I'm with you - noise cancelling headphones and other tricks like white/brown/bineural noise gets tiring after half an hour or so. Here's my solution: I listen

I'm with you - noise cancelling headphones and other tricks like white/brown/bineural noise gets tiring after half an hour or so. Here's my solution: I listen to relaxing hip-hop in a language I don't understand, through a normal pair of Airpods or other non-noise-cancelling headphones. In my case, this is usually MC Solaar - nice calm delivery, rhythms, and music, and in French, which I barely understand. I think this music is better for me than more regular sounds (or noise cancelling) as the variety means that any noises that do make it through, don't really register. Really helps me zone out and concentrate. I know this sounds really weird (I almost never tell anyone about this IRL!) but it works for me. YMM(definitely)V :) (Can I also make another observation? Reading about your irritability with flat-mates and colleagues sounds like you're an introvert, who's just not getting any/enough solitary time. If so, this is a bigger fundamental problem that you need to address - headphones and French hip-hop won't help :) Maybe you should focus on finding a way to build regular quiet and solitude into your schedule, for the sake of your relationships, mental state, and well-being?)