Distracted at Work
Most distractions at work are annoying...and they all cost something.
Regardless of the time of year or the weather outside or the deadlines looming, most workers find themselves distracted more than 2 hours every day. A 2-hour loss of productivity is quite a hit in this economy where every minute counts. It’s essential that we keep our minds on task and our heads out of the clouds.
If you ask the average worker what distracts him or her, you’d get a variety of answers, most of which are external distractions (meaning not their own fault). In fact, surveyed workers say that all they want is a chance to do distraction-free solo work, work that doesn’t get constantly interrupted by seemingly unnecessary meetings or office chatter.
Sound Machine (aka white noise machine)
A simple, inexpensive solution for distraction is use of a sound machine. Sound machines have many advantages and few disadvantages. Sound machines come in a variety of shapes and sizes and offer a host of features that are usually adjustable for individual users.
How does white noise work?
Sound machines use white noise to help the brain tune out unwanted noises. The result is two-fold: The brain is literally tricked into not perceiving various noises. By not hearing or processing distracting sounds, the worker stays on track and disciplines his or her mind not to wander.
The cool thing is that while they help you get past intrusive noises, the white noise machine itself isn’t so loud that it issues a equally disturbing noise. In fact, the worker in the cubicle next door is usually fairly oblivious to it even being turned on. Plus, the user can choose what type of white noise to use from a myriad of nature sounds or a gentle hum like that of an HVAC system.
Why Go with Individual Machines?
White noise machines are much more efficient than headphones for covering office noise. White noise usually keeps the mind focuses, whereas listening to music may end up becoming way more of a distraction that the office noise. On the other extreme, while many businesses opt for office-wide sound masking, sometimes they find it prudent to treat small offices or individual cubicles with white noise machines instead. This way, only some areas are treated, which might be all that is needed.