In my experience, music and noise generators help, but silence (and a clean desk, both literally and in terms of visual distraction) helps more. Music, to me,

In my experience, music and noise generators help, but silence (and a clean desk, both literally and in terms of visual distraction) helps more. Music, to me, seems to be the perfumed room deodorizer of noisy environments - it drowns out something that’s a problem rather than lending concentration. I understand why people use it in open workspaces. When running or exercising music is great because it distracts the conscious mind and lets you avoid getting lost in thought. I think this is the same task it serves when, for example, coding. But hard tasks require that otherwise distracted mind and that’s where it falls apart. But obviously YMMV.