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Developer Focus Time Management
Developers need uninterrupted focus time to do their best work—context switching between tasks and interruptions destroys productivity. GitScrum's async-first features reduce the need for synchronous interruptions while keeping teams aligned, protecting the deep work time that produces great software.
The Cost of Interruptions
| Context Switch | True Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 interruption | 23 minutes to recover |
| 4 interruptions/day | ~1.5 hours lost |
| 8 interruptions/day | ~3 hours lost |
| Constant availability | Zero deep work |
Focus Time Strategies
FOCUS BLOCKS CALENDAR PATTERN
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MONDAY │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ 9:00-9:30 Standup │ │
│ ├─────────────────────────────────────────┤ │
│ │ 9:30-12:00 🔒 FOCUS TIME │ │
│ │ No meetings allowed │ │
│ ├─────────────────────────────────────────┤ │
│ │ 12:00-13:00 Lunch │ │
│ ├─────────────────────────────────────────┤ │
│ │ 13:00-14:00 Meetings OK │ │
│ ├─────────────────────────────────────────┤ │
│ │ 14:00-17:00 🔒 FOCUS TIME │ │
│ │ No meetings allowed │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Result: 5.5 hours focus time │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Team Focus Time Agreement
TEAM FOCUS TIME POLICY
1. NO MEETING ZONES
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Morning block: 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM │
│ Afternoon block: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM │
│ │
│ Meetings only scheduled: │
│ • Before 9:30 AM │
│ • 12:00 - 2:00 PM (lunch flex) │
│ • After 4:30 PM │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
2. MEETING-FREE DAYS
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Wednesday = No Internal Meetings │
│ (External/customer meetings only by exception) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
3. COMMUNICATION NORMS
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ During focus time: │
│ • DMs/Slack: 2-4 hour response expected │
│ • @mentions: End of focus block │
│ • Phone call: Emergency only (P0) │
│ • Email: Same day │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Individual Focus Practices
DEVELOPER FOCUS TOOLKIT
NOTIFICATION MANAGEMENT:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ During focus: │
│ ✓ Close email │
│ ✓ Slack DND mode │
│ ✓ Phone on silent │
│ ✓ Close browser tabs │
│ ✓ Single task only │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
SIGNALING FOCUS:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ • Calendar: "Focus Time - Do Not Book" │
│ • Slack status: 🎯 "Deep Work until 12pm" │
│ • Physical: Headphones on = do not disturb │
│ • Location: Quiet area / WFH │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
FOCUS SESSION STRUCTURE:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 1. Define single goal for session │
│ 2. Gather everything needed │
│ 3. Set timer (45-90 min blocks) │
│ 4. Work on only that goal │
│ 5. Short break between blocks │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Best Practices
- Block focus time on calendar as recurring events
- Batch meetings on specific days/times
- Use async communication as default
- Set status indicators when in focus mode
- Establish team agreement everyone respects
- Create physical signals (headphones, signs)
- Start with small blocks and expand
- Measure and share productivity improvements
Anti-Patterns
✗ "Quick question" interruptions
✗ Meetings scattered throughout the day
✗ Expected immediate response to all messages
✗ No calendar boundaries
✗ Open office without quiet zones
✗ Measuring presence over output