Bah humbug! Skip these distracting holiday songs in the workplace

Most employees can agree that mid-December signals the end of most productive work and the beginning of the end-of-year wind down, punctuated by holiday parties, gift swaps and PTO countdowns. 

But for those hoping to squeeze a little more productivity out of the end of the year, they may appreciate motivation via some festive music. But not just any holiday song will do —  a study commissioned by online gambling site CSGOLuck scanned the 200 most popular holiday songs on Spotify to determine which songs hinder or help employee productivity. 

The study analyzed the beats per minute of popular holiday tunes — those between 50 to 80 are best for productivity, as they put the brain into what's known as an "alpha state," where the mind is in a relaxed state optimal for creativity and focus. Songs like "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee clocks in at 67 beats per minute, while Bing Crosby's classic "Silver Bells" is a pleasant 70 bpm, perfect for getting into the flow at work. 

Read more: How to plan an alcohol-free company holiday party

On the other hand, more current pop songs like "All I Want For Christmas" by Mariah Carey and "Last Christmas" by Ariana Grande have bpms over 200, making them too upbeat for in-office concentration. 

Check out the list of 10 best and worst holiday songs — save a few of these for the holiday happy hour.