ample of noise, but the evidence shown in the study speaks for itself – reduction in noise reduces distractions, increases productivity.

Here are some suggestions to reduce the sources of noise and stress in your life.

Check Your Environment – When you sit down to complete a task that require

There are many types of audio and visual noise that can cause distractions that break concentration and increase stress. There’s the noise of traffic and conversations when we’re walking down the street, but then there’s the subtle everyday noises of our homes and offices that can easily distract us: doors shutting, the television playing, conversations in the next cube, phones ringing, fingers tapping on the keyboard. A study conducted by Cornell University found that office workers exposed to constant noise showed physiological signs of stress, even though they did not report feeling stressed at all. Not only does the noise distract you, but it can be stressing you and you don’t even realize it.

While we can’t necessarily control the fact that the noises exist, there are ways to minimize or eliminate these noises from infiltrating our personal space.

And when outside and background noise is minimized or eliminated, the result can be a noticeably positive change in human productivity. A study by the Federal Interagency Committee on Aviation Noise revealed that when the outside noise of airplanes flying over a school was reduced, test scores among high school students increased by 12%. Now, airplanes are a dramatic example of noise, but the evidence shown in the study speaks for itself – reduction in noise reduces distractions, increases productivity.

Here are some suggestions to reduce the sources of noise and stress in your life.

Check Your Environment – When you sit down to complete a task that requires

ting, the television playing, conversations in the next cube, phones ringing, fingers tapping on the keyboard. A study conducted by Cornell University found that office workers exposed to constant noise showed physiological signs of stress, even though they did not report feeling stressed at all. Not only does the noise distract you, but it can be stressing you and you don’t even realize it.

While we can’t necessarily control the fact that the noises exist, there are ways to minimize or eliminate these noises from infiltrating our personal space.

And when outside and background noise is minimized or eliminated, the result can be a noticeably positive change in human productivity. A study by the Federal Interagency Committee on Aviation Noise revealed that when the outside noise of airplanes flying over a school was reduced, test scores among high school students increased by 12%. Now, airplanes are a dramatic example of noise, but the evidence shown in the study speaks for itself – reduction in noise reduces distractions, increases productivity.

Here are some suggestions to reduce the sources of noise and stress in your life.

Check Your Environment – When you sit down to complete a task that require

the noise distract you, but it can be stressing you and you don’t even realize it.

While we can’t necessarily control the fact that the noises exist, there are ways to minimize or eliminate these noises from infiltrating our personal space.

And when outside and background noise is minimized or eliminated, the result can be a noticeably positive change in human productivity. A study by the Federal Interagency Committee on Aviation Noise revealed that when the outside noise of airplanes flying over a school was reduced, test scores among high school students increased by 12%. Now, airplanes are a dramatic example of noise, but the evidence shown in the study speaks for itself – reduction in noise reduces distractions, increases productivity.

Here are some suggestions to reduce the sources of noise and stress in your life.

Check Your Environment – When you sit down to complete a task that require

ated, the result can be a noticeably positive change in human productivity. A study by the Federal Interagency Committee on Aviation Noise revealed that when the outside noise of airplanes flying over a school was reduced, test scores among high school students increased by 12%. Now, airplanes are a dramatic example of noise, but the evidence shown in the study speaks for itself – reduction in noise reduces distractions, increases productivity.

Here are some suggestions to reduce the sources of noise and stress in your life.

Check Your Environment – When you sit down to complete a task that require

ample of noise, but the evidence shown in the study speaks for itself – reduction in noise reduces distractions, increases productivity.

Here are some suggestions to reduce the sources of noise and stress in your life.

Check Your Environment – When you sit down to complete a task that requires your full attention, and you find yourself easily distracted, take a look around – is your office disorganized, have a d?cor that encourages a lack of concentration, or is the furniture arranged in a way that encourages distraction? For example, if your desk faces a window that overlooks a busy street, maybe you should turn your desk in another direction. How does your space or office feel? If the colors and d?cor are too loud and busy with bright colors, patterns and designs, it may be time for a makeover to tone it down a bit if the space is constantly distracting, rather than inspiring, you. On the other end of the spectrum, if your office d?cor has muted tones and bare walls, you may need to spruce it up a bit to make your office more interesting. Lastly, clutter is an unappreciated distraction for many of us. If your desk is buried under piles of old files and junk mail, your mind can easily trail off to thinking about what’s in the pile instead of being focused on the task at hand.

Tune the Noise Out – Even after making sure there are no distractions in your own personal space, you still face the noise of others. Especially for many of us who work in open offices with cubicles, something as small as a quiet co