Ask HN: Can you listen to podcasts while working?

[NourEddineX]

I used to listen to podcasts while working back when my work consisted mostly of typing code and commands.

Now when I try to listen to podcasts while typing prompts in plain English rather than Python or Bash, I can't focus on both in the same time and have to rewind many times, almost as if my brain can process natural language and code on seperate threads but only one for each at a time. Have you had similar experience?

[Alex-Aachen]

I made the same observation: podcast - no way, music in foreign language - if in background yes. There are some simple mobile-games out there that work well, e.g. clicking some colours for pattern or something, but also nothing with words, written or spoken. Interestingly, driving a car is also not a problem (at least for me), so in the end i blame identical or different mind-regions processing the input for that :-)

[JohnFen]

I can't listen to spoken word while doing anything else, honestly, particularly things that require me to think. Listening requires a lot of attention, and if I'm not paying attention to it, then it's just annoying and distracting noise.

But I acknowledge that I'm in the minority in that audio is the worst way for me to absorb information and it takes a great deal of conscious effort overcome that problem.

[harrisonpage]

I have to listen to instrumental music, singing or spoken words are too distracting.