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Subject:Workplace Productivity From:"Sigrid A. Schoepel" <sas -at- WIGGINS -dot- PENTATECHINC -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 29 Mar 1996 14:57:00 -0600
Victor Chapel wrote:
I've found the noise and commotion levels affect each person
differently. Personally I can work in the middle of a riot,
but others I've worked with could only concentrate in
absolute silence. Informally I have polled most of our
writers about how their childhood. Did they have many siblings,
was their home noisy or quiet, was the television or radio
always on or never on. Invariably people raised in a noisy
houshold with more than 2 siblings tend to accept workplace
noise, and some seem to _need_ the noise to concentrate.
On more than one occaision I've heard "It's too quiet in here."
Then of course those raised in a quiet household need peace
and quiet to function. Anyone else notice these distinctions?
I'm not interested in conducting a scientific study, but would
appreciate any comments.
----------------------------------------------------------
My husband and I are both technical writers. We may be the exceptions.=20
I have only one sibling and was raised in a quiet house (only allowable =
music was classical and the stuff that came on during Prairie Home =
Companion). I have always been able to study and work in an environment =
full of noise. I can tune it out so well that people either have to say =
my name a few times or tap me on the shoulder for me to come out of my =
trance.
My husband has four siblings and was raised in a noisy house with =
several televisions and several types of music (sometimes all going at =
once). He must be in a quiet environment to work or to read.=20
I personally believe it is how you first developed your study habits in =
school that determines how you handle your work environment. I studied =
on the bus, in the living room, or dining room amidst the noise. My =
husband studied in his room with the door shut, or at the library.
Sigrid Schoepel
SAS -at- PentaTechInc -dot- com
The views expressed herein are mine, and do not necessarily represent =
those of Penta Technologies, Inc.
