If so, you need to get a pair of Bose QC35 headphones. I got a pair for myself and one for my wife a few weeks ago, and after having them for a while I’m absolutely thrilled with the purchase. I’ve told people I felt my pulse slowing when I put them on for the first time, and I’m not entirely joking.

I got the QC35s because they’re wireless and can connect to my phone via Bluetooth. I love not having to deal with cords that tangle, and they have pretty good distance coverage: it’s especially nice at the gym to be able to put my phone in the middle of the room while I do the Planet Fitness 30 Minute Express Workout. The battery life is also excellent at 20 hours per charge.

I wear them these places, primarily:

1. The gym. The noise-cancellation feature doesn’t completely block out loud background music, but it softens it considerably and blocks out background buzz. I prefer them to my Beats wireless earbuds because they fit more comfortably and more snugly.

2. The office. I’m fortunate that my office is a very quiet space (I can keep the door closed), but there’s still background noise like the fan that’s usually running, the sound of my clicking keyboard, and periodic ambient office noise. My headphones quiet them all. I’ll frequently listen to classical music while I’m working, and the music and my mind are a lot clearer because the background noise has been canceled out.

3. The coffee shop. See above. These headphones don’t mean total silence, but they make it a lot easier to concentrate in the background-buzzy environs of Starbucks.

4. When traveling. I traveled with them for the first time at the beginning of January. It was almost eerie walking through airports in such quiet, and the engine noise on the plane was far, far softer than it is without them.

5. Libraries (the next time I go). Not all libraries are as quiet as they should be, and it’s a hassle to ask people who should know better to be quiet. It’ll be a lot easier, I think, to just switch on my headphones.

The price is the elephant in the room. Like you, I balked at it: $350 for a pair of headphones? Seriously? Consider this, though. These are an investment in serious noise reduction. In our harried and hurried world, would you pay $1 a day for a lot more peace and quiet? That’s roughly what these would cost you if they only lasted you a year. If $1 a day for more peace and quiet is a really attractive proposition, then these are the solution for you. I know they’ve been a great solution for me so far.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”