Comments on: Dealing With Distractions

By: Adam

Adam — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:55:51 +0000

One that probably just slipped your mind. Talk to your neighbor in a subtle way to know that he is audible through your wall. If that doesn’t work, it is perfectly acceptable to request that they be a little more quiet.

All else fails, but low dB soft ear plugs and put them gentle in your ear. Drowns out enough noise you can’t hear your neighbor’s speakerphone but not enough that you can’t hear your own phone ring.

Bye!

By: Ways to Deal with Distraction : Productivity501

Ways to Deal with Distraction : Productivity501 — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:59:10 +0000

[...] Dealing with Distractions-Dawn Foster Those that work in close proximity with others know that even small things can become major distractions. This article points out a few ways to deal with this problem. [...]

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:31:25 +0000

I use the foreign language music method too. To add to it, throw in a pair of noise canceling ear canal headphones and a nature sounds soundtrack (waves, forest, rain, etc…) and you’ve got your own personal quiet zone.

Noise is not my problem – having all the world’s information at my disposal via the internet is too tempting as I can read the newspapers and blogs all day, literally.

By: Meryl Evans

Meryl Evans — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:17:49 +0000

I just turn off my hearing aid if there are noises bugging the heck out of me. But I don’t like to have it off all the time because I do like the real quiet and be listening for doorbells. When my kids get too loud after school (meaning I am still working), I’d turn them off — but fear someone will start screaming in pain (that’s what happens when the younger two are boys).

Sometimes I play music — but not too often. When I know the words to a song by heart — I feel compelled to follow the song, I can’t type and follow the song at the same time. Listening is harder for me than for most.

By: Clearing the Cache | SpecialityMoney.com

Clearing the Cache | SpecialityMoney.com — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 02:59:22 +0000

[...] we’ve discussed Dealing With Distractions here, The Execupundit shares some likely obstacles to getting things done in What’s Your [...]

By: Clearing the Cache

Clearing the Cache — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:01:41 +0000

[...] we’ve discussed Dealing With Distractions here, The Execupundit shares some likely obstacles to getting things done in What’s Your [...]

By: Keep Productive Away From Home | SpecialityMoney.com

Keep Productive Away From Home | SpecialityMoney.com — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:36:07 +0000

[...] week, I wrote about dealing with the typical home office distractions like loud neighbors, household chores, family members and more by using a few techniques: music, [...]

By: Keep Productive Away From Home

Keep Productive Away From Home — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:01:21 +0000

[...] week, I wrote about dealing with the typical home office distractions like loud neighbors, household chores, family members and more by using a few techniques: music, [...]

By: Free Agent Jungle Roundup for March 23rd | Free Agent Jungle

Free Agent Jungle Roundup for March 23rd | Free Agent Jungle — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:04:34 +0000

[...] Foster at Web Worker Daily has three tips for dealing with distractions when you are working on your [...]

By: Ray King

Ray King — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:23:38 +0000

On the weekends, I leave my quiet and well set up office to go to a noisy coffee shop because there are less options and therefore less distractions there. Weird, but it works.

By: Blogging Elsewhere at Consulting, Online Communities, and Social Media: Fast Wonder Blog

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:40:34 +0000

[...] Dealing With Distractions [...]

By: Dawn Foster

Dawn Foster — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:22:53 +0000

Scott, I love the fan / white noise idea.

Julie, yeah, I can’t think of anything that would make that kind of distraction better – aside from evacuation and avoidance, but I guess you would have to come home to it at some point :)

By: Native_Momma

Native_Momma — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 21:12:09 +0000

Music is a good one especially if the distractions are in your head :)
I really enjoy using pandora.com they have all music and no commericals and you make “your own station”
Plus I have a toddler who likes to dance.

By: ScottChicago

ScottChicago — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:30:42 +0000

Fans…electric ones that whirr and make an even, clean white noise. Love ‘em. I used one under my desk when I worked in an office, mainly because the colleague across the hallway blasted his voice mail over his speakerphone (I still don’t understand that practice). Now I use one in my home office to mask barking dogs, garbage trucks, and random yelling from the alley outside. I sleep with a fan on, too.

By: joe btsfplk

joe btsfplk — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:21:13 +0000

“researching” things I’m not going to act on–e.g., the stock market, product reviews of things I don’t need to buy–are my worst breakdowns. Closing the lid and taking a 5-minute break is the way to move away from those thought streams. I live by “embrace the chaos.”

By: martha in mobile

martha in mobile — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:10:16 +0000

pandora radio helps when I am at home; also, rebooting the laundry–I think (and do not check email) while folding. Going to the coffee house with only the folders required to finish a specific, finite job lets me know when I am “done.” Then I do a few life-related tasks before diving back in.