It is part of human nature to approach and gravitate towards better things in life. But when it comes to training your brain to think bigger, the approach might be different. There are endless ways to develop your cognitive functions because the brain depends on rationality and logic. It is believed that the better your brain works, the better life you live and to do that, people practice various methods to nourish their brain. You can keep your brain fit with plenty of things, but music is one of the best ways to do – particularly learning a new musical instrument.
When we talk about musical instruments, we should also keep in mind that everything comes with a process to be followed, but following them leads to better results. In fact, it also helps boost your productivity and helps you become more efficient in your daily life. Whether you learn piano keyboard notes or chord patterns for the guitar, the process of learning a new instrument evokes a sense of achievement and balance in your daily routine. Focusing on particular skills brings more effort and problem-solving skills that are essential to being creative.
This article covers everything you need to know about how learning a new instrument helps you become more productive.
1. Music is the Best Medicine Against Stress and Depression
Listening or playing music creates an exceptional effect and acts as food for our emotions. You must have experienced it when you are sad or happy and you listen to music – you can experience your feelings divert. Good music always has a calm and soothing effect on your mood, while loud and disturbing music or sounds are known to irritate you and, in some cases, make you anxious.
Music has also been proven to lower heart rate and blood pressure. At the same time, the constant learning of new instruments keeps a balance in mood and routine, which results in stress relief. Music also increases blood flow in your body, which generates the oxygen that builds strength and helps your organs work properly.
Furthermore, a study also found that playing or listening to music can reduce the level of stress and depression, especially in people with diagnosed mental health issues.
2. Playing Music Makes People Smarter
Children who love playing musical instruments are smarter than those who don’t. Their academic performances prove to be better, and they make intelligent moves. It is because of the improvements in their learning schedules, and just by adding a new habit to their learning schedule, they become more attentive and responsible.
Not only children, but this habit is also beneficial for adults. If you start learning a new instrument with daily practice, you will notice a sense of achievement and confidence in doing every other task. The more you go in-depth, the more you learn and become perfect. Even playing music in public can set a relaxed environment and connect with other people. So if you want to be smarter, then indulge yourself in learning a new instrument.
3. Learning a New Instrument is Fun
Whether you are an experienced musician or a beginner pianist, you will always find better ways to understand the flow and maintain your understanding in new ways. Learning art is always fun and filled with excitement. People find habits that make them feel free and joyful and learning a musical instrument is the one. Now that things have become virtual, you can even start learning your instrument online or take an online course that allows you to learn at your own pace without a tutor breathing down your neck or scolding you for playing a wrong note.
4. Practicing a New Instrument Can Enhance Reading Skills
Another known benefit of learning a new instrument is that it enhances you reading and comprehension skills, which means that you are able to understand things much faster and better. As a result, you are more productive and engaged in your work, and it also compels you to work harder and contribute more, especially if you are part of a team.
If you are fully immersed in learning a new instrument and also pick up its theory, you will also be learning how to read sheet music. It transforms and revitalizes your brain like nothing else, because you have to read and understand the notation in a split second in order to play it quickly. These comprehension skills are also valuable in your daily and professional life.
5. It Teaches You Self-appreciation
Humans need self-appreciation to recognize their talents and skills, and learning a new instrument helps you achieve that. Moreover, it also drives you to polish your skills and improve yourself, so that you aren’t hung up on your flaws or weaknesses. As you go through your music lessons and sessions one by one and complete, you will have a sense of achievement on each one.
If you are making use of a learning app, it continues to boost your morale by celebrating little milestones and also using a points or XP system. So whatever you do that is challenging, remember how happy you felt in your last accomplishment, whether it involves winning a game or baking a cake. Going into the next activity with the same enthusiasm and zeal will help you ace anything you put your mind to.
6. Music Helps in Improving Memory
With a good memory, you can conquer the world. From the perspective of music, let’s see how music enables you to memorize things faster and longer. Playing an instrument with proper knowledge of chords or notes will be a memory booster for your brain. Every time you play the instrument, your brain will fetch all the new information you have recently acquired, thus pushing it to work faster.
For instance, playing the piano is mostly accompanied by sheet music that contains notation of the music you are going to play. If you memorize and understand what each note on the sheet means, your brain will be able to translate it much faster.
This brings us to the end of our article on how learning a new instrument makes you more productive. By training your mind to acquire the playing technique and music theory that comes with a new instrument, you would be able to gain more focus and become more efficient at your daily tasks, be it personal or professional.
