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Headphones, even when you're not listening to music. Any form of easily-understood signal will help; the only requirement is that it not be rude to those aroun
by michael_nielsen 17y ago
Headphones, even when you're not listening to music.
Any form of easily-understood signal will help; the only requirement is that it not be rude to those around you. (Alternately, it can be so over-the-top rude that everyone thinks it's funny. But they'll also take the point.) The funniest one I've heard is two students in the sciences who were writing theses - they got a hold of a pair of white labcoats, and put them on when they don't want to be disturbed writing their theses. "I'm doing science".
- houseabsolute 17y agoInteresting. Headphones empirically do not work in my situation. Maybe a neon-pink Do Not Disturb sign above my monitor that I can flip into position when I want to zone.
- michael_nielsen 17y agoDo headphones not work with everyone, or only with a subset of people? It wouldn't surprise me if some people didn't take the hint, but I guess I'd be surprised if nearly everyone missed it. I know one person who tried a Do Not Disturb sign. Like yours, it was a bit over the top, and that seemed to help. Again, worked with some of his coworkers, and not with others.
- _delirium 17y agoI've found headphones work better if I use them no more than 30-40% of the time or so; then people wait until I don't have headphones on to ask me something. Doesn't work if I have them on all the time.