[Fringe]

How many of you get to use headphones at work? The article makes it seem like its becoming more common and possibly a problem for productivity.

http://m.yahoo.com/w/ygo-frontpage/lp/story/us/2307697/coke.bp%3B_ylt=AhoFrnyUv3zNrBWc9CA8TUyx.tw4%3B_ylu=X3oDMTFzcjNoNmwzBGNwb3MDMQRjc2VjA21vYmlsZS10ZARpbnRsA3VzBHBrZwNpZC0yMzA3Njk3BHBvcwMxBHNsawNpbWFnZQ--?ref_w=frontdoors&view=today&.intl=US&.lang=en&.tsrc=yahoo

 

[Amorgan]

Well, i do. Usually after lunch, but not while working. 

 

[davidcotton]

Yup, in fact it's about the only thing that keeps me sane tbh.  Whether it's music, audiobooks or comedy I can generally just stick something on when I feel like it.  Of course if I need to concentrate or talk to someone then the headphones come off, but it's up to me really when I want them on.  General day goes something like this :-
 
Start at 8:30.  Headphones on around 9:15-30 ish till 10:45 or when the album or whatever finishes.  Tea break for 15 minutes at 11 when I don't use them, back to work at 11:15.  Headphones on again at around 11:30 until 12:45.  Lunch at 1pm for half an hour.  Then headphones on around 1:45 ish til about 3.  Teabreak at 3:15, then headphones back on around 3:30, though for the last hour I generally don't bother every day.
 
Thats a rough schedule.  Sometimes too busy to put them on but gives you a fair idea.  That 64 gig ipod touch was a life saver.
 
Cheers.

 

[Fringe]

Yup, in fact it's about the only thing that keeps me sane tbh.  Whether it's music, audiobooks or comedy I can generally just stick something on when I feel like it.  Of course if I need to concentrate or talk to someone then the headphones come off, but it's up to me really when I want them on.  General day goes something like this :-

Start at 8:30.  Headphones on around 9:15-30 ish till 10:45 or when the album or whatever finishes.  Tea break for 15 minutes at 11 when I don't use them, back to work at 11:15.  Headphones on again at around 11:30 until 12:45.  Lunch at 1pm for half an hour.  Then headphones on around 1:45 ish til about 3.  Teabreak at 3:15, then headphones back on around 3:30, though for the last hour I generally don't bother every day.

Thats a rough schedule.  Sometimes too busy to put them on but gives you a fair idea.  That 64 gig ipod touch was a life saver.

Cheers.

That sounds like a awesome work day and oddly enough I have almost the exact same break/lunch schedule. I hate listening to office noise all day. It drives me crazy and distracts me more than music would.

 

[BloodyPenguin]

I work at a bank.  So not many chances to wear headphones.
 
 
Though, our branch moved to a new location about 6 months ago and I had a TON of filing to do.  Like two days worth. 
 
So I popped on my headphones and listned to Craig Ferguson's "American on Purpose" Audio Book.  Made those days FLY by.
 
 
Wish I had a job wear I could listen to my music on my headphones though.  That would be great.
 
 
..

 

[mulveling]

In a cubicle-farm environment there's so much chaotic distraction that I couldn't imagine NOT having the option to use (closed-back) headphones. I don't need music to focus if I'm in a nice and serene environment -- but sometimes it's a nice change of pace, especially for times when motivation is otherwise lacking.
 
In regards to the effect on productivity -- as a software engineer, I guarantee that my ability to completely tune out surroundings makes for FAR greater productivity; coworkers' ability to reach me on a whim be damned! Need my help? Schedule a meeting or send a well-written email (asynchronous protocol is best); instigate a gchat if you're feeling lucky; cellphone for emergencies
 
Also, I kind of take issue with the conclusion that music may reduce focus and therefore productivity. It actually enhances some coding tasks; others not so much. I've noticed a similar phenomenon with alcohol making tedious debugging & QA work more tolerable, but of course that substance also trashes your ability to do the hard parts of software dev (e.g. design, analysis, serious coding). 
 
I've been fortunate to work from home the last 4 years; at my previous company the headphones were a very necessary tool at times. I find I don't listen very much at home while working because I tire of the music quickly that way, and I'd rather leave the listening to weekends when it can be fully enjoyed on the 2ch system.

 

[Spareribs]

I can wear those little in ear monitors. It's for podcasts usually. If it's not too busy, I may access my laptop and maybe watch some kind of video like a TV show like "Sex in the City" for example or perhaps a video podcast on my iPod touch.
 
On some rare occasions, if I'm at work in the winter and it's one of those heavy snow days where very little action is going on, I can bring in my small, transportable hybrid tube amp and listen to some music and even enjoy a beer or two. Of course, those are fun unique days which may occur from time to time.
 
But most of the time, I have to be discreet about it and it's just my iPod touch and my portable ear monitors.

 

[jackwess]

Quote:

How many of you get to use headphones at work? The article makes it seem like its becoming more common and possibly a problem for productivity.
 

 
It will affect productivity, depending on what kind of job you have. If you need to focus on something, and listen to music it may be a problem. 

 

[Maverickmonk]

I mow grass and wash cars at a dealership, headphones are a definite must there.
As for schoolwork and other "thinking" work, being the mathematical type, music (electronic, jazz, or classical, without many lyrics) definitely improves my concentration. Especially if I am coding, or working my way through a lengthy numbers crunching problem, it gives me a "plugged in" sort of feeling, where only the problem, and the music exist.