I began working in an office at age 10 helping my Mother when she ran a trade association her late brother had started. Later I worked in the office of a friend of hers who ran a jewelry company. And then after college, I started working in both corporate and non-profit America. After 11 years I went back to school, but with the exception of one semester I also worked in an office. I loved it and never minded the sounds of people, or doors closing or phone ringing or later the so amazing fax machine!

And then I was laid off in 1992 and started my home-based business. Oh, did I miss the sounds of an office, all of them. When I would go to a client, they would automatically close the door of the office I was working in doing research or planning, etc. I asked them to please leave it open as the sounds were music to my ears which surprised them.

I tried playing music at home, but it didn't help. I needed to hear office-like sounds which some of my friends who had never worked at home found odd! So I put on the news on the radio or the TV at a low level so what I heard was a murmur, and some other sounds, mainly from commercials. And I found working, including writing, easier.

Without the sounds except of silence of the occasional siren in my mid-town New York neighborhood, I found it hard to concentrate. My brain was used to office-like sounds from age 10.

So I have wondered over the years if others found the silence not conducive to working and that sounds of people and doors and phones, etc. made it easier. This led to a conversation with Joanne Weiland and this survey:

How long have you had a home based business?

Is there anyone else at home with you during the day? Family, co-worker?

If someone is there sometimes, do you find it easier to be working home alone easier than if no one is there duing the day?

Do you live alone? If you didn't at some point, do you find it harder to work home alone if no one is coming home?

How long did you work in an office?

Did you find the transition from an office with filled with even a few people difficult? How?

Did and/or do you find the lack of sounds of fellow/sister office workers hard?

Do you work better with the sounds of others also working?

Would you like to find to find a way to fill the silence space?

Would you consider having access to a recording of office sounds?

Is so why? If not, why not?