Other Activities While Sorting?

This has been on my mind recently.

Yesterday I decided to listen to a podcast while sorting stamps. It made the work more fun than usual. Sorting stamps can become motonous especially if they are used common stamps which is what I usually sort.

I feel tempted to do this again, but I know it will take some of my attention away and I am more likely to make mistakes.

I think that as philatelists it is best that our full attention is devoted to the task at hand because there are many small details that can be overlooked.

Do you engage in other activities while working on your collection?

I agree , I prefer to listen to music or even half watch a series on tv that I don't need full attention for

In these days of digital music, there isn't a need to have a stereo in my home anymore, so when I'm in my stamp room, iTunes is usually playing something.

Nice topic, btw!
Ray

Sorting stamps is very special to me. Get totally absorded by sort for long hours. Everything disappears, all my cares and worries. I sort so much in silence, in that special place. Sort so much I wear the skin off the underside of my arms as they rest on my legs. It is always total enjoyment. It get that way I need my stamp sorting fix lol

Thanks for this topic, as I am looking at about 10,000 stamps to be sorted and deconstructing 2 binders of another 5,000 unorganized US stamps. I am waiting until after knee replacement surgery to begin and would love to hear what others do. Usually I have my PCs logged on for identification help and email access, and the large screen TV going to give me some background noise.

When working on stamps, I often play big band/jazz or 60s-70s rock.

Baseball (Go Cubs Go!) during baseball season.

Shostakovich or Beethoven sometimes Mahler during off season.

Recorded visual content. I can listen while not always watching the screen, glances will do. However, if I miss something important while concentrating too hard on the sort, It is easy to bump the recording back to replay what I missed. Now if it is something I will or need to watch intently, sorting does not go well at all.

Edit: I do the same when folding laundry or similar hand use work. As to voice only recordings I listen to recordings of SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) arguments. Yes I said it .

I usually binge watch TV. Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies are my go to. I am also an NCIS fan so I watch those as well.

Dianne

There's an almost-constant stream of Mystery Science Theater 3000 on in my house. It doesn't require direct attention and just provides some background noise.

Absolutely! I enjoy listening to podcasts when sorting stamps.

Interesting topic.

We always have the tv on in the background, or music on. Sorting is relaxing, and yes at times it can be monotonous, but the noise just breaks up the quiet, and we are always talking about what we just found, our day or what is coming up anyway.

Netflix, I suppose.