What Is In Your Background Thoughts?

Keith Bloemendaal Old Archives

Feb 08

What Is In Your Background Thoughts?

Strange question but I’m interested in what you do while working your online magic. What gets you in the right frame of mind. Is it music? Watching TV? Oh, you’re so bad! LOL

I’m guilty of both but lately I’m trying to get back into an ‘all business‘ environment. Today we have a lot more distraction then we did just a few short years ago. It use to be the phone every now or then and perhaps a family member needing your attention. Now we have things like cell phones, text messages, email alerts, instant messengers, Twitter and Skype just to name a few. Toss in a cool program like House or a great album playing in the background and we’re soon in desperate need of hair transplants.

Ok, the best solution is quiet. Shut everything off and get to work. That might work for some but I need those little distractions mentioned above, I don’t care about my hair falling. It can’t get any grayer! What I can do is regulate them a little. As cool as Dr. House is wouldn’t it be better to fill my head with a little Seth Godin or Robert Kiyosaki? What about a teleseminar we may have missed? I’m a big fan of YouTube and most of these videos can be played behind your work while listening to the audio portion. I use a laptop next to my desktop for audio and video learning.

Ok, your turn. What’s in your background thoughts?
Image credit: SXC

About the author

Keith Bloemendaal wrote 110 articles on this blog.

Keith is a passionate blogger and writes Blog Tips, Social Media Tips, and also operates a Social Bookmarking service. .

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  • Oh, my background thoughts! Excellent question but you're not talking about thoughts in this article. You're talking about distractions, that's a wholde different thing.
  • Only quiet environment give the power to make a good job. But from the other side - when article/job is fullfilled - why not check it again before sending, and listen music at the same time...
    .-= Vitalka´s last blog ..????????? GPS ????????? GP43BL =-.
  • I'm not sure what the point is in that Vitalka but I appreciate the input.
    .-= Brian D. Hawkins´s last blog ..Website Magazine Is Free For Many Subscribers =-.
  • That's very nice Kristi. I can't wait until late spring here in Michigan so I can take my laptop outside to work.

    We have a beautiful backyard with a pool, swings, 50 foot sandbox and jungle gym for the Grandchildren. Not much work when they are visiting but it sure is a nice break.
  • It all depends on where I am. If it's a nice day outside, I slink my laptop cord through the patio door, sit on my wicker lounge chair and write while listening to the birds chirping and breathing the fresh air. If I'm indoors, and there's too much interfering noise, I put on my headphones and listen to some Chinese meditation music. Anything with words or strong beats distract my thoughts too much.

    ~ Kristi

    <abbr>Kikolani | Blogging, Photography, Poetrys last blog post..Fetching Friday - Inspirational Blogging, Resources & More</abbr>
  • Hi Brad, it seems that a lot of us men have that problem. Many times I can't even concentrate on one thing lol
  • That is a cool one. I normally go for surfing with the music leads in my years but everyone cann’t concentrate at two places at same time.

    <abbr>make money onlines last blog post..Major PPC Web Spy update!</abbr>
  • That's pretty good. You should submit that to Skype "Skype is the New Post it Note".
  • LOL!
    Brad, Cait, & I all skype each other. Yes, we are all in the same room. It is easier to send files, links, or leave a message you want them to get when they log on. Skype is the New Post it Note.

    <abbr>Sheryl Lochs last blog post..Are You Deep Linking to Improve Your SERP Results</abbr>
  • @ Brian: All in all it's been an interesting time where we've had our ups and downs. The thing is to stick through the down periods as I've found the ups certainly compensate for them.

    @ Sheryl: As long as it's you and not the wife bashing my ear drums I reckon I'm pretty safe if I pretend I'm not listening ;)

    <abbr>Sires last blog post..Duncan And Norm’s Big Day Out</abbr>
  • @Sire: wow, 23 years. Welcome to the old mans club lol We'll have 26 years in August.

    @Sheryl: I told my wife if she wants to talk to me when I'm online she should get on the other computer and Twitter me ;)
  • Ok, guys!
    Lets not be blaming the ladies just because you are not listening.

    Just think of all the ladies that have little kids and are trying to make money online or blog.

    What I am saying is "stop whining"! ;)

    See what happens when you talk about wives - one just might pop into the ol' boys club, & hear you! LOL!

    <abbr>Sheryl Lochs last blog post..Loaded Web Blog Directory - Brand New</abbr>
  • Yeah, it's the same thing when I'm watching TV and she decides to talk to me. After 23 years you would think that she would have learned to get my attention first before saying something that she wants me to absorb.

    <abbr>Sires last blog post..Duplicate Content And Article Theft</abbr>
  • OMG, "Why don't you ever listen to my" LOL. Been there done that.
  • I usually like to have some background noise happening, usually the TV, but can be the radio. I'm not usually listening to it as it's just there to keep me company. The worst thing that can happen is when the wife comes in because then I have to concentrate on what she is saying or the shit will hit the fan later.

    <abbr>Sires last blog post..Sony’s Latest Piece Of Electronic Shit Takes America By Storm</abbr>
  • @Dennis: That's funny. I was picturing you at the poker table with a laptop and some very patient poker players :)

    @Steve: You're the first to say absolute quiet. I'm distracted easily too. Blog post research is where I'm really bad. I'll go to a site for research that will lead to one site after another for an hour of wasted time.
  • Hi Brian,
    Quiet... absolute quiet. I know a lot of people that like music or radio in the background, but I find that too distracting. I also find a closed door is a good idea. Now if I could just figure out how to stop spending so much time surfing the net and reading other blogs, oh, the work I could get done! :) ~ Steve, the trade show guru

    <abbr>Steve | Trade Show Gurus last blog post..Trade Show Zombies</abbr>
  • Online poker dude, no game face lol.

    <abbr>Dennis Edells last blog post..New Comment Policy - You Want To Read This</abbr>
  • Hi Dennis, Wow, poker. While you are playing? That must confuse the others trying to study your game face lol

    I don't use instant messengers much but I'm getting into Twitter a little. Twitter kind of gets in my creative way in the middle of a post :)
  • @Brian

    That will get the job done :)

    <abbr>Gennaros last blog post..Travelers Must Help Free Rice And Kiva</abbr>
  • Usually nothing although my messengers are always on for contact. Sometimes music from yahoo messenger, sometimes House if it's one of many marathons of previous episodes lol.

    Believe it or not, when I'm reading/commenting blogs, I go a lot faster with a poker game going in the background...a free one, not something I paid to get into; usually. :)

    <abbr>Dennis Edells last blog post..New Comment Policy - You Want To Read This</abbr>
  • Hi Pheak, I completely understand. I'm the same way with sleep. I can sleep through a lot of noise but get two people whispering or walking around and it's a struggle.
  • i tend to listen to music, it somehow helps me with ideas and writing things down.

    but for some reason i cant work with other noises in the background
  • That's cool Gennaro. I like the way you treat research and writing differently. That makes a lot of sense. Research takes a long time for me.

    I like something like this to get me started. This is before I start:

    <object height="264" width="345"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QlBMF1MvAGY&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0x5d1719&amp;color2=0xcd311b&amp;border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="264" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QlBMF1MvAGY&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0x5d1719&amp;color2=0xcd311b&amp;border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="345"></object>
  • When I'm taking notes or researching for a post, I listen to music. Jazz or classical if I need calm. Rock or alternative in the morning for a pick-me up. iTunes shuffle when I need inspiration.

    When I write the actual post, I prefer silence. It allows me to synthesis my thoughts along with taking care of the structure of the post.

    With working on images or the structure of the actual site, anything goes depending on mood.

    <abbr>Gennaros last blog post..Planning A Perfect Romantic Getaway</abbr>
  • My multi-tasking is mostly wrapped around doing my own business while answering questions from Brad & Cait, taking the dogs out, also now I have Nascar to pay attention to.

    I just have to have some noise control at some point. LOL!

    People need to focus on snide remarks just in case you are in a situation & need to pull one out of your brain fast. Always good to have an ample supply.

    <abbr>Sheryl Lochs last blog post..Blog Co-Op Free Membership</abbr>
  • Hi Sheryl, I thought girls were great at multitasking? At least that's what my daughter says :)

    My girl Sadie isn't shy when it comes to barking either. She thinks every little branch blowing in the wind is an invader that needs attacked through the safety of a window. I'll try turning up the volume to see if it works on her.

    House has snide remarks? Have you forgotten my personal blog? LOL
  • Hey Brian,
    I can not listen to an audio that is detailed while working. I get to involved and then I may end up posting a mix of my intended topic and whatever I am listening to.

    I do however have music on or even the TV. Just can not wear a head set or it invades my brain to much.

    Mostly the music or TV is to keep the dog from hearing all the outside noise and barking in my ears. LOL!

    As for House - oh, stop everything or you may miss one of his snide remarks. :)

    <abbr>Sheryl Lochs last blog post..Saving Time Answering Questions</abbr>
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