I designed a system for productive software engineers to minimize interruptions in their team
Stop the "Hero Complex" and constant DMs. Learn to build communication interfaces that minimize interruptions and turn reactive noise into focused productivity
Hi everyone!
As we approach the end of the year, I wish you a fantastic 2026 filled with productive work and focus. To help make this your best year yet, remember that I’m offering a 25% discount on a full year of premium content (claim it now). As I mentioned in the second anniversary post, I am introducing more exclusive articles for paid subscribers that provide clear, easily applied productivity techniques. This guide is the first of this actionable content outside our regular schedule of a post every Sunday, and I hope you find this new format valuable.
One of my mantras at work and for this newsletter is that "The best software engineers do not just write code. They build the processes that allow them to write code”. So let’s get into building today’s process to minimize interruptions in your team
Imagine this standup update: “I was answering onboarding questions, jumping to a bug in the release candidate, and then dropping everything because my manager pinged me about a new intake”. On the surface, it feels good. Being the person everyone comes to for answers validates your importance. You might even believe that this level of responsiveness is the fastest path to promotion.
It isn’t. In fact, you are likely delivering less value than ever.
I realized this the hard way when my manager pinged me to check a new request, only for me to discover another engineer had been pinged for the same thing. We were both wasting expensive engineering hours on the same task, unaware of each other, because we lacked a clear communication interface. We didn’t have a process; we just had people reacting to noise. To reach the next level of impact, you have to stop seeking validation through “helpfulness” and start building systems that make your physical presence redundant.
In this post, you will learn a proven technique to reclaim your deep work hours and solve the constant noise of incoming requests.