Why Modern Workplaces Don’t Work

Over on The Big Think, 37Signals co-founder Jason Fried has posted an interesting short video about how the modern workplace is designed to provide constant interruptions (phone calls, meetings, colleagues dropping by your desk), and how that’s a real productivity killer:

Fried says that project management tools, IM, collaboration apps and email can be used to reduce those constant interruptions, because if you’re busy you can put them to one side until you have time to deal with them.

Love the part with managers being the biggest productivity killers as their whole world is built around interruptions.

The White Stripes - Under Great White Northern Lights

In the summer of 2007, shortly after the release of their 6th album Icky Thump, The White Stripes headed north of their hometown of Detroit to embark on an ambitious journey across Canada. The plan was to play a show in every province and territory in Canada, from B.C. to Newfoundland to Nunavut.

“Having never done a tour of Canada, Meg and I thought it was high time to go whole hog…from the ocean to the permafrost” says Jack White.

“We wanted to play out of the way towns that don’t usually get shows…the shows are better, it’s better for the people, it’s a better experience, it’s way more unique, something interesting is going to happen…hopefully.”