Listening to a little music while working
Submitted by AS1976 on Sat, 03/01/2008 - 00:27.
Does anyone here listen to the radio or music while working? I'm not talking about blasting the radio or anything like that but just listening to it at your desk at a reasonable volume? I sometimes I do and I like it. In general I like listening to music quite a bit. I tend not to listen to music while my area is open to business but if it's on a Friday when we're closed (most of the time) I turn it on.
I can't concentrate with music playing
I can't stand any sort of sound or noise or music if I'm reading or writing, however, I love listening to music when I'm doing maths, as it doesn't usually involve words. I think the main reason for this is that I'm a musician myself and get drawn away by the music and sometimes start analysing it!
However, my opinion probbaly doesn't really count here, as I dont actually have Asperger's.
Distancing Onself
Funnily enough I was listening to some music yesterday.
I had to listen into a presentation from the States and so got some headphones to hook up. To test it out we went onto YouTube and I was listening to some favourite music that I downloaded.
I have to say that I quite enjoyed it. The danger from an Asperger perspective is that it takes you "out of the world" i.e. allows you to switch yourself off from others and disengage.
Don't think that this is a good thing so it is not something that I would practice regularly as a manager in an office with Asperger syndrome!
I love having some music -
I love having some music - and if I really need to concentrate on a bit of code or understanding a complex data structure, I'll put on head-phones and turn the music up. It helps me exclude all the random noises in the office, and just have sounds that I "expect".
Music
I like too as well. I don't turn it on everyday, but if I am going to be working on a long all day project, I like to turn on my internet radio. I always mute it if someone approaches the desk or I get a phone call. My bosses listen to their radios sometimes as well. I find it a pleasure and not a distraction at all.
Personal Preference
The guys in the computer games studio of the company that I work for often have earphones on whilst they work.
I think it cuts outside distractions and enables them to focus solely on writing code which is very insular process.
I think that it depends on personal preference. I don't, but I often read a newspaper with some gentle music on in the background.
Its essential for me however that it is not too loud.
Wearing Headphones while working
I don't mind people listening to music at work. I don't mind listening to music at work either as you can see in my posting here. One thing that bothers me (this might sound crazy) is when a worker is listening to their music via headphones. It gives the impression that the worker is not focusing on their work but on the music, it seems to give an impression of rudeness to some extent and people on the outside seem not to like seeing a employee with headphones on. If I was a customer in a store and saw a employee listening to music with their headphones on I wouldn't have a good impression overall. I probably wouldn't say anything or freak out over this but I wouldn't be too happy witnessing this. It's just not professional in my opinion.
When I listen to music at work I keep it at a low volume, no headphones and if the office is opened I shut it off.
I have a coworker that
I have a coworker that listens with headphones while she is working. She says that it cuts outside distractions and allows her to focus on the task at hand. Since she is not in contact with clients and can still pick up her phone when it rings, no one in the office minds.
I am the total opposite. When I have something that I want to focus on, I turn the radio off, to cut the distraction of the radio!
Music is anathema
I think of a preference to listen to music while performing an unrelated task as being very indicative of neurotypicalism. I can't stand ambient music, it is auditory clutter so far as I am concerned.
Peter
north Queensland, Australia
Listening to music via
Listening to music via headphones is just about essential for my being able to keep going at work for there are so many noise distractions and I need to be able to concentrate to do the calculations and notes associated with my job.
Some people might think it a bit rude but they are usually the same ones who make most of the noise. If they want to talk to me, they still just do and I take the headphones off to reply.
One of the worst distractions I find is when co-workers speak loudly over the phone. That can be very stressful but they can't be asked to speak more softly so I need a way to drown it out.
Pandora (North Queensland too)