Use earplugs or a quiet room for memory-intensive work in an open-plan office
Increasing background noise from 39 to 51 decibels reduced word recall and made people more tired and less motivated. During breaks, a nature film with sound restored energy better than continued office noise.
What it takes
Earplugs cost a few dozen renminbi in China. Reserving a quiet meeting room takes some time.
What you may gain
Students working in a simulated open-plan office recalled fewer words and rated themselves as more fatigued and less motivated at 51 versus 39 dB LAeq. During recovery, an audiovisual nature film improved energy ratings more than river sounds alone or office noise.
Context & considerations
One laboratory study. Intelligible speech is particularly distracting. White-noise headphones may help with that, but were not tested in this study.
Research & references
Jahncke, Hygge, Halin, Green & Dimberg (2011). Open-plan office noise: Cognitive performance and restoration. Journal of Environmental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2011.07.002