I was recently talking with a good friend about Podcasts, and how 
they listen, and was struck by a response.
The friend in question can’t listen while he works. Even music has to be at a low audible level. It’s to the point where if he listens to one of our episodes of the Mayhem Show, productivity goes out the window.
I find this fascinating in that I am a complete opposite. As I edit videos, DVDs, and CDs all day long, aside from when audio is of a higher priority, I am listening to tech podcasts in my field and interest (sometimes coming across things that add to my current project), wrestling shows, and keeping up with those of my friends in the community. Even when I turn to music, it gives me a bit of a working drive to keep moving through the day. I find that my work would become even more intolerable without these driving me.
Maybe it’s a creative minded workflow, or a need to constantly have a stimulus.
How do you work? Do you need some white noise?