Coffee Shops and Creativity

In The New York Times online, Anahad O’Connor published an article entitled “How the Hum of a Coffee Shop Can Boost Creativity.” In the article, the author talks about "Coffitivity" – a website that plays background noise like that in a coffee shop. According to research, minor levels of noise in the background helps people think creatively. If there is no noise, your mind can concentrate better on things like Calculus. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign scientists had a group listen to various noise levels while they brainstormed. When the noise was at a ‘coffee shop level,’ performance improved. When the noise was higher (think blender) it was distracting. Although noise helps us in creative tasks, this doesn’t apply to tasks that require intense attention to detail. The Coffitivity website has become so popular that the owners are creating audio files in different languages to suit every niche of visitors.

This article resonated with me because I’ve always found it easier to study at the Neutral Ground Coffeehouse -- an inviting place nestled uptown -- than at my own house. When it's silent and I'm at home, my thoughts wander and I can’t concentrate, or I move between different tasks. But the mild level of noise at the Neutral Ground – espresso machine grinding, guitar playing, soft talking – really helps me focus. This isn’t just for creative work like writing a story, though – it helps me focus on reading a textbook or whatever work I have to do, compared with utter silence.