[William I am]

I'm sitting in a computer lab right now, trying to write matlab code, and can't seem to ignore the people talking about incredibly inane topics. These include "crunchy hair" and mis-remembered acronyms for microsoft(MCSE) IT certifications, and the incorrect advice that they're worthwhile or necessary in addition to a degree.

Anyway, that's just me complaining. Does other people talknig - especially in a normally quiet environment - distract anyone else as much as it does me?

 

[Kairos]

None at all. I have the amazing skill of ignoring EVERYTHING that happens around me when I am concentrated in something like work. I hate when they are talking to me and I am working though. Specailly if it is not anything worthy. If they just come to talk about the weather, I just ignore them most of them while saying "aha", "hmm" and the like. Until they notice I am not there to talk at the moment.

 

[MegaTuxRacer]

I'm sitting in a computer lab right now, trying to write matlab code, and can't seem to ignore the people talking about incredibly inane topics. These include "crunchy hair" and mis-remembered acronyms for microsoft(MCSE) IT certifications, and the incorrect advice that they're worthwhile or necessary in addition to a degree.

Anyway, that's just me complaining. Does other people talknig - especially in a normally quiet environment - distract anyone else as much as it does me?

I get used to ambient noise as long as I am not hearing specific conversations. If I can hear someone's conversation, I will listen in out of curiosity (my philosophy is that if you are talking loud enough for me to hear, it's not eavesdropping for me to pay attention). The only time I get angry from someone's conversation is when it's something that is completely stupid. Like if there's a group of Finance students sitting around in the lab talking about how they're all going to get rich hedging energy futures, I want to snap and explain to them how that artificially inflates the price of energy and will eventually lead to another bubble that will cause the financial sector to sit there saying, "HOW WERE WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THIS WAS A BAD IDEA?!" because dumbasses like them comprise the entirety of the business.

EDIT: Actually all of the students in the business building outside of computer science and accounting are annoying to me.

 

[aef8234]

I could focus on this boring thing, or I could interact with the enviroment!
Such a hard decision.

 

[Psyphon]

I have kids, and have been married 3 times ... I can tune ANYTHING out.

 

[exILEd]

Insanely so. I started wearing gun-mufflers at work when I was 22/23, just to stifle the noise. Lately, I've been doing noise cancelling headphones over earplugs - with just earplugs, people think they can come up and just talk to me and I'll hear them right away....

even when the headphones are off, people recognize them (and not day-glo earplugs?! go figure) and they know they'll have to get your attention to have you disengage and talk to you.


I also abhor talk shows when trying to do any thinking work... music is fine though, especially music I've heard a thousand times (Vladislav Delay's "Anima" is that one for me).

 

[chittychitty LightNING]

Couldn't concentrate to post anything worthwhile.

 

[Boxter9]

If it's consistent, I can tune it out. Kind of like a clock or a refrigerator. I can also cope pretty well if I'm expecting the interruption, e.g. a phone call at such-and-such o'clock. All in all it depends on the situation but if I were in your position I think I'd be pissed too

 

[szhongren]

Hmm I could be wrong but I think the general idea is that we're okay with it if we expect it, and will be able to work in any environment, problems surface when something unexpected happens in out chosen place of work and we have a "SQUIRREL" moment, whether a sudden silence or a painfully inane conversation, because it steals our attention for that split second.

 

[Kairos]

@szhongren

Gotta love the reference to "SQUIRELL!" moment. It really is like that.

 

[electricky]

Yes, it's like the background sort of talking all around it really helps me to keep focusing, but if it's somehow more attention catching (like if it's very inane, very interesting, in an otherwise very quiet room, or if the room overall is extremely loud, etc.) then of course it can be very distracting.

 

[FuzzyLittleManPeach]

I can normally tune anything out, but I can't think straight when two people are going at it in another language.

 

[Psyphon]

I can normally tune anything out, but I can't think straight when two people are going at it in another language.

OMG you're back.... nice to see you hunny

 

[FuzzyLittleManPeach]

OMG you're back.... nice to see you hunny

I tend to zone out haha. PM?

 

[Chloerson]

I can tune it all out at anytime except while working. What happens to me is that (keep in mind I work at a fast food restaurant), I will be taking orders in the drive thru. I have one person telling me their order in my headset, another person at the window making small talk to my other ear while I count change, and that's all fine and dandy. Until a coworker gets on their headset and says something to me. Then, I am unable to hear anyone at all. I am very good at multitasking but when this happens, I can't do anything.

 

[bigtex1989]

I prefer noise when doing something cerebral. If I don't have music playing when I play chess, I do decidedly worse. I also MUST have sounds going when I try to fall asleep. T.V. does the trick.

 

[spaceoddity]

It's easier for me to tune out many conversations than one, cause the less conversations, the harder it is to not automatically pay attention to them

 

[Zeez Theory]

When I was young, focusing was hard, as is for everyone. --TRUST ME doctors! It's not A.D.D.!-- I'm sure that, quite simply through experience, you can eventually tune out the regular and pay attention to what's important. Though I have my indecisive moments when I'm the target of multiple stimulus, I can easily find my mental release in those situations choose my battle.

If this doesn't work for you... form the habit of telling people to quit breathing. That's always been my plan B... I like plan B sometimes.

 

[yesiknowbut]

I don't like people talking when I am working, but generally I am working in a room where everyone else is supposed to be working too, on the same problem. I can get annoyed.

 

[Onomatopoeia]

Doesn't bother me unless I can hear the full conversation. If it's quiet chatter, then it just becomes background noise for me.