What are some effective ways to use music to manage stress as a project leader?

If your work is strictly technical, you probably alternate between one of two modes. First mode is the "thinking stage". This is when you need to analyze, read, and/or go into deep thinking, and this requires really calm music preferably with no lyrics or no music at all. Second mode is the "systematic process". And it's when you are doing repetitive tasks, organization, preparing presentations, or any relatively easy process. That's when you may need music as per your taste to keep your mind from falling into boredom prematurely.

Listening to soft music is calming. I listen to 70s "Yacht Rock" when I am needing to reduce my stress level. When I am on a deadline and needing to energize I listen to motivational "workout" music. I also listen to country throughout the day. Music keeps me on task.

I’ve been a fan of music, since I have known myself into childhood. The type of music and its selection for specific scenarios can be so impactful that it can deliver the results that you need. An example is hiking, where a rock or metal would actually give you the adrenaline required for that activity.

All of the Care Connection Team at Go Health, knows that music is what I use most to motivate, inspire, and lighten the mood on some of the hardest days that we all go through from time to time. I know of a few, that can tell exactly how my day is going to go or is going. Music has always been a major influencer in my life, and my actual play list spans multiple generations and just as many genres. If you are an active participant in any team, you learn what everyone else does or doesn't like, and you can effectively influence the mood for them. Example: Monday's - AC/DC, The Call, Def Leppard, Creed and Metallica, but Tuesday is a Kool & the Gang, Commadores, Elton John, Mister Mister and Redbone. A good music director knows his audience!

This is the reason why we don't listen to just one kind of music. Both Consciously and unconsciously, we tend to listen to the type of music more appropriate to the activities we're performing, although we get more effective at this along with our maturity. I agree 100% that most of us tend to use music to help coping and managing our stress. I myself do this every time I'm deep-working alone.

Take a minute and think about the music you listen to while working and how it makes you feel. Identify the different emotions you feel depending on the type of music. Keep this in mind when selecting your music to work by that day.

As I explained above, music can effect so many things in a person's psyche. I an honestly say I have mastered the art using music to express the mood, project the energy and influence the direction of the day.

I have a multitude of playlists on my devices. Some are softer, stress relieving tunes, while others are a little louder and faster beats to get me motivated. I also have playlists that I use every day when completing every day mundane tasks to keep me focused.

One thing I have found helpful for me is creating playlists for different times of the day. I think more workplaces should have music piping through the offices for employees to help with overall wellbeing and mental health.

Share your playlists and label them as motivational, calming or by the type of mood they invoke. Music is shown to help elevate your mood, or calm your mood depending on the type.

Consider adding movement in addition to listening to music. A somatic approach to navigating feelings bottom-up is incredibly powerful, given that life events and trauma are stored in the body. We want to give the body permission to be able to express itself - if possible - through movement - whatever that may look like.

Although I consider this article very helpful, I'd like to add that in a corporate environment, we need to be self-aware if our role and responsibilities will give room to listen to music outside of break times. Depending on how companies are structured, managerial roles require a constant availability, that might not be as effective if we're immersed into our music. The simple fact that we're are using a headset or airpods, it's already a visual barrier to an effective communication between our teams and ourselves. We need to show to our teams that we are always available to listen and support them, and we aren't sending that message, if we make them feel that they will interrupt whatever we're listening to.