Spent a year using noise cancelling headphones in every cafe, turns out that was the issue
Last Tuesday I sat down at Blue Bottle in Portland and forgot my headphones. Panic set in for about 5 minutes. Then I noticed the barista's playlist, the espresso machine hiss, even the chatty table next to me. I got more done in 2 hours than I had all week. Realized I was drowning out the vibe that actually helps me focus. The white noise I was playing on loop was basically putting my brain to sleep. Now I only break out the cans for construction noise or loud conference calls. Has anyone else ditched their audio setup and seen a work boost?