Do you work your best in solitude, surrounded by noise, or somewhere in the middle? A recent survey suggests that productivity levels increase when a moderate level of noise is present. I’m not talking screaming kid, chainsaw or motorcycle noise; the study indicates merely an equivalent of the background buzz of conversation.

This new data adds to research suggesting that small doses of distraction prompt the mind to work at a more abstract and creative level. Maybe taking a bunch of 1040 work to Starbucks isn’t in line with the study, but the research definitely suggests that certain circumstances warrant such surroundings–especially if you are in a small firm that typically has the atmosphere of a morgue. If you’ve not been in a firm like that, trust me, they exist!