Why a 15-minute music quiz makes my day more productive

I personally think the Radio 2 music quiz is brilliant. I still remember my first week at Novus Marketing Solutions/ITK…I was slightly nervous, and though it wasn’t the first workplace I’d been part of, it was my first time in an office environment (at least for the digital sector).

I found myself working amid a room full of people very different to myself who, back then, I didn’t know anything about. I’ve always been taught that first impressions are incredibly important, and this was no different just because I was on placement.

That first morning was relatively straightforward. I had the obligatory health and safety documents to complete, and I spent the first hour or so setting up relative accounts on the computer in order to do my work. Then the morning break came.

We didn’t all gather around the water cooler, and the office didn’t empty as people rushed outside for a nicotine hit. No, everyone in the office dropped everything to listen to Pop Master. What a brilliant opportunity this was to break the ice! It turns out that, as an office, we take the quiz quite seriously (printing out the official score sheets and everything!). We’re competitive and everyone strives to achieve a decent collective score. When I got a question correct, I instantly felt like I was part of the team. The quiz effectively forced me to come out of my shell and work collaboratively.

A couple of months down the line, and I couldn’t imagine not suspending work at 10:30am. After the morning rush, it’s the perfect time of day to recharge; it gives us all the opportunity to stop, make a brew, unwind for a short time, then get going again. Without it, I don’t think my day would be as productive. Some mornings can feel quite disorganised; people are coming in and out at different times, and I can often start my day not knowing exactly what I’m required to do. By the time Pop Master starts, I’ve got a plan of action and made a start on my tasks.