Listening While You Work?

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 6 Jan 2008 12:24 pm

I am curious if anyone is like me and cannot listen to music while you do your day job.

When I am in the office preparing presentations, proposals, writing letters, or just thinking, I cannot have music in the background. I must either listen to it or not have there at all. If I’m painting the bathroom or cleaning the garage, I can listen. But not working on something that requires a deeper concentration for me.

Anyone else have this issue?

Tamara James · Post by **Tamara James** » 6 Jan 2008 1:01 pm

I work in an office. I work in one of those cubicals. I have an MP3 player that I use with the headphones so I don't bother anyone. I work in accounting. I do alot of boring data entry. I am careful that the music doensn't keep me from hearing the phone. Your right, I don't have to deeply concentrate to do that. When I have to "chase down transactions" I have to shut it off so I can focus.

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 6 Jan 2008 1:02 pm

I keep music on all the time at work, but I can't listen to music with vocals. I have an XM radio PC adapter that I keep on smooth jazz all the time and keep it low. The instrumental music seems to help my concentration, but if there is singing, I find myself listening to the vocals, and not concentrating on what I need to be doing.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 6 Jan 2008 1:14 pm

Bill - same as you, it depends on what I'm doing. Doing serious math or compsci/engineering research, technical writing, or some other heavy thinking work, I usually prefer and even need total silence and zero interruptions for hours at a crack. But if I'm doing some kind of administrative or physical work, I think it actually helps to be listening to something.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 6 Jan 2008 1:27 pm

I get so wrapped up in the music that it distracts me quite a bit. I find myself getting distracted so bad that I have to either quit what I am doing and listen to the music, or turn the music off and finish my work.
For example, when I drive into a strange town and not sure where I am going, I have to turn the radio down. Especially if I am listening to a country song with steel..I cancel everything except the steel line.
Only one exception to this is when I was working and doing the usual tedious work..operating a front end loader in the gravel pit. Only then could I "multitask"..listen to and sing along with the radio..the loader seemed to run itself.

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 6 Jan 2008 1:32 pm

I keep music on pretty much all of the time in the shop when I'm welding, also have a loud speaker on the cab guard on the truck so I can hear it above the noise the welders make. When I'm doing lay out work, or figuring materials etc. I usually turn it off so it doesn't distract me, the price of metals these days can't afford mistakes!

Larry

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 6 Jan 2008 6:19 pm

I listen at work now and then to steel instrumental CD's. I too have to be able to hear the phone and don't want to get too into it with lyrics and such. I have been guilty of typing to the rhythm of Lloyd's "Jukebox Charlie" a time or two.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 6 Jan 2008 6:44 pm

Ron haha I know what you mean. It was the same with me..When I was running the Cat 980 loader and got into a song that I loved, I wold start tapping the beat on the accelerator. You'd hear the engine go hmph hmph! and see puffs of black smoke to the beat of Charley Pride's Cotton Fields

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 6 Jan 2008 7:03 pm

Bill, I'm with you. I have to listen OR work. Trying to do both at the same time, I end up unable to focus on either one.

Jim Peters · Post by **Jim Peters** » 6 Jan 2008 7:07 pm

I work in a supermarket that has really great music on all the time. You could pick a set list from the music playing in my store . Some examples: Pointer Sisters, Grateful Dead, CSNY,Doobies,Elton John,Bruce Hornsby,Steely Dan, etc.etc.Not much country,though. JP

Colm Chomicky · Post by **Colm Chomicky** » 6 Jan 2008 8:50 pm

I work in a cube. Some of the folks use headphones and listen to music. Myself I only listen to music if I am doing something fairly routine such as preparing flysheets, table of contents, or sprucing up something on a final report after the thinking is done. When I am trying to concentrate I can't listen or if there is music, I really don't hear it.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 6 Jan 2008 9:01 pm

I usually like to have some soft music playing when she arrives, but I usually shut it off as soon as she's left.

Mike Shefrin · Post by **Mike Shefrin** » 6 Jan 2008 9:16 pm

gigolo Jim?

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 7 Jan 2008 5:47 am

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 7 Jan 2008 7:36 am

"You could pick a set list from the music playing in my store . Some examples: Pointer Sisters, Grateful Dead, CSNY,Doobies,Elton John,Bruce Hornsby,Steely Dan, etc.etc."

I'm sure they don't mind the money, but is it kind of strange/sad to anyone that these artists ended up as Muzak?

Darrell Schmidt · Post by **Darrell Schmidt** » 7 Jan 2008 9:13 am

I'am a retired city street supervisor and started running construction equipment and the only station for me is xm satilite and WILLIES PLACE.I do not even listen to the country stations playing newer country.Other than that I will listen to 50;s,60's,70's, and 80's rock.
DARRELL

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 7 Jan 2008 9:25 am

Mike Shefrin wrote:gigolo Jim?

"Nice work if you can get it...and if you get it, won't you tell me how?"

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 7 Jan 2008 9:42 am

When I'm in the shop or on the drafting table, most of the time it's classical music on the radio. When I need more energy, then it's metal, recently, anything from Tool to Goatwhore. The only country I can get is Sat morning on KCSN.

Can't live without it.

Mike Shefrin · Post by **Mike Shefrin** » 7 Jan 2008 9:49 am

I try to listen to the rhythm section when I'm working.

Jimbeaux, you such a stud muffin

Steve Gorman · Post by **Steve Gorman** » 7 Jan 2008 10:06 am

I am sometimes distracted by good music but I play it at work anyway, usually CDs from home - which means jazz, steel, even classical guitar. Many of my co workers just don't get it, why anyone would like such weird music. One fellow listens, and with a frown always asks me, "What kind of music is this?" I tell him, "Just listen." Others want to know why there is no singing. One of the IT guys was joking that he was going to put a link on the website, "Click to hear what's playing at Steve's Desk today"

Steve, weirdo

Tom Zielinski · Post by **Tom Zielinski** » 7 Jan 2008 1:38 pm

I work at a high school and teach Chemistry. Between classes I throw on anything from Charlie Parker to Tom Morrell to Joe Pass to Wayne Hancock to Johnny Burnette. I find that a lot of kids like music and really dig some of the stuff I play---the problem is that they never heard it before. The kids that play guitar were blown away by Les Paul!

I don't listen to much metal, Goatwhore would be a bad choice at school I think! I will listen to some old school Minor Threat once in a while though.

Bo Borland · Post by **Bo Borland** » 7 Jan 2008 3:43 pm

ME too! My entire life music has taken me away, I even have problem at the gym .. unless they play metal..

oh & Jim.. you LIE !!

Jim Means · Post by **Jim Means** » 7 Jan 2008 5:14 pm

Jim Cohen: HUH?

I'm like most of you all. If I am doing anything that requires very much concentration at all I can't have music on. Listening to music is an all consuming concentration activity for me. I also have to have it loud enough that I can hear every part from the lightest ride cymbal to the most intricate bass line. Since I'm a product of 60's rock and roll sometimes that can be pretty LOUD!

Jim in Missouri

Jerry H. Moore · Post by **Jerry H. Moore** » 7 Jan 2008 5:47 pm

When I was about 14 years old my sister left a nice record player console with am fm radio. It played as I went to sleep. Mama would cut it off after I fell asleep. Then I hooked up some old military surplus headphones and could listen without bothering Mama. They would be off the next morning while she explained she was afraid I would catch fire. At my first job as a mechanic I rustled up an old radio and it played all the time. I'm 53 now and have always had to have a radio or some type of music playing at all times. It's soothing to me. If it gets turned off the silence is overbearing, if that makes any sense. At home our TV is hardly ever turned off. If I plan a trip out of town I have my ipod or some means of music packed before I pack my socks

At my job now (cabinet shop) I have a radio that is never turned off, even at night. If it gets turned off I can't think straight. One guy asked how I worked with all that "racket". I told him I only noticed it if you turned it off. Now I am talking about my kind of music. No rap or hip hop or hard rock and roll. Country Western style mostly. Music.....gotta have it!!!

Micky Byrne · Post by **Micky Byrne** » 8 Jan 2008 2:07 pm

Bill, I consider driving to gigs as work. Most of the roads in England are full of boy racers, there seems too much traffic. Unless I'm on a quiet stretch of road, I hardly have the radio or CD player on, and if I do turn the radio on, I tend to listen to Classical music, as it's more relaxing. Most of us in U.K. have Sat Navs for location of destinations, and that takes off some stress. Also bear in mind our speed limit is 70mph, but most go well in excess of 100 mph on our motorways, so....yes I rarely have music playing. I need to concentrate. If the Cops see you using mobile phones while driving in U.K. it's an instant £1,000 fine...about $2,000, and 3 points on your driving licence. 12 points and you're banned from driving for a year...yes it's strict here.

Micky Byrne United Kingdom

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