hearing myself and accompaniment

Just fininshed your lesson on pitch and accuracy.   You mentioned always being able to hear myself and the accompaniament and not distracted by other insturments or singers.   Is that why professional singers have the earplugs in?  Just to hear a musical track and their own voices?   Can I get the same result with one foam ear plug in one ear to hear myself inside my head as well as the organ (I'm primaryily a church singer) and a few of the other singers throw me "off" and I need to hear only myself and the organist.   

do you think that's a good idea?

Hi, Mary! That's a great idea - let me know it works out! I'd also suggest you try a different standing order: if you're able to stand in the back row, for example, without other singers behind you. Or perhaps you can be somewhat selective about who you stand next to you (without offending the other singers).

You're right: professional singers can often customize their monitor/in-ear "mix" to their liking. But you'll actually see pro singers sometimes plugging one ear or holding their hand up as a "shield" to better hear themselves when they're singing without in-ear monitors or headphones.