Citation
Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule
TL;DR
Makers need half-day or full-day blocks for deep work
This influential essay articulated a framework that transformed how tech companies think about time allocation. Graham identified two fundamentally incompatible work modes: makers (who need long uninterrupted blocks) and managers (who operate in 30-60 minute intervals).
The essay explained why a single 30-minute meeting can destroy a maker's entire morning and provided the intellectual foundation for 'No Meeting' day policies adopted by companies like Shopify, Slack, and Asana.
Key Findings from Graham (2009)
- Makers need half-day or full-day blocks for deep work
- Managers operate on 30-60 minute intervals
- Single meeting can destroy 3+ hours of maker productivity
- Context switching costs are asymmetric between work modes