03-012 · EVIDENCE B · LOW-RISK READING
Using earplugs or finding a quiet room for memory-heavy tasks in open offices
在开放式办公室工作时用耳塞或找安静房间做需要记忆的活
Earplugs cost just a few dozen yuan. Booking a quiet meeting room takes some time and effort.
When background noise rises from 39 dB to 51 dB, people remember fewer words, feel more tired, and are less motivated to work. Watching nature videos with sound during breaks helps restore energy far better than continuing to endure office noise.
B
Move “Using earplugs or finding a quiet room for memory-heavy tasks in open offices” to Future Me's calendar
The excuse
There is no immediate alarm, so the sensible choice can wait for a less busy week.
What feels good now
Today I keep a little money, a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.
What the source says
The source summarizes the return this way: “When background noise rises from 39 dB to 51 dB, people remember fewer words, feel more tired, and are less motivated to work. Watching nature videos with sound during breaks helps restore energy far better than continuing to endure office noise.” Evidence grade B. The original states the population, caveats, and sources; this is not a personal forecast.
Open the original entry, check who the evidence applies to, then pick one small step that fits.
THE ENGLISH EDITION
Original recommendation and evidence
12. Using earplugs or finding a quiet room for memory-heavy tasks in open offices
Cost: Earplugs cost just a few dozen yuan. Booking a quiet meeting room takes some time and effort.
In plain terms: When background noise rises from 39 dB to 51 dB, people remember fewer words, feel more tired, and are less motivated to work. Watching nature videos with sound during breaks helps restore energy far better than continuing to endure office noise.
Benefit: Students working in simulated open offices showed similar effects: at 51 dB LAeq background noise, they recalled fewer words, rated themselves as more fatigued, and felt less inclined to keep working. Viewing nature videos with audio during breaks also boosted their energy levels more effectively than listening to river sounds or office noise alone.
Evidence grade: B
Sources: 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>
Notes: Only one laboratory study exists on this topic. Among all noise types, speech that can be clearly understood has the greatest negative impact on performance. White noise headphones may help mitigate this effect, but they were not tested in this research.
Read the complete Chinese source and notes
12. 在开放式办公室工作时用耳塞或找安静房间做需要记忆的活
成本: 耳塞几十元。预订安静的会议室要花点时间。
说人话: 背景噪音从 39 分贝涨到 51 分贝，能记住的词就变少，人更累，也更不想干活。休息的时候看带声音的自然风光片，比接着听办公室噪音更能把精力找回来。
收益: 让学生在模拟的开放式办公室里工作。背景噪音从 39 分贝升到 51 分贝（dB，LAeq）时，他们记住的词更少，自己评分更疲劳，也更不想干活。休息时看带声音的自然影片，比只听河流声或者办公室噪音，更能把精力评分拉回来。
证据等级: B
来源: 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>
备注: 只有一项实验室研究。噪音里最碍事的是能听清内容的说话声。白噪音耳机对这一点有帮助，但这项研究没测过耳机。
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