It doesn’t matter how fast or slow, busy or free the pace of work. To maximize productivity and happiness, what matters to me is who is in control of that pace.
When I own and set the pace, I enjoy work and do it well. (Mostly).
When the pace pulls me along, forces me to adjust to it, I struggle.
I don’t like a frantic pace – unless I set it. I don’t like a laggy pace – unless I set it.
I want pace control possibly more than I want control of where I work or what I work on.