Concentrating in a noisy office environment

  • Hi,

    I work in a very noisy office environment. I had to resort to getting myself a good pair of headphones to deaden all the noise from office mates and machinery (the elevator mechanical room is right under me on the next floor down) that would break my concentration.

    How do you manage to concentrate in a noisy (and disruptive) office environment?

    Thanks,

    j.a.c

  • Mostly, conditioning for me. It just takes time to learn to ignore and be as one with the computer. It's a real PITA that's not easily overcome and I have a real appreciation for your dilema. If you can afford them, Bose makes a set of headphones that will make it seem like the world has no noise to it at all. Some of the folks I know where them without playing music just because of their active noise cancelation which works so very well.

    --Jeff Moden


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  • Noise-reducing headphones are wonderful. In addition to their ability to cancel out background noise, they're a great excuse for ignoring irritating people who come to speak to you. Claim that you couldn't hear them talking. If you arrange the desk so that visitors have to approach from behind, all the better.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • It helps to be deaf

    Madame Artois

  • I can fully sympathize as I am in a hospital office which is shared with people doing "medical stuff" so sometimes you REALLY don't want to be able to hear what they're talking about.

    Added to that is the inane chatter about what's happening in the latest reality tv show!!

    b.t.w.

    Sitting here at the moment with earphones in listening to the Foo Fighters to drown it all out.

    T.F.I.F. 😉

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Normal chaos will be resumed as soon as possible. :crazy:

  • LOL, headphones should be part of the standard DBA kit.

    I would be lost without my iphone, job is stressful enough without having to listen to background noise, like management or developers 😛

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  • I am happy to know that I am not the only one who needs to 'shut the door' by wearing a stout pair of headphones. Sometimes the music is on, and other times it is not. Even still my concentration gets broken when I notice out of the corner of my eye someone standing next to me. I really should have a number dispenser on the entrance of my cubicle...

  • Previously, I just concentrated on blocking stuff out. Lately, I've been listening to music a lot. Neither approach is perfect. I'd love to try out the noise cancelling headphones with out having to drop the cash for them.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
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  • I too live in a noisy environment. No office, just a cubicle in a small cubicle farm.

    I have worked for small companies for some time. They all have some common issues related to respecting experience in others.

    I have to block out all kinds of distracting chatter, laughter, and people with the 'my oversite is your emergency' need it now attitude.

    It is frustrating that many business managers and small company owners can't understand the need for uninterrupted FOCUS.

    I am with a company that built a new building almost 2 years ago. I voiced my concern for a noise reduced environment (maybe an office with a door) during the planning phase and they just don't get it. In my case, part of the problem is that they are much younger than I am and they think they know everything. It doesn't matter that I have been doing this type of work for almost 30 years!

    I once had one of the owners tell me to make sure I didn't get Vista when I was about to purchase a new company PC. Talk about micro-managing and being a MOTO (Master Of The Obvious)!

    But when they need to focus for a deadline or to prepare for a meeting it is ok to shut their door and put the phone on do not disturb.

    When I try to explain that the ability to do all the neat things that they hired me to do is the result of concentration, focus, and building an entire world in your head that needs to be recreated as 1's and 0's, all I get is the deer in the headlights look and a "you can make it work out".

    NEW SUBJECT:

    I am giving some serious consideration to changing from working for small companies creating solutions and shoring up the infrastructure to joining a software development company as a developer. The change from being a jack-of-all trades IT Manager with strong experience and enjoyment of programming and database development to a full time developer is a little scary. I have always enjoyed variety in the things I do. But then I think of not having to get under desks to plug in cables, not having to deal with servers and silly printer problems, it looks pretty good.

    Any thoughts or advice are appreciated

    "There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves." -- Will Rogers

  • Grant Fritchey (11/30/2009)


    Previously, I just concentrated on blocking stuff out. Lately, I've been listening to music a lot. Neither approach is perfect. I'd love to try out the noise cancelling headphones with out having to drop the cash for them.

    I like the idea. Of course I would prefer to use them to listen to some noise...er...music.

    As for the main topic, I work in a stealth quiet environment - and I prefer the noise. It is so quiet that the taptaptap of the keyboard is deafening loud.

    Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
    _______________________________________________
    I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
    SQL RNNR
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