I work from home. I was sitting in my home office one morning last week, trying to think about a project I needed to wrap up, but all I could hear was the dinging of the fight bell that plays on the Jerry Springer show when things are getting rough. That’s what my husband has playing on the TV out in the living room – and I can hear it back here, clear as day.
According to Forbes.com, I am only one in 3.1 million people who work from home. So I started wondering what those other people do when they’re trying to work and concentrate thanks to noises in other rooms, the traffic outside, or someone’s music.
Soundproofing the Home
Apparently, if my home were brand new, I’d already have some soundproofing elements built into the construction. The contractor would have installed some RSIC clips and hung the drywall different, maybe even using some damping compound to further promote peace. As it stands, my home is about 60 years old and the walls sometimes seem to be paper thin. So what can I do?
I can do some post-construction soundproofing. This would involve getting a simple damping compound, applying it to the walls, and adding some new drywall right over top of what is already there. I’m a sucker for home improvement projects, so the next time I feel like painting, I might do this beforehand, since I’d have to paint after the project anyway.
Soundproofing without Major Work
For now, though, I have to think about how to reduce the sound in my office without spending a lot of time or money. This means a few lifestyle changes.
First, I’ll ask my husband to lower the volume on the television, just as I would ask a neighbor to bring his dog in or talk to his kid about his car radio at 3am (yea, I’ve done those things).
Second, I’ll consider shutting my office door. I don’t really want to do that, though, because it makes me feel closed in. Instead, I’ll look for some earplugs or comfortable headphones. That way I can block out some of the noise without actually adapting to it (which is seriously bad for your health).
Finally, I’ll look for other sources of noise that may be contributing to my distraction – fans, video games, etc. and see what I can do to quiet them down.
Everyone in the house needs to take a noise break from time to time. A little bit of quiet can really be a good thing.
Comments are closed.