Noisy workplace

[mwalimu]

I get very frustrated in my workplace, in large part because of the people I share a cubicle with. There is nearly always too much noise and talking going on around me for me to concentrate on the work I need to be doing. Although the design and layout of the cubicles our employer chose are a part of the problem, this is the fourth cubicle I've

Comments

[anais_pf]

You have my utmost sympathy. I wouldn't last a week in that sort of a work environment. I am mostly NT, but my empathy with your plight is the sort of thing that makes me think I am not quite a regular garden variety NT. Thankfully, I have never had to share an office space with more than one other person -- but even that was difficult for me.

Part of what I did to cope was to go elsewhere to work when things got too noisy. I also made sure to take my lunch break at a different time from my office-mate, and I would stay late and/or work on weekends and/or take work home when I needed to concentrate on something. I would do more "mindless" work during noisy office hours. Thankfully, my employers were not very regimented, so I was able to do these things without it causing any new problems.

[mwalimu]

Thanks for the suggestion. That's already part of my coping strategy - come to work much later than my co-workers. I frequently get up and take walks just as a way to clear my head (the complex here is extensive enough that I can take a pretty long walk without ever going outdoors). I often wonder how many of my co-workers assume I'm in meetings or conferences at these times when in actuality all I'm doing is getting away from the noise.

[sqwrlydoom]

this is probably a dumb question, and i'm sure you've thought of it already, but can you handle ear plugs?

[mwalimu]

Ear buds make my ears itch if I wear them very long. Headphones work much better but I can only use them some of the time.

Another part of the problem - I think this is another Aspie thing - is that I'm very self-conscious about being shoulder-surfed, and anything that prevents me from hearing what's going on behind me exacerbates that problem.

[sqwrlydoom]

yeah, i can totally get that. i am always paranoid about people looking over my shoulder or just lurking behind me in general. i try to sit with my back to a wall whenever possible. i also don't like having anything stuck i my ears, but i figured maybe that was just a me thing. it's kind of reassuring that it's not just me.

[errantpenny]

I empathize completely as I've repeatedly had the same issue in workplaces.

This is what works for me: Sennheiser HD 280 passive noise reduction headphones

[mwalimu]

As I told another respondent, part of my problem is that I'm also very self-conscious about being shoulder-surfed, and being unable to hear what's going on around me exacerbates that problem. If I could I'd rearrange the cubicle to be facing forward with the monitor and my back to the wall, or at least oriented sideways, but the layout of the cubicles doesn't lend itself that sort of arrangement.

[nerdinium]

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/accessories/2940/

[gavinfox]

Get some really good passive noise blocking headphones. A few posts down there are some things about earplug style headphones, or you could get the bigger ones. It depends. There are lots of options that block out tons of noise! Dont go active noise cancelling though.

[mwalimu]

That's helpful some of the time, and up to a point, but has it's limitations. See my replies to previous responses (in summary, I'm very self-conscious about being shoulder-surfed (and the furniture can't be rearranged to alleviate that problem) and not being able to hear exacerbates that problem). That said, I may be investing in a good set of headphones in the near future as I shop around for a portable mp3 player.

[gavinfox]

Well, hmmm... if you need any headphone advice, I am one of the major headphone geeks of this community (I think there is one, maybe two others. Not sure..)

[gavinfox]

Why not get a MIRROR?