Only three levels of indirection from the (purported) original source! I'm convinced.
I tried tracking down the original study, because I have access to the internet, and eventually found http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002493.h..., in which the guy who ran the original "study" says how ridiculous the reaction to it is.
Too late now, though - every other blog post about productivity mentions how Tim Ferris mentions that Josh Waitzkin mentioned that he heard about it. The next one I see will probably use this post as its source.
The old saw (from the days when you worked for the same company for decades and retired with a pension):
Companies pay employees just enough not to quit; Employees work just hard enough not to get fired.
And I am still talking about productivity here in the way that because my life is organized into such organized blocks of time it's easy for me to go 120% during each time. I know I can't pay my mortgage, take Jiu Jitsu, have the quality of life I do if I don't work hard. So my job gets me 100% 8 hours a day, for 5 days a week. It's a compromise and one I'm willing to make.
Working at home or on flexible schedules (and again I have a pretty flexible schedule) sounds great until you realize that teams can't collaborate together as effectively; deadlines still need to be achieved, and so on. Really if you're having problems with productivity or with work not being finished in-time; then check what you're expecting of your team.
My .02.
The typical office environment is the antithesis of what you need to achieve 'flow'.
Have two lists. It's that simple, really.
I work in the media, so it's my job to react to what is happening. Information comes through to my email and if I miss it, we are behind competitors.
Notifications at essential to immediate communication between colleagues who need me to certain things for program output.
That said, I would like a new chair...
