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Crazy question for the night owls in here: I frequently find I can concentrate more in a dark environment. Even at 2PM in the afternoon, if I can sneak off to

Crazy question for the night owls in here: I frequently find I can concentrate more in a dark environment. Even at 2PM in the afternoon, if I can sneak off to a dark room in the office place I can get more work done. While it is easy to block out noise with headphones in an office environment, replicating a dark work place proves to be hard. Do any of you prefer to work in the dark? Any tips for those days you need to get stuff done in an office? Perhaps I need an office fort: http://i3.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article4124039.ece/alternates/s615b/Man-builds-fort-at-desk.png http://i3.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article4124039.ece/alternate...

ioddly 12y ago
I'm a night owl, but I wouldn't say I prefer it just for the lighting. Are you sure you don't prefer the lack of interruption that often accompanies dark, late night work environments? Even with good noise cancelling headphones, there can still be a lot of distraction. Even a coworker walking through your field of vision can take you out of what you're doing.
- mod 12y ago
  I've always done my best work starting at maybe 10pm, but I also don't think it's about the lighting. There are some seemingly obvious benefits--the news cycle is much slower, few stores are open, most people are sleeping--so, fewer distractions overall. But I don't think it's that. That's when I feel like working. When I wake up at 8am, I feel like reading the internet all day. I'm really not sure I can quantify or explain it any better.
mirimir 12y ago
I also find it easier to concentrate under dim indirect light, supplemented with LED task lighting for reading paper and playing with hardware. If you're stuck in an office, perhaps you can convince management to save energy on lighting and HVAC.
Fuxy 12y ago
Yes a dark room is always very helpful for my productivity also i tend to switch all my tools to a dark theme so it's easier on the eyes. Unfortunately so many websites only use bright themes that it's painful and I sometimes end up restyling them with Greasemonkey. Especially the sites I use the most.
otakucode 12y ago
Sure I love to work in the dark (and find myself most productive around 4AM)... but I have to wonder - is it possible that you are mistaking the simple benefits of being alone? Open floor plans and shared workspaces are absolutely poisonous to productivity, literally hundreds of studies have shown it consistently. Everyone is more productive and happier when they have an isolated place where they can simply concentrate without the social centers of their brains constantly running in circles trying to be prepared for the next interruption or to interpret subtle cues from neighbors.
- Zombieball 12y ago
  This is a good point, I have had very productive study & coding sessions in university days in brightly lit libraries and secluded corners of buildings.

ioddly 12y ago

I'm a night owl, but I wouldn't say I prefer it just for the lighting. Are you sure you don't prefer the lack of interruption that often accompanies dark, late night work environments? Even with good noise cancelling headphones, there can still be a lot of distraction. Even a coworker walking through your field of vision can take you out of what you're doing.

mod 12y ago
I've always done my best work starting at maybe 10pm, but I also don't think it's about the lighting. There are some seemingly obvious benefits--the news cycle is much slower, few stores are open, most people are sleeping--so, fewer distractions overall. But I don't think it's that. That's when I feel like working. When I wake up at 8am, I feel like reading the internet all day. I'm really not sure I can quantify or explain it any better.

mirimir 12y ago

I also find it easier to concentrate under dim indirect light, supplemented with LED task lighting for reading paper and playing with hardware. If you're stuck in an office, perhaps you can convince management to save energy on lighting and HVAC.

Fuxy 12y ago

Yes a dark room is always very helpful for my productivity also i tend to switch all my tools to a dark theme so it's easier on the eyes. Unfortunately so many websites only use bright themes that it's painful and I sometimes end up restyling them with Greasemonkey. Especially the sites I use the most.

otakucode 12y ago

Sure I love to work in the dark (and find myself most productive around 4AM)... but I have to wonder - is it possible that you are mistaking the simple benefits of being alone? Open floor plans and shared workspaces are absolutely poisonous to productivity, literally hundreds of studies have shown it consistently. Everyone is more productive and happier when they have an isolated place where they can simply concentrate without the social centers of their brains constantly running in circles trying to be prepared for the next interruption or to interpret subtle cues from neighbors.

Zombieball 12y ago
This is a good point, I have had very productive study & coding sessions in university days in brightly lit libraries and secluded corners of buildings.