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Wellness Resources from MacMillan Law Library

The Importance of Comfortable Work Environment

Creating a comfortable work environment is essential for effective studying.  The right environment can minimize distractions and promote sustained focus. A space that is quiet, well-lit, and organized makes it easier to concentrate and absorb information. Using a comfortable chair and desk helps support good posture, reducing physical discomfort that can interrupt study sessions. Additionally, a personalized and inviting atmosphere—with items like plants, calming colors, or motivational quotes—can boost motivation and make studying feel less like a chore. This encourages longer, more productive learning periods and improves overall academic success.

Here are some helpful tips for creating an effective and comfortable study space:

  1. Choose a quiet, distraction-free area – Avoid high-traffic zones and noisy environments to help maintain focus.
  2. Use a comfortable chair and desk – Good posture supports longer, more productive study sessions.
  3. Keep your space organized – A tidy area reduces stress and helps you find materials quickly.
  4. Ensure good lighting – Natural light is ideal, but a bright desk lamp can also reduce eye strain.
  5. Limit digital distractions – Keep your phone on silent or in another room, and use website blockers if needed.
  6. Personalize your space – Add a plant, motivational quotes, or calming colors to make it inviting.
  7. Have all your supplies ready – Keep pens, notebooks, chargers, and other essentials within reach.
  8. Maintain a comfortable temperature – Too hot or too cold can make it hard to concentrate.

Background Noise Generators

MyNoise.net. 

From their website: "myNoise creates beautiful noises to mask the noises you don't want to hear: your chatty colleagues, tinnitus, or even your inner voice when you can't shut it down.  The concept is simple, works extremely well, and does not require expensive noice-cancelling headphones." 

Why we like it: It's free and has tons of options.  Choose from pre-selected themes which can be adjusted to your personal preferences.  Our top pick for background sounds.   Check out these pre-set themes:

  1. Cafe Restaurant - includes presets such as Cafeteria, Cocktail Party, Table for One, Patrons Only and Soundproofed.
  2. Examination Time - includes pages turning, pen clicking, random coughs and even a proctor's footsteps.
  3. Pebble Beach - includes presets such as Distant Shore, Tranquility, Close to the Water, Rainy Shore and Underwater.
  4. Calm Office - includes office noises, keyboards, copiers/printers, background chatter, a clock and air conditioning.
  5. Japanese Garden - includes waterfall, wind, bamboo leaves, birds, cicadas and windchimes.

Noises.Online.

From their website: Noises Online differs from other background noise generators by its pristine audio quality and the variety of sounds available from one single web page.  It offers an unsurpassed number of noises and is second to none for customizing sound.

Why we like it: It's free and created by the same guy who created MyNoise.  Noise.Online offers a streamlined, user friendly interface and allows you to combine 30 different sounds to create the perfect mix as defined by YOU.  Sounds include:

  1. Water - brook, creek, stream, close waterfall, distant waterfall, calm shore, shore, wild shore, ocean waves and large waves.
  2. Weather - rain drops, pouring rain, distant thunder, close thunder, costal winds, forest wind and autumn breeze.
  3. Nature - birds, frogs, summer nights and heat wave.
  4. Other - campfire, coffee house, cocktail voices, meditation time, windchimes, fan noise, brown noise, pink noise and white noise. 

Rain.Today

From their website: Just like white noise, rain noise contains all the frequencies one can hear; and just like white noise, rain sounds are static.  So, all the wonderful properties that have been introduced regarding white now, apply to rain noise as well. However, there is one serious advantage offered by rain noise over synthetic white noise: rain noise sounds natural!  This naturalness translates into a lower fatigue level after a couple of hours of intensive use. 

Why we like it: It's free, includes calming pictures and the rain changes just like real rain.  "...a stochastic audio engine generates a realistic rain shower by randomly drawing sounds from different categories such as light rain, heavier rain, thunder and water sounds."  

Ambient Study Rooms

Taken from: Eliza Brooke, The Soothing, Digital Rooms of YouTube, New York Times, February 16, 2021. 

Ambience videos are a new genre of YouTube video that pairs relaxing soundscapes with animated scenery in order to make viewers feel immersed in specific spaces.  Our favorites include:

A version of this article appears in print on Feb. 18, 2021, Section D, Page 4 of the New York Edition with headline: Hey, Let's Go and Zone Out at Hogwarts Today.

Subjects: Emory Law