Respect the half-day.
Paul Graham's 2009 essay named it: managers work in one-hour slots, makers in half-days. A single meeting costs them very different amounts.
Manager schedule
The Hour Is The Unit
“Just another slot.”
- Meetings are the work
- Switching is normal
- 30 min costs 30 min
Maker schedule
The Half-Day Is The Unit
“That meeting ruined my afternoon.”
- Building needs long runs
- Start-up time is high
- 30 min can cost half a day
Bridging
Design For Both
“Meet at the edges.”
- Meetings next to lunch or end of day
- Manager office hours
- Batched meeting days
Source: Paul Graham ↗
Respect the half-day.