Misophonia is the term for people who are bothered by sounds to the point of distraction. A pair of musicians earplugs might help. In fact, I should make a habit of carrying mine at all times, because I don’t like noise pollution in general.
I have one coworker whose voice carries and she is very talkative. When the office is busy, I can tune her out, but when it’s quiet and I’m trying to do paperwork and she’s gabbing in the next room, it’s very distracting.
I use the cushioned nail files – they are less annoying than emery boards or metal files. But nail clippers bug me even more than either of those.
I consider us very fortunate that we found a townhouse instead of a condo, so I don’t have to hear other people’s footsteps overhead, or fret about them hearing mine. The place seems very well insulated, too, because I can only hear the neighbors’ golden retriever barking when it’s very quiet in our house. Sometimes we hear the other neighbors vacuuming, and only very rarely do we hear TV sounds from either side.
I hate people who honk their horns outside when picking-up others. In this day and age, nearly everyone has a cell phone – call or text that you’re outside waiting, mmmkay?
And the loud car stereos passing by are obnoxious. There is a band that practices in the clubhouse down the road and I can hear them, but it doesn’t bother me except that it’s distant, so I’m compelled to try to make out the tune. Similarly to when the High School marching band is practicing or halftime during Friday night football… we can only hear them when the wind is blowing a certain direction, and I strain to try to recognize the song.