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Maker Schedule vs Manager Schedule
Leadership / Dualities · Updated Apr 2026
From Paul Graham. Two fundamentally different ways of structuring a day.
Manager Schedule
- Day divided into 30-60 minute blocks.
- Meetings are the unit of work.
- Switching between topics is normal.
- A meeting is a small cost.
Maker Schedule
- Day divided into half-day or full-day blocks.
- Uninterrupted focus is the unit of work.
- A single meeting can break an entire afternoon.
- Context switching is extremely expensive.
The Conflict
Managers casually schedule meetings into makers' days, not realising the cost. "It's just 30 minutes" can destroy 3 hours of productive time.
What Leaders Should Do
- Cluster meetings into specific days or time blocks.
- Protect maker time. No-meeting mornings/days.
- Ask "does this need a meeting?" before scheduling one.
- When you move from IC to manager, remember what focus time felt like.
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