My latest article posted on Best Thinkers.

One author reported that most people are more productive when working behind closed doors. Others insist upon pairing, sharing workspaces. Some cube just fine. Others, not. Some counsel focus, fuzzy or clear. The distracted praise procrastination. Heads-down, hands-on people insist that you really should just get 'er done. All exhort the elusive 'flow.' I doubt that we will ever see the end of well-intended, largely useless advice.

I find myself flourishing under each, and sometimes none of these schemes. Fortunately, I rarely have the luxury of getting to choose. When I plan a day in splendid isolation, the danged phone rings. When I'm suffering through an endless day of mind-numbing isolation, not only does the phone refuse to ring, nobody's there when I try to call my usual lifelines.

We work, it seems, in fits and starts. Some days more fit than others. Slip over here for more ...