Maker vs Manager Schedule

What is Maker vs Manager Schedule?

Paul Graham's insight that makers (programmers, writers, designers) and managers need fundamentally different schedules. Managers work in 1-hour blocks and context-switch easily. Makers need 4+ hour uninterrupted blocks because a single meeting can destroy an entire afternoon of creative work.

Is there evidence for it?

How do you do Maker vs Manager Schedule?

1. 1.Identify whether your primary work is 'maker' (creative, deep) or 'manager' (coordination, decisions)
2. 2.If you're a maker: batch all meetings into one or two days, protect the other days as meeting-free maker days
3. 3.If you manage makers: schedule 1-on-1s and meetings only during their designated meeting blocks, never interrupt maker time
4. 4.Create 'office hours' — a specific window where anyone can reach you, replacing ad-hoc interruptions
5. 5.If you have both roles: alternate days (Mon/Wed/Fri = maker, Tue/Thu = manager) or split each day (mornings = maker, afternoons = manager)

How long does it take?

30 minutes to restructure your calendar, ongoing discipline.

Is it hard to start?

medium.

> how Shift handles procrastination

This is one entry from the library Shift matches against. It is general information, not advice about you, and nothing on this page came from anyone's conversation.