Open spaces can be both energizing and chaotic. Curious to see what others suggest for staying focused without isolating completely.

When I moved into an open office environment, I underestimated how hard it would be to protect my focus. Visual signals actually turned out to be more effective than headphones or polite emails. I started using this wireless do not disturb indicator on my desk that lights up red when I’m working on something critical. After just a few days, my coworkers got used to checking the light before tapping my shoulder. It's made a huge difference — I still collaborate when needed, but now I get long, uninterrupted blocks of time. Small changes like that really go a long way in open offices.