Move meeting requests that land on maker blocks…
When a meeting request arrives during a blocked maker session, move the meeting to a manager-mode block rather than accepting the fragmentation—treat maker blocks with equal calendar commitment as external client meetings.
When This Fires
- When a meeting invitation arrives for a time slot blocked for deep work
- When you notice your maker blocks are consistently overwritten by meetings
- When implementing Consolidate meetings into 1-2 designated days — meeting… (meeting consolidation) and needing the enforcement habit
- When the social pressure to "just accept" a meeting conflicts with deep work protection
Common Failure Mode
The "just this once" exception: accepting one meeting during a maker block because "it's important" or "they really need this time." Each exception signals that maker blocks are negotiable, and the frequency of exceptions increases until maker blocks exist only on paper.
The Protocol
(1) When a meeting request arrives during a maker block, do not accept. Instead, respond: "I have a commitment at that time. Would [alternative time during a manager block] work?" (2) Treat this as a non-negotiable default, not a preference. Just as you wouldn't double-book a client meeting, don't double-book a maker block. (3) If the requester insists on the specific time, evaluate: is this genuinely urgent and time-sensitive, or is it convenience? True urgency (rare) justifies the exception. Convenience (common) doesn't. (4) Keep maker blocks visible on your calendar — label them "Focus Time" or "Deep Work" so others can see they're booked. (5) Track: how many maker blocks survived the week intact? If fewer than 80% survive, your enforcement isn't strong enough.