For people to use ear buds or head phones at home or in the office

I wear them to block out background noise as I work in an open plan office. I also work in a sector where there is a lot of discussions about work that you can easily get drawn in to even if they're nothing to do with you. As such, AirPods are a way of making it clear that I'm concentrating. I am very easily distracted and without them I'd never be able to focus on my own work.

It's not like I'm blaring music, it's at a level where I can still hear my phone and be aware that someone is trying to get my attention.

People wear them so they can focus on their work. I suspect that if other people wearing earbuds is an actual problem for you, you interrupt people’s work more than you need to.

I work from home three or four days out of five and I listen to stuff all the time (albeit without headphones). When I’m in the office, I will use earbuds if I really need to concentrate on writing (the bulk of my work is writing and editing stuff). If someone really needs me urgently, they can still interrupt me. That’s fine.

I don’t actually wear earbuds to stop people from talking to me; I wear them to block out other people’s chat, phone calls etc that go on around me. But if the earbuds do also deter people from asking me random, non-urgent questions about things they could have found out for themselves, so much the better.

He's at work. You shouldn't be talking to him until he finishes work for the day.

Your husband is working from home and being considerate using headphones. How is it of benefit to his employer if he removes his headphones to listen to his wife during working hours.

I have never seen anyone listening to a podcast on their headphone in a customer facing role?

I have tinnitus. I can't concentrate unless I have another sound in my ears blocking it out. I can still hear people speaking to me, it's not like I am isolating myself.

I wear them in the office when I need to concentrate and I can't because of people nattering on around me.

Your 'need to talk' doesn't usurp other people's need to focus.

I suspect your thread should be about your marriage op

I wear them at.home and at work, at the right times. My kids don't need to hear the swearing on podcasts that I listen to. And I need to block out background noise when I'm at work and the office is busy.

I don't see why you're concerned with other people's lugholes

Do you talk a lot, OP? I often find that the people who object to this sort of thing are very extroverted and require lots of engagement, so take the lack of it as a personal affront.

Personally, I’ve never found wearing ear phones (by others or myself) an issue at home or in the workplace. When I need their attention, I tap/signal/wave/email, as appropriate. And vice versa. It’s not a big deal.

I like it when my DP wears them round the house as the alternative is him listening to his podcasts and music out loud. He is someone who needs background noise to concentrate and I’m the opposite so this works for us. I wave if I need to catch his attention!

Where I work (open plan) people do this to concentrate and no one seems to miss calls or conversations because of their headphones. Sometimes they are the only way to drown out the inane chitchat by certain people.

You’re being unreasonable for saying they should never be worn. They have a time and place.

I do it when I need to focus and I don’t want to answer other peoples questions! 😂

Background noise can make it hard to focus.

If I need to speak to colleague with headphones in I would just go and stand where they could see me.