Noise-cancelling Headphones

I started using a pair of Bose noise-canceling headphones occasionally at work. Amazing!

They’re especially effective at eliminating low-frequency, steady sounds, like the rumble of the airflow vent. People can still get my attention with a sharp knock. I can barely hear the keys click as I type. Most neighboring conversation is filtered out and no longer a distraction.

I’ve tried them 2 ways while I’m focusing on a project at the computer or my reading desk:

1. Listen to instrumental music (Mozart!) I can’t focus with vocal music in the background.
2. Listen to nothing

The music really “pops” and sounds even more alive without the competition from other sounds. And I don’t need to worry about distracting others around me.

The 2nd option is really striking at first. When you cut off all the noises, at first my brain just screams into warp drive, almost as if I have to think faster to fill the void. Then I realize (again) how noisy my thoughts are most of the time. And it becomes fun to bring up a thought and convert it into prayer. If it’s an anxious thought, I surrender it to God and remind myself that HE is in charge. If it’s a concern, then I convert that into intercession, or a request.

I received these headphones as a gift. If I was going to buy a pair, I’d check out the Sony models that are comparable to the Bose, but less expensive.