Work With Headphones

I can do pretty much anything at a computer, basically forever, as long as I have headphones on.

I've put in some pretty long hours and done some very boring, mundane work at a computer, happily nodding along to blistering metal, classic jazz, silly electro pop, weird noise experimentation, mellow folk, and absolutely whatever else comes along.

Not sure what classifies as a psychological addiction, but it seems that could be used to describe my relationship with wearing headphones at work. Or maybe it's an undiagnosed OCD or autism thing. Or maybe it's just because I'm introverted and hate small talk. I don't really need for it to be labelled. It's just a thing of which I'm aware. I'm lucky to have not had to change workplaces much in the last ~16 years, but when I do, I'm making sure it's something that can accommodate me wearing headphones pretty much all day.

Aside from it just being enjoyable to listen to my favourite jams all day, the headphones help immensely to block out distractions in a noisy office. They signify that I'm busy and don't want to chat. My team knows that they can come wave any time if they need me for something, because I tell them that, but my hope is that they take an extra minute to try and solve the problem themselves before coming to interrupt me - which is exactly the same courtesy I try to give anyone else. I'm not an ass about it. I just wear headphones.

I'm not at work to make life miserable for myself or anyone else. I'm there to get stuff done and go home at a reasonable hour.