Offices and homes could be very noisy sometimes, and the noise could really bother us, causing mental health issues such as high level of anxiety and stress. People talking and laughing loudly, neighbors moving in and out, vehicles passing by... It can get worse and worse once you start to notice the noise unconsciously. You may have talked to your colleagues and neighbors, or even the police, in vain. But I am sharing a few experiences in controlling how much unwanted noise we could hear.
1. Run the washing machine, dishwasher, ventilator or fan if you are at home. This can help to cover up the noise that your neighbors are making. Otherwise, white noise that can be found now in most of the mobile apps for music will also work well to cover up the unwanted noise.
2. If you are at office, find an empty meeting room to work if it's getting really noisy near your desk. Book some time on your calendar when you want to focus on something without being disturbed. Not everyone has the same understanding of the office etiquette, so do not expect that others will not come to talk to you if you are wearing your headphones.
3. If your neighbors of your apartments are very noisy on a daily basis, consider moving to a different area to live. To find a peaceful living area, things to avoid in the immediate neighborhood are stores, schools, garages, post offices, cafes, restaurants, bars or any kind of businesses which would be visited by lots of people or vehicles. These businesses can make lives convenient, but it's a nightmare to have them just below your apartment.
1. Run the washing machine, dishwasher, ventilator or fan if you are at home. This can help to cover up the noise that your neighbors are making. Otherwise, white noise that can be found now in most of the mobile apps for music will also work well to cover up the unwanted noise.
2. If you are at office, find an empty meeting room to work if it's getting really noisy near your desk. Book some time on your calendar when you want to focus on something without being disturbed. Not everyone has the same understanding of the office etiquette, so do not expect that others will not come to talk to you if you are wearing your headphones.
3. If your neighbors of your apartments are very noisy on a daily basis, consider moving to a different area to live. To find a peaceful living area, things to avoid in the immediate neighborhood are stores, schools, garages, post offices, cafes, restaurants, bars or any kind of businesses which would be visited by lots of people or vehicles. These businesses can make lives convenient, but it's a nightmare to have them just below your apartment.
4. The most effective way that I find so far is to use a combination of both earplugs and overhead headphones. Tried and tested and it worked really well in almost all otherwise unbearable situations.
In most cases, a pair of form earplugs is sufficient. They are really inexpensive, and offer a good buffer when the noise is trying to reach into your ear. However, to make it really work to the best, follow the instructions of usage on the package. CDC has also produced an instruction of usage to use these form earplugs here: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/content/earplug.html
An overhead headphone functions as another barrier in addition to the earplugs. Play some music or white noise in the headphone, so it can help cover up some noise. Even better if you have a active noise-cancelling headphone, which offers yet another barrier. These could be quite expensive for about $200-300 though. But it's completely worth it if it can help to reduce your stress and anxiety level.
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