I've worked in private offices, cubicles, open plan offices, coffeeshops, libraries, and now many many hours in home both when other family members are around and when they aren't. I spend a lot of time thinking about sound and focus.
The conclusion I came to is that humans have a few emotional needs in order to reach deep focus:
1. We need to not be distracted and we need to feel certainty that we will not be distracted. Before we are comfortable untaking the work to architect a giant mental castle, we need to feel confident that someone won't come around to kick it down.
2. At a more primitive, simian level, we need to feel that we're in a safe environment. It's hard to focus on code if you're worried that a tree is going to fall on you or a lion will drag you off into the jungle.
When it comes to sound, those can be opposing. Because we are a social species, I think one of the things that makes us feel most secure is the ambient present of a fellow tribe. To our early ancestors, dead silence meant you were alone, and being alone in the wilderness was often a death sentence. We instinctively feel safest when we hear the chatter and hub-bub of relaxed tribemates puttering around nearby. We know we're not alone, that there are others will also be alerted if something happens, and that they also feel safe.
But the presence of fellow people can also mean that at any moment one of them might wander over and start talking to us. So hearing that ambient chatter can make it really hard to focus.
This is, I think, part of why working in a coffeeshop can be so effective. You get the sense of safety in numbers, but since they are all strangers and at least in the US the social norms go against talking to strangers, you know the odds are slim that you'll actually be interrupted.
> we need to feel certainty that we will not be distracted.
This, so, much. Working from home with a young kid around, it always feels like something's gonna fall, the cat is gonna fight back, mom is gonna get mad at him for some reason, or simply he needs me to go play with him. I never know if I have 5 minutes or 3 hours.
Nowadays I tend to not work so much during the day as I don't have the means to focus, then work into the night.
Personally, having people around, hearing speech (and involuntarily passively processing that speech), on top of environmental noises, is utterly distracting and hinders any kind of productivity.
While I'm working, preferably alone, ear buds are in and a long instrumental track is played on loop, so that noise is drowned out, don't get distracted by having to select another song, and there's no need for my brain to process speech. It's amazing how well it works in keeping me focused.
I don't think there is one correct way. Sometimes I like some noise, sometimes I don't, sometimes I like having people around, sometimes I want to be alone.
In the end it's about being able to control your environment to some degree. That's what open offices and cube farms have taken away.
Being able to control room temprature is also very helpful.
Maybe as you are saying the presence of fellow tribe, but in this case I know they won't come to talk because we all have the seat belt, and when the is allowed to take it off, it's the social norm to minimise interactions due to the reduced space, people usually keep the norm to enable the corridor just for the staff and trips to the bathroom.
But additionally:
- Being offline, also makes you feel certain no one will interrupt you electronically.
- No one would expect you to get anything done in airplane, and that can feel like a liberation, meaning you can catch up and the time feels "free".
- Timing is programmed, start and end and the food breaks in between are scheduled and announced.
- And the noise inside the cabin combined with noise cancelling headphones, I don't know why, it helps.
> We instinctively feel safest when we hear the chatter and hub-bub of relaxed tribemates puttering around nearby. We know we're not alone, that there are others will also be alerted if something happens, and that they also feel safe.
I can confirm that is false.
If it were an actual instinct, I would possess it as would essentially all people. I do not possess that instinct what-so-ever.
I do not gain an increased feeling of safety from the chatter and hub-bub of relaxed tribemates puttering nearby.
That context annoys me, rather than increasing my sense of comfort.
There are multiple types of primary human personalities, not one. I'm a non-tribalist personality type. That means tribes don't tend to like me and I don't tend to like tribes. The tribe and I are not friends, we're closer to suspicious enemies. I disagree with tribal order. By default my personality rebels against tribal structures and most systems like that. I don't do well following others that attempt to command me (tribal systems always have some manner of hierarchy). I operate at a vastly higher degree of effectiveness without lots of other people around. I'm happier and more productive on my own or in small teams.
This isn't a personality I developed over time through great effort. It has been that way at least as far back as 4-6 years of age. I've also spent my life from 15-40 years of age as an entrepreneur. I can be a decent employee, however I dislike it.
I'm a disagreeable personality (to others), as such I'm poorly suited to government, consensus structures, tribal systems, politics and the like. I also don't enjoy asking permission first and I never seek approval from others, I very rarely get a personal sense of reward from the approval of others. That said, the people I do like, I like immensely; and I'm kind toward others who are kind toward me, I believe manners are important, politeness/kindness are important. I used to refer to myself as a lone wolf personality type, as opposed to a tribalist personality type; however that phrase has a particularly negative connotation these days.
I seek to pile up a lot of money to get away from most aspects of society (in a comfortable manner), rather than to sit on top of society or eg receive prestige from a prominent place in society.
your point #1 is _exactly_ what i've learned empirically too, and with great unbounded frustration trying to explain it to a particular super manic super adhd super video-watching person i'm married to.
Your theory is interesting but what about the studies that link noise to stress and health issues?[0] Maybe background noises of voices have a different effect?
Having mature dogs is fantastic in this regard. They generally won't bother you unless there's a good reason, but you can feel assured that a tiger will not be able to sneak up on you without the dogs warning you about it.
I almost can't work without the radio on. I can buy the comment that said we want people near us to work. I like working at home with the radio on, no one will bug me, but maybe it feels like people are around?
This is also why streaming like twitch is so effective as background noise. I can put on a streamer in the background and unlike a podcast, not feel the need to pay attention to what's going on at all.
Some of my most productive sessions are at night all quiet just me and my computer with no music playing and for sure no one would be talking to me. (Sometimes I do to myself.)
Holy cow you have articulated what I've been feeling for decades. This is great!
Having the ambient noise and not feeling alone and vulnerable but also feeling safe and amongst people is like the perfect set up for deep concentration for me.
I am Deaf myself and using my hearing aids all of my life. One thing I discovered that silence is the best productivity focus for me. During my job, I always keep my hearing aids off. This helps with my ADHD as I am easily distracted when there is a sound involved, sometime causes me to ‘hyperfocus’ in my “world” than doing my job. And interesting that I found that keeping my hearing aids off makes the time around me become slow. With the hearing aids on, it amplified the stimulation on my brain in a way which make it feel like the time is in turbo mode.
I recently discovered this “ability” and start doing my job without hearing aids. Basically, silence is golden for me and helps a lot with my productivity.
I also have ADHD, but not hearing problems and suffer some of the problems you describe. However, silence doesn't seem to help my productivity and sometimes makes me anxious too.
What helps me is predictable sounds - like music I've listened to many times before.
I have similar issues with distractibility with sounds. Music sometimes helps, and white noise is good, but sometimes I’d love to be able to just turn my ears off.
The worst situation is feeling the need for enough audio stimuli to feel “right”, but that level is too distracting to allow for focus.
went looking for some interesting neurological findings and found a very poor repurposing of a Nate Silver quote that was referring to statistics, not neurology.
Von Neumann did some of his best work in noisy, chaotic environments, and once admonished his wife for preparing a quiet study for him to work in. He never used it, preferring the couple's living room with its television playing loudly.
I need to make deals in cities like New York, or London or Paris, Frankfurt, or Madrid.
At buildings, specially hotels in those cities there is a constant hum, low level noise all the time that is specially present when you need to sleep.
People that are raised in cities are hearing this sound all the time. I was raised outside them so for me this sound is alien but for those people it means "home".
It was incredible being in Paris or Madrid center with COVID and hearing birds as background instead of road sounds.
I need birds or sea waves or tree leaves sounds in order to work and focus. Cars or air blowers sounds are really distracting for me.
Isn't it as simple as: to concentrate well - you need to remove distractions. Too much noise is distracting but, having zero noise is also distracting because inevitable something will cause noise and your attention will be drawn to it.
Hence why white noise is so effective because it's the middle of these two things.
I'd like to see less research about how we turn ourselves into optimal work machines and more research about how we reach a maximum vividness of conscious experience.
I experimented a lot with different audio backgrounds during the writing phase of my phd. While music could be energizing, it quickly became a diatraction, while in a silent environment I easily felt tired or even sleepy.
What worked best was an endless loop of 'brown noise', (similar to 'pink noise' or 'white noise') , it blankets out all other sounds but I don't hear it any more after a few minutes.
Hilarious to see this as I'm loudly listening to music many people would probably classify as "noise" ([0]) ... I've always found that highly dynamic music really helps me focus and somehow really "get into the zone", particularly when programming. I've noticed over the years that the mental stimulation that occurs is pretty substantial. Even music with lyrics/vocals, I don't find it distracting. I'd say it allows the ability to tune out "outside world" stuff and, like someone said above, feel comfortable that interruptions and distractions are not going to occur. I can simply be present and not thinking ahead/back about unrelated things.
For me, it's not so much noise but temperature and air freshness. I don't know why but if the stale is a tad too stale in my home office I just get distracted and can't focus well so I wind up opening the window before starting work so I can freshen the air and then close it to minimize the amount of city noises from creeping in. But I'll also say sound is important as well. It's why I like having a more clicky keyboard although my office mates are probably frustrated by my preference. A little bit of noise in the background is nice whereas full-on chatter pretty much puts my work to a stop.
Have you ever tried to monitor your CO2 levels? I thought it was all about temperature until I got one and learned that my home office climbs up to 2500 ppm.
At this level, it creates: "Fatigue, loss of focus and concentration, uncomfortable 'stuffy' feeling in the air"
I think some background noise reduces distractions, because it causes our noticing apparatus to raise it's alert threshold, and we no longer notice every tiny micro-noise.
I think, we should not call a conversation we hear "noise", it disturbs our focus but it's not noise. Noise has no pattern and no meaning. But the most disturbing sound is the sound that repeats in fixed intervals. I believe repeating sounds in high volume is even used as a form of torture. So airplane noise is torture because it's loud and it repeats.
I find a conversation more distracting if it's relevant to me.
If we have to cram developers into open plan offices then each feature team should be dispersed throughout the building, so that the discussions each person overhears are less relevant to the person overhearing them.
Why not phrase this as “things not seen as distracting can help, while things seen as distracting can hurt”. For me, I can often debug real well to tunes as long as there’s no words. Having to listen to words breaks the flow. But to create hard code please leave me alone, go away and shut the door.
I've tried a lot of sources of white noise while working. My previous favorite was "submarine sounds", but thanks to La Palma, I've learned that volcano sounds are the absolute best for my concentration.
[+] [-] munificent|4 years ago|reply
The conclusion I came to is that humans have a few emotional needs in order to reach deep focus:
1. We need to not be distracted and we need to feel certainty that we will not be distracted. Before we are comfortable untaking the work to architect a giant mental castle, we need to feel confident that someone won't come around to kick it down.
2. At a more primitive, simian level, we need to feel that we're in a safe environment. It's hard to focus on code if you're worried that a tree is going to fall on you or a lion will drag you off into the jungle.
When it comes to sound, those can be opposing. Because we are a social species, I think one of the things that makes us feel most secure is the ambient present of a fellow tribe. To our early ancestors, dead silence meant you were alone, and being alone in the wilderness was often a death sentence. We instinctively feel safest when we hear the chatter and hub-bub of relaxed tribemates puttering around nearby. We know we're not alone, that there are others will also be alerted if something happens, and that they also feel safe.
But the presence of fellow people can also mean that at any moment one of them might wander over and start talking to us. So hearing that ambient chatter can make it really hard to focus.
This is, I think, part of why working in a coffeeshop can be so effective. You get the sense of safety in numbers, but since they are all strangers and at least in the US the social norms go against talking to strangers, you know the odds are slim that you'll actually be interrupted.
[+] [-] Uberphallus|4 years ago|reply
This, so, much. Working from home with a young kid around, it always feels like something's gonna fall, the cat is gonna fight back, mom is gonna get mad at him for some reason, or simply he needs me to go play with him. I never know if I have 5 minutes or 3 hours.
Nowadays I tend to not work so much during the day as I don't have the means to focus, then work into the night.
[+] [-] throwaway743|4 years ago|reply
While I'm working, preferably alone, ear buds are in and a long instrumental track is played on loop, so that noise is drowned out, don't get distracted by having to select another song, and there's no need for my brain to process speech. It's amazing how well it works in keeping me focused.
As of late, been playing Autechre's "Bike"
[+] [-] spaetzleesser|4 years ago|reply
In the end it's about being able to control your environment to some degree. That's what open offices and cube farms have taken away.
Being able to control room temprature is also very helpful.
[+] [-] alfonsodev|4 years ago|reply
Maybe as you are saying the presence of fellow tribe, but in this case I know they won't come to talk because we all have the seat belt, and when the is allowed to take it off, it's the social norm to minimise interactions due to the reduced space, people usually keep the norm to enable the corridor just for the staff and trips to the bathroom.
But additionally:
- Being offline, also makes you feel certain no one will interrupt you electronically.
- No one would expect you to get anything done in airplane, and that can feel like a liberation, meaning you can catch up and the time feels "free".
- Timing is programmed, start and end and the food breaks in between are scheduled and announced.
- And the noise inside the cabin combined with noise cancelling headphones, I don't know why, it helps.
[+] [-] adventured|4 years ago|reply
I can confirm that is false.
If it were an actual instinct, I would possess it as would essentially all people. I do not possess that instinct what-so-ever.
I do not gain an increased feeling of safety from the chatter and hub-bub of relaxed tribemates puttering nearby.
That context annoys me, rather than increasing my sense of comfort.
There are multiple types of primary human personalities, not one. I'm a non-tribalist personality type. That means tribes don't tend to like me and I don't tend to like tribes. The tribe and I are not friends, we're closer to suspicious enemies. I disagree with tribal order. By default my personality rebels against tribal structures and most systems like that. I don't do well following others that attempt to command me (tribal systems always have some manner of hierarchy). I operate at a vastly higher degree of effectiveness without lots of other people around. I'm happier and more productive on my own or in small teams.
This isn't a personality I developed over time through great effort. It has been that way at least as far back as 4-6 years of age. I've also spent my life from 15-40 years of age as an entrepreneur. I can be a decent employee, however I dislike it.
I'm a disagreeable personality (to others), as such I'm poorly suited to government, consensus structures, tribal systems, politics and the like. I also don't enjoy asking permission first and I never seek approval from others, I very rarely get a personal sense of reward from the approval of others. That said, the people I do like, I like immensely; and I'm kind toward others who are kind toward me, I believe manners are important, politeness/kindness are important. I used to refer to myself as a lone wolf personality type, as opposed to a tribalist personality type; however that phrase has a particularly negative connotation these days.
I seek to pile up a lot of money to get away from most aspects of society (in a comfortable manner), rather than to sit on top of society or eg receive prestige from a prominent place in society.
[+] [-] uptownfunk|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jjtheblunt|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tarsinge|4 years ago|reply
[0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5898791/
[+] [-] bittercynic|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gzer0|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] neom|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] philipov|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] odyssey7|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Eric_WVGG|4 years ago|reply
https://noiz.io was a lifesaver during quar’. virtual coffeeshop, artificial rain storms, even an ST:TNG-style outer space hum
[+] [-] davidjytang|4 years ago|reply
Maybe I don't care for tribemates?
[+] [-] nickthemagicman|4 years ago|reply
Having the ambient noise and not feeling alone and vulnerable but also feeling safe and amongst people is like the perfect set up for deep concentration for me.
[+] [-] Jentifgq|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Terretta|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ashupadhi01|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Isthatablackgsd|4 years ago|reply
I recently discovered this “ability” and start doing my job without hearing aids. Basically, silence is golden for me and helps a lot with my productivity.
[+] [-] jck|4 years ago|reply
What helps me is predictable sounds - like music I've listened to many times before.
[+] [-] iroddis|4 years ago|reply
The worst situation is feeling the need for enough audio stimuli to feel “right”, but that level is too distracting to allow for focus.
[+] [-] rosstex|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] zzzeek|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sbmthakur|4 years ago|reply
Von Neumann did some of his best work in noisy, chaotic environments, and once admonished his wife for preparing a quiet study for him to work in. He never used it, preferring the couple's living room with its television playing loudly.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_von_Neumann
[+] [-] bumbada|4 years ago|reply
I need to make deals in cities like New York, or London or Paris, Frankfurt, or Madrid.
At buildings, specially hotels in those cities there is a constant hum, low level noise all the time that is specially present when you need to sleep.
People that are raised in cities are hearing this sound all the time. I was raised outside them so for me this sound is alien but for those people it means "home".
It was incredible being in Paris or Madrid center with COVID and hearing birds as background instead of road sounds.
I need birds or sea waves or tree leaves sounds in order to work and focus. Cars or air blowers sounds are really distracting for me.
[+] [-] alberth|4 years ago|reply
Hence why white noise is so effective because it's the middle of these two things.
[+] [-] cranesnakecode|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] andyp-kw|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] wortelefant|4 years ago|reply
What worked best was an endless loop of 'brown noise', (similar to 'pink noise' or 'white noise') , it blankets out all other sounds but I don't hear it any more after a few minutes.
[+] [-] amatecha|4 years ago|reply
[0] https://accesstoarasaka.bandcamp.com/album/port
[+] [-] Karawebnetwork|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] anonu|4 years ago|reply
I can say that the former was always very distracting but the latter was always welcome and did boost productivity and focus.
[+] [-] ladyattis|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Karawebnetwork|4 years ago|reply
At this level, it creates: "Fatigue, loss of focus and concentration, uncomfortable 'stuffy' feeling in the air"
[+] [-] taylorius|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] markhahn|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nyc111|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] oldie|4 years ago|reply
If we have to cram developers into open plan offices then each feature team should be dispersed throughout the building, so that the discussions each person overhears are less relevant to the person overhearing them.
Contrarian, or what? :-)
[+] [-] noja|4 years ago|reply
Airplane noise when a plane flies above you? or airplane noise inside the plane?
I find airplane noise within a plane great - it blocks out all the other noise.
[+] [-] Focalise|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mdp2021|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tudorw|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jleyank|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dannyr|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] davegri|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] MarkLowenstein|4 years ago|reply