It's always been a conflict between hearing protection and entertainment. There is power tool noise about 10% of the time. I listen to audiobooks but have to pause them pretty often, and the phone times out so it means putting in the password about 20 times a day. Aaaargh!
And I use earplugs for hearing protection so that doesn't happen as often as it should.
Last week I bought Bose QC35 II headphones. They provide good noise cancellation, but I can carry on a conversation. And as long as my phone is in or near the shop I can start, pause and play an audiobook, or take a phone call etc with just the buttons behind my ears.
Huge improvement.