I had to look up what a cicada was, but they look loud!

Thanks man! I've done the double-ear thing at gun ranges before.

Hahah, I've done this before with several sites, but unfortunately I never STICK to them.

Good ole earplugs always draw me back in

I used to love listening to non-vocal music like that to work. I STILL DO, but when writing serious stuff I tend to turn it off. Whatever works....WORKS!

I use headphones sometimes for this reason. I put my buds in, but dont play any music. It helps me look inward and focus. Its really nice. I think I might step it up a notch and get some ear plugs.

I discovered something similar accidentally after I left my iPhone ear buds in after a conference call and noticed that an hour later I'd cruised through my work without distraction. I use them just like you use your ear plugs. I'm sure it looks weird, but I work from home so there's no one here to notice. I sure would be happy to try your ear plugs, too. ;)

Dear Mr. Medhora,

No, sir, you are definitely not weird. I love Hearos Xtremes. They are the best 33db ear plugs I've ever tried. I just wish I could convince DAP World to sell them to me in a 200 ct package! But everywhere I look, no luck. Maybe you could send their head of marketing this post and all our comments and convince them to consider it???

Quietly,

Quantella Owens

You are definitely not alone! I wear this if in a really noisy office, helps me concentrate while not blocking out noise completely. Or even just going to a busy area to shop or dine, takes the edge off the background chatter.

I am sensitive to sound. I go to bed and my ears instantly go on high alert, and I hear everything. So ear plugs are essential. I use them frequently for work as well. It's wonderful to be able to tune out distractions and focus on what is before me.

Then there is the phenomena of Exploding Head Syndrome http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploding_head_syndrome where you will be asleep and suddenly be jolted awake by a sound that was made in your head but not in the external environment. I've had that happen to me several times when I was younger. I seem to have out grown it.

Neville,

I used ear plugs regularly while studying for my CPA exams. Especially in the library as people have a strange habit of trying to strike a conversation even though they know everyone is there to study.

Once they saw the ear plugs they left me alone.

I totally understand your earplug technique. I haven't tried just simple ear plugs but I use my earphones and music to "lock in". It keeps me from all the distractions and I can focus on "my world".

I CANNOT sleep without my ear plugs.

Work great when you are on a plane and there are crying kids... And a lot cheaper than noise canceling headphones...

You might want to try custom earplugs. Rather than sound being muffled, it evens out the audio over the whole spectrum. They're also a lot more comfortable, and great for concerts. I got mine at a local audiologist. They create a mold of your ear canal, and you get custom fitted plugs in about a week. Yeah, it's 60x more expensive (mine cost 180), but they're awesome.

What an unbelievable email. Great lesson on how to sell something as simple as earplugs. thanks Nev!

I normally used headphones with a postrock music as background (in low volume), but last couple of weeks I wear also earplugs, and for me is like a great productivity hack, all distraction go away and that means deep concentration and productivity.

About the noise cancelling headphones, I look at website where they claim that they are contra productive. Because they say that at the end your ears are not resting (as with earplugs) because you have the normal noise plus the noise of the cancelling devise, you ears receive twice the normal noise, you can't hear it but at the end your ear is not resting.

I am going to start an experiment that seems promising to go to the next level, with protection ear muffs + ear headphones,

http://www.amazon.com/Protection-Professional-Folding-Padded-Comfortable-Satisfaction/dp/B00NKSMPZW/

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-RPHJE120K-In-Ear-Headphone-Black/dp/B003EM8008/

My rational is isolation + low background music = Focus and Creativity.

Dude! Thanks for sharing this! I've always slept with earplugs as I'm light sleeper and they really make a difference... but, it never occurred to me to use them for work. Wow! Talk about being in your own world and FOCUSED. Love it! That together with time blocking is nothing short of awesome to be productive. Thank you!!!

I highly recommend noise-cancelling headphones playing brown noise (or white if you prefer) to get into your own world. But ear plugs are great too if you don't mind dealing with the wax... Godspeed fellow persuaders.

I bought these on your recommendation. I had them in while working at starbucks yesterday. I still heard stuff going on around me, and thought "hmmm... maybe these don't work as well as Neville said they would."

But when I took them out of my ears, I was really surprised at how loud it was in there! I don't care if there are tons of hot girls in the coffee shop- I might look goofy wearing earplugs but these are excellent and a part of my work process now.

I use them so I can sleep because my apartment has thin walls (moved in 1.5 years ago) and I can always hear my neighbours having sex.

I've learned to distinguish her fake screams (80% of the time).

The past 5 months I challenged them because I had a girlfriend and we were clearly louder and more authentic.

But since I broke up, for about a month, again I feel sad when I hear my neighbours. Luckily they do it much less often. Or maybe I just got used to it and it doesn't bother me that much...

I absolutely use ear plugs! Used them for years. When "ear buds" became popular, I switched to them without any music playing so that I didn't look like such a freak.

You should really try to use http://www.brain.fm instead of ear plugs. In my opinion it's way better when you want to focus. I have nothing to do with that site, I'm just a user that actually likes to use that service. :-)

I work as a software developer and it really helps me focus on my work.

I just pulled my trusted earplugs out last night,construction interruptions,they are lifesavers during my meditation.

Not only are you not crazy, but you may not be crazy enough:-P! I have used the foam earplugs decades ago until I discovered white-noise generating earplugs. My life changed forever. I don't go anywhere overnight without these things. On airplanes they are a godsend. And for sleeping, they are just about essential. they are expensive and getting harder to find, unfortunately. But to me they are worth it.

I often wear my headphones with no music playing. That why it dampens the noise and no one disturbs me.