Standup, a grooming, a 1:1, two "quick syncs" — by the time I'm finally in flow, someone's calendar invite pulls me right back out. I don't feel senior enough to decline meetings.
How do people carve out actual uninterrupted blocks without coming across as difficult or checked-out?
Ninety real minutes is more than a lot of people get, honestly. What helped me: block one no-meeting slot and defend it like an actual meeting, because an empty calendar gets colonized instantly. Even two protected hours beats a whole day of fragments where you never reach flow.
Block "focus time" on your own calendar like it's a meeting — people respect a busy slot way more than a vague "I need quiet." And batch your syncs into one afternoon if you can. You're not being difficult; protecting maker time is literally part of doing the job well.
