On Screen p 26. How Music Can Improve Worker Productivity. Extra Word Formation

By Amisha Padnany on The New York Times 

The guy in the next cubicle is yammering away on the phone. Across the room, someone begins cursing loudly at a 1____________ (JAM) copy machine.

The headphones on the other end of your desk suddenly look very 2___________ (APPEAL). Would anyone mind if you listened to your iTunes playlist for a while?

Some workers like to listen to music when they find themselves losing focus. They may also plug in their earbuds to escape an environment that’s too noisy — or too quiet — or to make a 3______________ (REPEAT) job feel more lively.

In 4__________ (BIOLOGY) terms, 5____________ (MELODY) sounds help encourage the release of dopamine in the reward area of the brain, as would eating a 6____________ (DELICATE), looking at something beautiful or smelling a 7___________ (PLEASE) aroma, said Dr. Amit Sood, a 8__________ (PHYSIC) of 9___________ (INTEGRATE) medicine with the Mayo Clinic.

People’s minds tend to wander, “and we know that a 10_____________ (WANDER) mind is 11______________ (HAPPY),” Dr. Sood said. “Most of that time, we are focusing on the 12_____________ (PERFECT) of life.” Music can bring us back to the present moment.

“It breaks you out of just thinking one way,” said Teresa Lesiuk, an 13_________ (ASSIST) professor in the music therapy program at the University of Miami.

Dr. Lesiuk’s research focuses on how music affects workplace 14_____________(PERFORM). In one study 15___________ (INVOLVE) information technology specialists, she found that those who listened to music completed their tasks more quickly and came up with better ideas than those who didn’t, because the music improved their mood.

“When you’re stressed, you might make a decision more 16___________(HASTE); you have a very narrow focus of attention,” she said. “When you’re in a positive mood, you’re able to take in more options.”

Dr. Lesiuk found that personal choice in music was very important. She allowed participants in her study to select whatever music they liked and to listen as long as they wanted. Those who were 17_____________ (moderate) 18____________ (SKILL) at their jobs 19_____________ (BENEFIT) the most, while experts saw little or no effect. And some novices regarded the music as 20___________ (DISTRACT).

Dr. Lesiuk has also found that the 21____________ (OLD) people are, the less time they spend listening to music at work.

Few companies have policies about music 22____________ (LISTEN), said Paul Flaharty, a 23__________ (REGION) vice president at Robert Half Technology, the 24____________ (STAFF) agency. But it is still a good idea to check with your manager, even if you see others wearing headphones in the office.

He said some 25___________ (SUPERVISE) might think that 26___________ (WORK) wearing headphones weren’t 27___________ (FULL) 28____________ (ENGAGE) and were blocking out important 29_______________ (INTERACT) “because they are going into their own world.”

“If someone’s not doing a good job,” he said, “then you can have a 30_____________ (HIRE)  manager say that all they do is listen to music all day and that it’s 31______________ (HAMPER) 32_____________ (PRODUCT).”

For those who choose to listen to music, it’s best to set limits, because wearing headphones for an entire shift can be perceived as rude by those 33_______________ (NEAR).

Dr. Sood, at the Mayo Clinic, said it takes just 15 minutes to a half-hour of listening time to 34__________ (GAIN) 35_____________ (CONCENTRATE). Music without lyrics usually works best, he said.

Daniel Rubin, a 36___________ (COLUMN) at The Philadelphia Inquirer, said he has listened to jazz and piano concertos for most of his 33-year newspaper career — but only when writing on deadline. He started off using a Sony Walkman, but now makes use of 76 days’ worth of music on his iTunes playlist.

“The person 37___________ (CLICK) their nails three desks away and the person 38__________ (HUM) next to me all sound 39_____________ (EQUAL) loud and it’s hard for me to block them out,” he said.

As a freelance journalist, he works 40___________ (MOST) alone, and people in the office seldom need to approach him. But when he was a 41____________ (BUD) reporter, he noticed that colleagues would become 42___________ (IRRITATE) when trying to get his attention.

 

KEY

cubicle: /ˈkjuːbɪkl/ a small room that is made by separating off part of a larger room. E.g. a shower cubicle, a changing cubicle (= for example at a public swimming pool), an office cubicle.

yammer (on/away) (about something): to talk continuously, especially in an annoying way. E.g. He was yammering on about his new job.

curse: utter offensive words in anger or annoyance. E.g. he cursed loudly as he burned his hand.

1. jammed: /dʒæmd/ not able to move. Stuck. E.g. I can't get the door open—it's completely jammed.

2. appealing 

plug something in: to connect a piece of electrical equipment to the main supply of electricity or to another piece of electrical equipment. E.g. Is the printer plugged in?

earbud: /ˈɪəbʌd/ a very small headphone that is worn inside the ear.

3. repetitive /rɪˈpetətɪv/ 

4. biological 

5. melodious /məˈləʊdiəs/ (also melodic /məˈlɒdɪk/) 

6. delicacy /ˈdelɪkəsi/ (food of very good quality) 

7. pleasant (also pleasing) 

8. physician: /fɪˈzɪʃn/ a doctor

physic: treat with a medicine. E.g. he told Mrs Webb he had physicked himself  

9. integrative /ˈɪntɪgrətɪv/ 

integrate: /ˈɪntɪɡreɪt/ to combine two or more things so that they work together.

integrative medicine: medicine that integrates the therapies of alternative medicine with those practiced by mainstream medical practitioners.

10. wandering

wander: /ˈwɒndə(r)/  (of a person's mind or thoughts) to stop being directed on something and to move without much control to other ideas, subjects, etc. E.g. It's easy to be distracted and let your attention wander. Try not to let your mind wander.

11. unhappy

12. imperfections

break out (of something): to escape from a place or situation. E.g. Several prisoners broke out of the jail. She needed to break out of her daily routine and do something exciting.

13. assistant

14. performance

15. involving

come up with something: [no passive] to find or produce an answer, a sum of money, etc. E.g. She came up with a new idea for increasing sales. How soon can you come up with the money?

16. hastily (done quickly)

17. moderately

18. skilled

 19. benefitted (also benefited)

20. distracting

21. older

22. listening

23. regional

24. staffing

staffing agency: An employment agency. An organization which matches employers to employees.

25. supervisors

26. workers

27. fully

28. engaged

29. interactions

30.  hiring 

Hiring manager: The individual responsible for making a particular hiring decision, often the future employee’s supervisor.

31. hampering

hamper: to prevent somebody from easily doing or achieving something. To hinder or impede the movement or progress of. Sp. obstaculizar. E.g. their work is hampered by lack of funds. Our efforts were severely hampered by a lack of money.

32. productivity

33. nearby

34. regain: to get back something you no longer have.

35. concentration

36. columnist /ˈkɒləmnɪst/ a journalist who writes regular articles for a newspaper or magazine.

37. clicking 

Click: to make or cause something to make a short sharp sound. E.g. The cameras clicked away. The clicking cameras outside the church. Clicking long nails on a glass table.

38. humming

hum: to sing a tune with your lips closed. E.g. She was humming softly to herself.

39. equally 

40. mostly 

41. budding: beginning to develop or become successful. E.g. a budding artist/ writer

42. irritated