Noise in general helps in several area in my life:

  - Working out, pump up music for motivation. 
  - Cleaning or chores, enjoyable music or podcasts for motivation or filling space.
  - Light, shallow work, lo-fi to upbeat chill without vocals for motivation and masking environmental noise.
  - Deep, concentrated work, white or pink noise for masking environmental noise. Depending on the task, I will opt for silence.

To further explain white or pink noise use benefits in my case, they provide subtle stimulation and are minor distractions if I concentrate on them. However, the utility gained from masking environmental noise exceeds the utility loss in the rare moments that I shift focus to the white or pink noise, so I think it's a net positive for me.