Introduction
"Why is it that I can’t seem to focus at home, yet somehow I’m productive at a café?"
If you’ve ever had that experience, you’re not alone.
Personally, I’ve often taken my laptop to work outside—at cafés, libraries, or other public spaces. But I could never clearly explain why I struggled to focus at home, and why putting in the extra effort to go out seemed to help me get more done.
Recently, I happened to look into this phenomenon and discovered that it’s not just a matter of mood or superstition. In fact, scientific research has shown that the brain's ability to focus is deeply influenced by the quality of background noise.
Why Does Noise Help Us Focus?
In 2012, Professor Ravi Mehta from the University of Illinois, along with his colleagues, published a paper titled “Is Noise Always Bad? Exploring the Effects of Ambient Noise on Creative Cognition.”
Their research found that moderate ambient noise—around 70 decibels, roughly the level of chatter in a café—can enhance creativity and focus more effectively than quieter environments (around 50dB) or noisier ones (around 85dB).
This effect is explained by a mechanism in which moderate background noise slightly distracts the brain, pushing it toward more abstract thinking, which in turn encourages idea generation and deeper focus. In psychology, this is known as the inverted-U effect:
Too little or too much stimulation can reduce performance, but the right amount brings out your best.
For a long time, noise was widely believed to hinder concentration. Silence was thought to be ideal. But Mehta’s study challenged that assumption, offering a counterintuitive yet powerful insight:
The right kind of noise—at the right level—can actually boost productivity, creativity, and mental performance.
Three Key Elements of "Good Noise"
So, what should we keep in mind when trying to create or choose a noise environment that enhances focus?
Here are three particularly important points to consider.
- Volume According to Mehta's study, the optimal volume for enhancing focus and creativity is around 70dB. If the environment is too quiet, the brain may become under-stimulated; too loud, and your attention gets scattered.
Of course, personal preferences vary, so the key is to find the volume level where you feel comfortable and naturally able to concentrate.
🟢 Examples: A café, library, or quiet food court (background chatter, footsteps, clinking dishes, etc.)
- Non-verbal Sound When the noise includes meaningful sounds, such as lyrics or conversations, our brains tend to process those words—even unconsciously—which can interrupt concentration.
That said, this also depends on the individual. Some people are not distracted by spoken words.
Still, in general, non-verbal or non-linguistic sounds tend to provide a more stable and distraction-free background for focus.
🟢 Examples: Air conditioning hums, the sound of waves or wind, city ambiance, footsteps, or foreign-language broadcasts (when you don’t understand the language)
- Smooth Variation When a sound loops in a short, repetitive pattern, it can become monotonous and distracting. Conversely, environments where sounds change too frequently—like constant voices or abrupt noises—can also break your focus.
The ideal noise has gentle variation with an overall steady rhythm.
Natural sounds or the ambient buzz of a café often offer this balance, helping to support deep work.
🟢 Examples: Long-loop nature sound BGM, ambient recordings of cafés with a gentle, consistent flow of people
Of course, everyone perceives sound differently, and there’s no need to strictly follow all of these conditions.
But simply becoming more aware of what kind of sound environment helps you focus can be a powerful step toward improving your work quality.
Tip: How to Easily Create a Noise Environment
Sometimes, going out to a café or library feels like a hassle, or your work situation doesn’t allow you to leave your current location.
In such cases, having your own customized noise environment prepared in advance can be a helpful alternative.
Here are a few simple ways to set one up:
Use ambient CDs or soundtracks
Create a playlist of calming sounds or collect your favorite background tracks to suit your taste.Make use of YouTube
There are countless free videos available, including "study BGM," "café ambience," and more.Play the radio
Choose a program that doesn't draw too much attention—something in a language you don’t understand, or on a topic you’re not particularly interested in—and play it quietly in the background.
By experimenting with the type of sound, playback method, volume, and output device (such as speakers or headphones), you may find the noise environment that helps you focus best.
Conclusion
The ideal environment for focus varies from person to person.
But for those who find that "total silence feels too quiet to concentrate," the right kind of noise can be an incredibly supportive tool.
Let me share a personal example: I recently moved into a new apartment.
The building has shared spaces like a gym and kitchen close to my unit. I used to go out to cafés often to get work done, but now I find that I’m more comfortable and productive working from home.
Even though the building is generally quiet, I occasionally hear footsteps or voices from the hallway.
And because the ceiling has a section made of glass, the sound of rain echoes throughout the building when it rains.
Some people might find this distracting, but to me, these soft, random sounds with gentle variation have become a kind of pleasant background noise that actually helps me concentrate.
Not too noisy, not too quiet.
Find your own “just right” soundscape—and let it become a silent partner in your productivity.
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