I write about sound masking all the time.  It’s the art of using noise to mask noise.  Kind of counter-intuitive, but the right kind of noise, ie white noise, actually covers the wrong kind of noise.  What constitutes the wrong kind of noise is dependent upon the hearer.  For some, it’s a screech owl outside a bedroom window, for others it’s noisy neighbors, and for others still, it’s chatty co-workers.  Regardless of the cause, unwanted noise is a nuisance because it either keeps your brain going when you don’t want it to (sleep), or it narrows it to the point of distraction (noisy office).

There are several ways to sound mask, and all are excellent resources, though some are more valuable than others dependent upon the circumstance or type of noise.  Here is a basic guide to what to use and when.

• Ear plugs: Ear plugs are a long-time resource foe the weary traveler or seasoned parent.  Not exactly sound maskers per se, they function more as blockers. n They are great for blocking near-by or in-room noise, such as a snoring spouse, a barking dog, or cafe chatter.  The only downsides are that ear plugs are hard to wear for long periods of time if you have sensitive ears.  Also, they do wear out and require back-ups.
• Sound Machines: Sound machines, or white noise generators, are great for individual users at home or in offices.  Most are small, many are portable, and a good number offer sound therapy for tinnitus or just the nature lover in you.  Sound machines are adjustable so they can provide various levels of volume and therefore can cover even louder noises or environments.
• Sound Masking Systems: Similar to sound machines, sound masking systems also use white noise to mask unwanted noise.  The difference is that they are more of a corporate solution, rather than just individual.  Speakers are installed in the ceiling tiles and specific zones can be treated within an office, hospital, agency, or facility.

Sound masking is a valuable resource for individuals and businesses alike and can counteract the effects of unwanted noise.

Children having a pillow fight on the bed is not conducive to sleeping in. I'm not sure why these parents look so happy in this picture.

1. Convince your spouse/partner to take care of the kids on the morning you’d like to sleep in. I have heard of couples switching Saturday mornings, so every other Saturday you’d get to sleep in and on the opposite Saturday you’d have morning childcare duty.

2. Ensure that you can actually sleep. Unfortunately, even though you are not out of bed, your kids are, and if they are anything like my kids, they are LOUD. It’s so disappointing to be able to sleep in, but not actually be able to sleep because of the chaos ensuing outside your door. I like to employ a combination of white noise and ear plugs. The white noise that the sound machine makes masks the sounds the kids are making and the ear plugs are extra insurance. Don’t want to waste your free morning! Black out blinds help as well, but aren’t as necessary. You’ll likely be so tired anyway, that a little bit of light won’t bother you.

3. Lock your door so the kids can’t get in. My children don’t understand why mommy or daddy would want to stay in bed any longer than absolutely necessary, so they just walk on in and tell you it’s time to get up.  An effective solution is just locking the door. It’ll be up to your partner in crime to keep the kids from shaking the door knob trying to get in.

4. Enjoy. Now that you don’t take this privelegde for granted, like you used to before you had kids, make sure you enjoy the extra sleep time you get. You’ll need the extra energy next Saturday when its your turn to watch the children.

If I were Jim Halpert, I would just stare at the video camera. Seriously?

Thankfully, the court was just and the judge was wise, calling Kelder “the author of his own misfortune.” Now, it’s not that I don’t feel for Hans- he did lose a good chunk of his hand. However, suing the company for being distracted seems a bit extreme. At some point, we have to take responsibility for our own poor choices. I tell my children that, and they are 1 and 3. Hans, it’s time you took some initiative. Since you obviously felt you had no other recourse, I will help you:

1. QUIT talking while operating heavy machinery.
2. Make a pact with fellow workers for them to ignore you if you break rule #1.
3. Invest in some ear plugs or headphones to keep you from chatting.
4. Should you find the music the aforementioned headphones stream too distracting itself, rid yourself of said implements of injury and possible death and resort to ear plugs.
5. If all else fails, find another job.

Most of us don’t slice deli meat or operate deadly heavy machinery.  But, we too might occasionally (or quite regularly) find ourselves the victim of endless workplace distractions.  Should that happen, and should you find your focus blurry or your productivity diminished, you might also need to be proactive.  I’m gonna be bold- quit blaming other people, and do what you have to stay focused.  I’ll supply a list for you cubicle dwellers, as well:

1. Limit your chat time.  Most people need a few minutes to unwind and take a break.  Drink your coffee, stretch your legs, get your gossiping in, and go back to work.
2. Set boundaries.  In a nice way, maybe let your fellow cubies know that you (and they for that matter) have a lot to get done and you don’t really want to sacrifice the weekend because you’re not getting enough done Monday-Friday.
3. Tune it out.  Use ear plugs, headphones, or white noise.  I prefer white noise because ear plugs get itchy and make my ears sore (maybe that’s just me?) and headphones are equally distracting (and a wee bit unprofessional, not to mention what they do to my hair).  White noise can be adjusted and turned off and on quite quickly without looking waxy or flattening my hair.
4. Whatever you do, don’t try to sue your company for having distractions.  Deal with them.  You are an adult.

You’re welcome.

Turn off your computer or at least don’t access the internet.

Ask you coworkers to tone down their conversations and not to interrupt you.

Yes, my friends, these are the top suggestions for limiting work-related distractions. Does this sound off to anyone else?  It seems to me that answering the phone, using the computer, and having healthy relationships with coworkers are fairly essential parts of working. Now, I’ll agree that I can limit what I contribute to my own distraction level by turning off my cell phone and not compulsively checking my email, but I can’t help what others contribute.  I’ve tried a lot of things, but coworker confrontations are not high on my list of helpful or even productive work tactics.  What has been helpful for me is the use of white noise.  Unlike music or ear plugs, white noise is adjustable without being distracting in and of itself.  Give it a shot and see what you think.

I know it’s crazy, but I tried a couple things as I realized that my two babies “crying it out” was a painfully noisy process.  First, I put in ear plugs- the kind that are squishy and you can stuff pretty far in your ears.  Sadly, this ended up making my ears kind of sore after a whole night.  So, next I turned to white noise.  This was a great alternative- it provided an adjustable background noise.  So, if the baby was in the full throes of screaming, I could turn it up and when the baby had calmed a bit, I could turn it back down so I could still roughly monitor what was going on.

I know it’s a controversial method, but for us it was well-worth the few days of pain.  Now we have 2 wonderful sleepers who can be put to bed by anyone and who go to sleep by themselves without a sound.

Disclaimer: I did not try this when either of my kids were sick, teething, or at any other time that I needed to respond to their cries.