Managing Time Wisely in Open Office Spaces

Coworkers keep tapping you on the shoulder? Drop this 2-word boundary. "Focus Block" But it only works if you back it up with systems: 1️⃣ Headphones are like my office door - AirPods Pro, Sony WH-1000XM5s, or a $20 pair of construction headphones whatever kills the background noise. - I loop the same lofi playlist so folks see the cans + hear zero talk = “Max is in the zone.” 2️⃣ Zero notifications - Email, Slack, Teams, iMessage, Socials? All turned off. - Phone calls and teams calls are the only notifications that are enabled. - I also use the app "Laps" on iOS to handle blocking apps I don't want notifications from, and track my focus over time 3️⃣ Calendar armor - Focus Block #1 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM - Focus Block #2 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM - Catch-up window 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM (this is when I actually open inboxes/ IMs etc). - Status flips to Do Not Disturb so those “quick sync?” invites auto-decline 4️⃣ The polite deferral If someone still taps me on the shoulder, I typically say: “I’m in a focus block, can you give me (insert however much time is remaining) and I’ll swing by.” #deepfocus #productivity #softwareengineer

This 1 simple time management tip has helped me write every day for 1,100+ days in a row: But first, let's start with a brutal truth: If you don't set your own constraints, the world will set them for you. And here's my hunch: If you're reading this post, you have ambitious goals. And those goals require big chunks of focused time and attention. So here's a question for you: Over the last month, how many blocks of focused time and attention have you spent on those goals? Chances are, the number is far lower than you'd like. Because intruding on that time is a never-ending stream of competing distractions. The solution? Sacred Hours. These are blocked-off chunks of time that are, you guessed it, sacred. • Unreachable • No distractions • Fully off the grid • Defended ruthlessly Just you and your work for a dedicated period of time. Now, how do you find that time – especially if you're busy? To find your Sacred Hours, ask yourself these 2 questions: • What time of day am I most productive? • What time of day can I be least responsive? The overlap between these two are your Sacred Hours. Every person's Sacred Hours are unique to them: • For some, it might be 3 hours every morning • For others, it might be 15 minutes 2x per day during their commute But no matter who you are & how hectic your calendar is, you can find this time. Once you choose them, there is 1 crucial step to get the most out of them: With your Sacred Hours chosen, you have to *defend them* ruthlessly. And the best way to do this is to send yourself a calendar invite. Treat this hour as a meeting with yourself – that you can't cancel! Completed daily for a long period of time, these sessions compound. Now, a few quick tips to get the most out of your Sacred Hours: Design your workplace like an airplane cabin. • One task • One screen • No distractions • Music downloaded • Phone on airplane mode There's a reason people get their best writing done on airplanes! As for what you work on, do not waste your Sacred Hours on any kind of shallow, monotonous work. Your Sacred Hours are for the creative, high-leverage, needle-moving work. Define what that work is – then, show up ready to execute on it every day during your Sacred Hours. That's it — I hope you find this helpful! 📌 Want more help building a daily writing habit? Then here's a free 13,000-word Ultimate Guide and 5-day email course with everything you need to start writing, generate ideas, and publish your writing online: https://lnkd.in/eQiV9ae7

After YEARS, I finally admitted the truth: I was addicted to interruptions. Every email notification = immediate response required. Every phone call = must answer right now. Every colleague stopping by = drop everything to chat. I thought I was being responsive and professional. I was actually destroying my productivity. Here's what I learned the hard way: When you let yourself get interrupted every 10 minutes, you never get into deep work mode. That brief that should take 2 hours? It takes 6 hours when you're constantly switching tasks. That research project? Gets pushed to "tomorrow" for weeks. My wake-up call came when I realized: No email is so urgent it can't wait 2 hours. No phone call requires an immediate answer. People don't know if you're in court, in a deposition, or out of the office. What changed everything: • Closed my office door • Told my assistant: no interruptions for 90 minutes • Put my phone on silent • Ignored email completely The result? I got more done in 90 focused minutes than I used to accomplish in half a day. Nothing catastrophic happens when you don't respond to an email for 2 hours. The world doesn't end when you let a call go to voicemail. Your colleagues will survive if they can't interrupt you immediately. But your productivity will transform when you protect your focus time. Stop choosing to be interrupted. Your most important work deserves your undivided attention. #ProductivityTips #LawyerLife #FocusTime