider creating one or more playlists on itunes or your ipod / mp3 player for the same purpose.

But it’s also important to notice what types of tasks you have to do at work, school or home when music won’t be useful and is an actual distraction.

How do you use music at work/school/home to help you focus? What kind works for you?