How I’ve Accidentally Conditioned Myself to be Productive While Listening to Halsey

Summary

The author has inadvertently trained themselves to be productive when listening to Halsey's music due to habitually studying while her albums played.

Abstract

The article discusses the author's accidental conditioning to associate productivity with listening to Halsey's music. Beginning in high school, the author developed a fondness for Halsey's songs and began using her albums as a soundtrack for studying. Over time, through the psychological process of classical conditioning, the act of studying became linked with Halsey's music, leading the author to feel motivated to work whenever her songs are played. The author suggests that others can also enhance their productivity by creating similar associations with specific stimuli, such as music, scents, or objects, and reinforcing productive behavior with rewards.

Opinions

The author believes that their productivity while listening to Halsey is a result of classical conditioning.
They advocate for the deliberate association of a specific stimulus with productive activities to enhance focus and output.
The author recommends using rewards, like treats or breaks, to reinforce productive behavior.
They imply that personal preference in music can play a significant role in one's ability to concentrate and be productive.

When it comes on the radio, I just want to get work done… but why?

Whenever I want to be productive, I either put on Halsey’s Hopeless Fountain Kingdom or Badlands album. It’s weird, and I think that it’s a habit that I picked up through studying in school.

You see, I started becoming a huge Halsey fan around my sophomore year of high school. I’d listen to her songs on the radio whenever I was in the car, and more and more Halsey hits made their way into my Spotify liked songs list, which is where I mostly listen to music.

Soon enough, I began listening to Halsey while studying, and this continued for the next couple of years. I would do all of my homework, with headphones in, listening to Badlands on repeat. Or, I would study for a test, and put another of her albums on.

This is likely tied with the psychological concept of classical conditioning or a conditioned response associated with a stimulus. Just as Pavlov found that dogs salivate when food is presented to them, after a while, I began associating studying with Halsey music.

Anyways, the next time you’re preparing for a study session or work, perhaps try associating that productivity with something else, be it a certain type of music, a diffuser scent, or a certain object. Even better, try rewarding productive behaviour, perhaps with a treat or a TV break. Either way, training yourself to associate something to your work could help you achieve more consistent productivity.

How I’ve Accidentally Conditioned Myself to be Productive While Listening to Halsey.

When it comes on the radio, I just want to get work done… but why?