Episode 95 of The Teaching Space Podcast explores three noise-cancelling apps and websites.
I am sensitive to noise and get distracted easily by sounds. This, of course, can have a massive effect on my productivity and focus. Over the years, I have realised the importance of carrying headphones with me everywhere. Currently I am enjoying Apple’s latest invention - AirPods Pro. Of course, the only downside of earbuds is that my hair hides them! Sometimes you want people to know that you are in focus mode. That's where over-ear headphones are great. They send a message. I am yet to find a pair of over-ear headphones with sufficient noise cancellation - if you can recommend anything, please let me know. Ideally, I want something that folds up so it can live in my bag.
As well as regularly using headphones, I also play music or sounds to help me focus. In this episode, I am going to share three options with you.
YouTube is, of course, a great place to start with zero cost or risk. The downsides include adverts and the need for an internet connection.
With Noisli and Brain.fm, you aren't comparing apples to apples. The choice between the two comes down to personal preference. For me, I prefer sounds over music so I will be opting for Noisli. The free option is excellent, so you can get a feel for how it works for you and perhaps stick with that. Noisli also offers a 50% discount for students and teachers, you can find out more here at noisli.com/education. However, Noisli doesn't have sleep specific options included in the free option (Pro has a specific sleep playlist). Noisli is the most expensive option. Brain.fm is a good price, has good variety and covers different needs. All in all, it's a great allrounder. They both work, but in my opinion, they do different things for different people.
And that's it. If you have any questions about this episode or comments you'd like to share, please do so in The Teaching Space Community: community.theteachingspace.com. I'd love to hear how you deal with distractions and whether you have tried out any of the tools I mentioned.
The show notes for this episode include any links I’ve mentioned; you can find them at theteachingspace.com.
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Thanks for listening and I hope you'll join me for the next episode.