I use earplugs when it's not my hour to cover phones. Btw texting is better if you want to keep
your personal life private. I'm not sure why but some cubicle mates feel the need to comment on
private conversations.

If not, maybe try a white noise generator. They might not pick up on the fact you're using it.

There are several of them available on www.mynoise.net

Listening to music and my favorite podcasts have kept me sane these last few years.

You could work where everyone sits at the same table.

For those of us without the gift of being able to tune out distractions it's horrible.

The only worse layouts I'd rank about like this:
1- Worst:


2: Nearly worst (scene is from "The Apartment&quot


3: Shared Cube


And I'd rank shared regular offices about the same as a cube situation.

The worst thing was I was right in the middle of a guy who kept hitting on me and my boss who would watch everything I was doing like a hawk. I now have a large cubicle that is all my own and my boss is down the hall in his office.

Windows to the outside not so much.

....I'm going to be working from home full time.

I work in a place with an 'open' floor plan, supposed to be conducive to collaboration and teamwork. However, my job requires that I am able to concentrate for periods of time without interruption. I regularly use headphones...but when I am not able to use them, I have a radio and I play it very low so no one can hear it but me. I am able to focus on that and tune everything else out. Might want to give it a try.

with no heavy lifting. You two could be out climbing power poles or driving a parcel truck, yanno?

That used to help me.