Alain de Botton (The Consolations of Philosophy) had a problem, as many do, with insomnia and focus. So he decided to go to work at an office. It allowed him to escape:

 One of the most welcome aspects of office work is that you do not need to be fully yourself. It demands that those who participate in it behave “professionally”, which means that you are not asked to bring the entirety of your character to the fore…

As a result, he could bear down, put certain thoughts away, and get to writing:

It can be the greatest freedom, sometimes, to have to repress some of what you are. I sit quietly for hours. I’ll have a sandwich at the desk. I can’t sink into despair, scream or act all poetic: other people are watching. At the office, there’s a chance to edit yourself, thankfully. That’s why I go there…