How to handle constant noise and distractions in an open office?

What the numbers show

Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count

• This comes up 120.7× more often in r/ITManagers than across the site as a whole.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

1. 1
   Installing white noise or sound masking machines
2. 2
   Using noise-canceling headphones
3. 3
   Setting up designated quiet or focus zones
4. 4
   Establishing boundaries for accessibility
5. 5
   Train students to enter silently and start a warm-up before asking questions
6. 6
   Use Loop earplugs to dampen background noise
7. 7
   Reduce other sensory stimulation such as bright lights
8. 8
   Have a transition ritual between the workday and home
9. 9
   Retreat to a dark, quiet spot during breaks for deep breathing and calming music

In their words

Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.