The Time Management Problem in Software
The nature of software development makes it challenging to maintain focus for extended periods.
Most people only get about four hours of real focus per day. For engineers, much of that time is lost to interruptions, context switching, and meetings. In one study of distributed teams, developers spent nearly 17 hours a week in scheduled and unscheduled meetings. Add in Slack threads and Jira updates, and you're left with minutes—not hours—of deep work.
The cost shows up in quality. Interrupted work takes longer and produces more errors. Research on interruptions shows they create "attention residue", where part of your mind lingers on the last task and drags down your ability to solve the next one. "Shallow tasks," such as searching for a link or quickly triaging bugs, can accumulate, leading to rework and extra meetings to address what was rushed.
I've written before about how rework compounds when your work isn't truly complete and how inefficient meetings waste hours of engineering time. Both stem from the same issue: deep work is the exception rather than the rule.
Defining "Deep Work"
The term "deep work" originates from Cal Newport's book of the Same Name. It means focused, distraction-free time spent on complex problems.
For engineers, that includes writing new code, debugging complex issues, and designing systems.
Shallow work is everything else: status updates, triaging bugs, chasing inbox zero, or staying on top of Slack threads. Some of it is necessary, but it's fragmented and doesn't move projects forward on its own.
Engineering problems require extended concentration. When focus time disappears, you don't just lose speed. You lose quality. The gaps appear later as defects, rework, and additional meetings.
The Value of Making Time for Deep Work
Deep work is where engineers make the most impact. Complex bugs are solved, designs are simplified, and systems are built to last.
When that time gets squeezed out, projects slow down. Work gets rushed, issues pile up, and teams spend more hours cleaning up than moving forward.
Making time for deep work enhances quality, reduces rework, and enables teams to deliver results more efficiently. Even a few protected hours each week can shift the outcome of a project.
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Where can AI save you time?
My friends at Big Creek Growth put together a quick survey to spot the repetitive work you can hand off to automation.
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How to Protect Deep Work
Deep work doesn't happen on its own. You have to make space for it. That means adjusting both team norms and your own habits.
At the team level:
- Quiet hours: Agree on blocks of time when meetings and Slack interruptions are paused. Even two mornings a week can make a difference.
- Async by default: Share status updates asynchronously. Use meetings only for decisions or collaboration. (related: How to Run Better Meetings)
- Trim recurring meetings: Challenge invites that don't serve a clear purpose. Every hour saved is an hour back for focus.
At the individual level:
- Block your calendar: Protect 2–3 hour windows for focused work. Treat them as non-negotiable.
- Work with your energy: Some people are more focused in the morning, while others prefer the afternoons. Use that energy for coding or design, not email.
- Control inputs: Use Do Not Disturb in Slack, filter notifications, and keep Jira closed until you're done.
- Utilize AI for routine tasks: Let tools draft updates, summarize meetings, or prepare PR comments. Spend the time you save on real engineering work. (related: How AI Will Transform Your Soft Skills)
The goal isn't to remove shallow work. It's to stop shallow tasks from consuming the hours where you can do your best work.
Managing time in software means protecting the hours when you can actually focus and concentrate.
You can't cut every meeting or mute every notification. Still, you can create the conditions for deep work to happen — by changing team habits, setting boundaries on your calendar, and letting tools handle the noise.
The payoff is higher-quality work, less rework, and projects that move forward instead of sideways.