[late_groomer]

I can't attest to your no noise tip, I'm one of those people that likes/needs background noise to focus, but IM, phone, and email are task-killers for me, as well. I also agree with limiting progress; I set a daily task goal in my head for each task as I start it. I often work through that daily goal, but it has really helped me tackle large projects without getting burned-out.

[tedmiston]

I use a fan for my background noise in my (quiet) home office.

At the (open floor plan) work office, I wear headphones playing SimplyNoise (https://www.simplynoise.com). Also, there's an iOS app version.