Adjust the Volume
What is the noise level of your space when you create? Loud, completely silent, or do you keep something going at a moderate level in the background?
I ask because recently I’ve been reading about the effect of noise on creativity. In recent years, several studies have concluded that a very specific level of noise—70 decibels—encourages the most creative thinking. This noise level is approximately the same as you’d find at a busy café or on a city street at during the day.
Do you find this surprising? I did. I would have thought the conversations, curious noises, and variation in sound would keep a creative from getting lost in a flow state. On the other hand, it’s common for writers to work on their books or poetry in a café, and for artists to draw and paint in city parks or work in busy studio co-ops. So, there really must be something to that higher noise level.
As it turns out, the reason a 70 decibel noise is good for the creative mind is that it creates just enough of a distraction to push creative thinking. From what I’ve read, it seems that a certain level of distraction forces the mind to think more broadly. I also suspect it has something to do with keeping the logical side of the brain occupied, or at least regularly sidetracked, which must disrupt that logical critic which so often hinders the imaginative process.
Still, this 70 decibel idea doesn’t always hold up. For instance, introverts are more readily distracted and often need a quieter space so that comforting café vibe may not work for them. Distracted children, possibly with ADD or ADHD, do better with a moderate level of white noise, but the same noise can make attentive children restless.
The type of sound and level may also be particular to the task at hand. Planning, writing, designing and other mentally immersive work may do better with silence, low instrumental music or just low environmental sounds, while tasks considered busy work are best paired with whatever keeps the mind occupied for that individual.
However, if you’re looking for ways to increase your creative thinking, need to come up with original ideas, or are trying to break though a creative block, the 70 decibels may be the way to go.
But how do you create this on command? Sculpting in a café isn’t a likely option, nor is writing regularly in the middle of a busy city when you live in the country. So recreate the noise you need, where you need it. You can get apps that reproduce all kinds of sounds, from city streets to rain to whirring fans. My favorite is Relax Melodies. I use this to help me sleep, but with literally hundreds of quality sounds including environmental, white noises, and calm music, it has found a place in my studio too.
You can also play videos on YouTube with specific sound scapes like city streets in the 1950s (one of my husband’s favorites), under the sea, or a favorite band in concert. The videos give you something you can look up at occasionally and feel like you’re somewhere else.
If you work with sound as a musician or dancer, additional sound would likely get in the way. But opening a window to allow the world outside to fill those quiet spaces between your work moments may provide that level of distraction needed.
So, if your creative space has not felt inspiring lately or you are feeling restless, try changing the noise level or types of noises you have around you. It’s worth some experimenting. Build up a library of possible sounds to reach for when you need to shake up your creative environment.
Photo by Pawel Czerwinski
