A moderate level of background noise enhances creativity

Research shows that a little background noise can help you think more creatively. This is because a moderate noise level, such as 70 decibels, stimulates your brain to think in a different way. This allows you to be more creative, as you look beyond the obvious solutions and discover new ideas. It’s similar to the effect of a café or a busy street, where the constant noise distracts your thoughts just enough to flow freely without becoming overwhelming.

On the other hand, too much noise, such as 85 decibels or more, can actually be detrimental to your creativity. At this high noise level, it becomes harder to think clearly, which can reduce your creativity. It’s like trying to solve a difficult problem in a concert hall; the loud noise makes it difficult to concentrate and think clearly. Therefore, it’s important to find a balance in the noise level of your environment if you want to be creative. A little background noise can be helpful, but too much can be counterproductive.

Jeroen Sangers @jeroensangers