The best ways to cope with a noisy office

I’m an indiscriminate eavesdropper. If there’s a conversation near me, I listen — on the train, in restaurants, on the sidewalk, and especially at work. But in our open-plan office, there are a lot of conversations to overhear. And I’m supposed to be working.

"People are aging their ears much faster."

Since I definitely don’t have the self control to just ignore my colleagues, I’ve been trying to drown them out — and every option seems like it has a downside. Sound-cancelling headphones are appealing, but also expensive. I’ve used earplugs in the past, but it’s weird having to pry a neon-colored, earwax-covered piece of foam out of my ear every time someone talks to me.

Whatever noise-dampening option I wind up sticking with, I want...