Comments on: Productivity: This I Believe http://www.programmersparadox.com/2009/05/14/productivity-this-i-believe/ Long form thoughts from a Software Engineer Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:42:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: James Moore http://www.programmersparadox.com/2009/05/14/productivity-this-i-believe/comment-page-1/#comment-9844 James Moore Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:40:46 +0000 http://www.programmersparadox.com/?p=794#comment-9844 "In an office environment where headphones are allowed, why not use a pair yourself? " Because music is a huge distraction. You're just substituting problems. White noise, maybe, but I think that would get tiresome very quickly. “In an office environment where headphones are allowed, why not use a pair yourself? ”

Because music is a huge distraction. You’re just substituting problems.

White noise, maybe, but I think that would get tiresome very quickly.

]]> By: Mark Mzyk http://www.programmersparadox.com/2009/05/14/productivity-this-i-believe/comment-page-1/#comment-4637 Mark Mzyk Tue, 19 May 2009 21:20:30 +0000 http://www.programmersparadox.com/?p=794#comment-4637 I don't have an answer for the phone issue, other than, if you can avoid it, don't have a phone. As for being in the zone: you're right. When you're in the zone you don't notice distractions. The hard part is getting in the zone. That's what either having a private office or paired programming helps with: getting in the zone. I don’t have an answer for the phone issue, other than, if you can avoid it, don’t have a phone.

As for being in the zone: you’re right. When you’re in the zone you don’t notice distractions. The hard part is getting in the zone. That’s what either having a private office or paired programming helps with: getting in the zone.

]]> By: Chris Ess http://www.programmersparadox.com/2009/05/14/productivity-this-i-believe/comment-page-1/#comment-4603 Chris Ess Mon, 18 May 2009 15:50:48 +0000 http://www.programmersparadox.com/?p=794#comment-4603 Noise-canceling headphones would help with your second point, I think. It's true that headphones will not decrease the distraction of movement. However, when "in the zone," I find I don't notice movement distractions. This can sometimes be a problem because I don't react well to being surprised by people. Unfortunately, my big distraction wouldn't be fixed by pair programming or headphones: the phone. I get called for things by co-workers that could easily be asked over email. (I've proposed putting together an intra-office IM system to help with that.) And part of my job is phone support, which makes the phone inescapable anyway. Noise-canceling headphones would help with your second point, I think.

It’s true that headphones will not decrease the distraction of movement. However, when “in the zone,” I find I don’t notice movement distractions. This can sometimes be a problem because I don’t react well to being surprised by people.

Unfortunately, my big distraction wouldn’t be fixed by pair programming or headphones: the phone. I get called for things by co-workers that could easily be asked over email. (I’ve proposed putting together an intra-office IM system to help with that.) And part of my job is phone support, which makes the phone inescapable anyway.

]]> By: Mark Mzyk http://www.programmersparadox.com/2009/05/14/productivity-this-i-believe/comment-page-1/#comment-4602 Mark Mzyk Mon, 18 May 2009 15:42:11 +0000 http://www.programmersparadox.com/?p=794#comment-4602 That's certainly an option, but I don't think it really solves the problem. It does prevent some distraction by sound: I think to reduce most of the sound distraction one would need noise canceling headphones. However, it still does nothing to prevent the distraction of people walking by, or other distracting movement. I just don't by that headphones are the answer. In a really open office, there are times you have to crank the volume up to the point you start to damage your hearing, because the general noise level around you is so great. It isn't an ideal situation. That’s certainly an option, but I don’t think it really solves the problem. It does prevent some distraction by sound: I think to reduce most of the sound distraction one would need noise canceling headphones. However, it still does nothing to prevent the distraction of people walking by, or other distracting movement.

I just don’t by that headphones are the answer. In a really open office, there are times you have to crank the volume up to the point you start to damage your hearing, because the general noise level around you is so great. It isn’t an ideal situation.

]]> By: Chris Ess http://www.programmersparadox.com/2009/05/14/productivity-this-i-believe/comment-page-1/#comment-4598 Chris Ess Mon, 18 May 2009 14:18:48 +0000 http://www.programmersparadox.com/?p=794#comment-4598 In an office environment where headphones are allowed, why not use a pair yourself? Headphones that won't interfere with your co-workers are reasonably easy to come by. (I also believe that music helps me work, or, at least, doesn't hinder my work.) In an office environment where headphones are allowed, why not use a pair yourself? Headphones that won’t interfere with your co-workers are reasonably easy to come by. (I also believe that music helps me work, or, at least, doesn’t hinder my work.)

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