“Mario Kart music helps me work faster” M’sians Say That Video Game Music Increases Their Productivity

Many of us have been stuck at home for a while now, and have gotten used to working and/or studying at home. Although there are definitely advantages of being at home, a major issue that tends to come up is the increased difficulty of motivating yourself to work or study efficiently as being at home often comes with a lot of distractions.

A report by JLL Asia Pacific revealed that although employees across the Asia Pacific have adapted to work from home arrangements, most are eager to return to the office. The report also said that millennials missed the office much more than other age groups and only 52% said they were more productive working from home.

However, to increase productivity, focus and speed in both work and study life, some Malaysians swear by listening to the soundtracks and music of popular video games to give them a much-needed boost of motivation.

Twitter user @Amarylisstin took to the social media to comment on a TikTok video which shows a person finishing their five-page essay within an hour with the help of the music of crowd favourite, Mario Kart.

In her post, she says, “Do you guys want to know a weird way I stopped procrastinating when I’m doing work? I listen to the music of Mario Kart whilst finishing my assignment/homework.”

“I literally worked a lot faster and it doubled my productivity.” 

She further posted the link of the song she was referring to and said, “Assignments that are due in a week can be done in an hour with this.”

In her post which has garnered over 4,000 likes and 1,500 shares, netizens also shared their similar experiences of using the music of video games to help increase their productivity and efficiency.

One user said that they use the same method and that they found that they were able to finish their work quicker. “Every time I did my assignments I listened to ‘Coconut Mall’ (another Mario Kart song). If I don’t listen to it I would never have finished my work.”

Some users say that this is because video game music is literally designed to ensure you maintain your focus in the game. “But if it works for other purposes, it works!”

The science behind it

Even if you’re not a gamer, there’s a very good reason why you should listen to the music that plays in the background of video games. It can improve your focus, motivation, and productivity.

Scientific research has confirmed that music stimulates the brain, helps pass time and keeps people energised and motivated. Another study found that nine out of 10 workers perform better when listening to music.

According to Fast Company, the music in video games is specifically designed to motivate players while staying in the background as it sets the mood and the tone of the game, keeps up a good rhythm, but never distracts from the game’s objectives.

“It fosters a sense of achievement while motivating players to reach the next level and keep moving forward.”

Hence listening to video game soundtracks whilst working keeps you focused and motivated to finish your tasks as it won’t overwhelm or distract you and motivate you and foster a “get it done” mentality.

According to the Journal of Consumer Research, gaming music fits all the metrics for optimum work sounds. This is because it doesn’t force itself to the centre stage of your brain but instead runs in the background.

A Spotify playlist titled ‘Video Game Soundtracks’ has over 430,000 likes. Maybe it’s time to give it a go?

We will definitely be trying this out! Have you tried it? Which video game soundtrack is your favourite? Let us know in the comments.

Also read: ‘Zoom Fatigue’ Is A Thing & Research Shows Turning Cameras Off During Meetings Help Reduce Fatigue