Dedicated Maker Time
Back in 2009, Paul Graham wrote about Makers and Managers, and how their schedules differ. I try very hard to remain on a Maker's Schedule, but in a mostly-remote company like mine, it is very difficult and even antisocial to avoid speaking with your teammates. Unfortunately, I am the sort of person who feels compelled to click the little red badges on my iPhone. Campfire and Skype have the same effect on me: no matter the subject, I am strongly motivated to pay attention and reply often. I'm constantly switching tasks between work and communication, which is starting to eat away at any hope of productivity.
This week, I'm going to try an experiment: I will be deliberate with my time. Today I started at 9, and spent 3.5 hours shuffling email and talking to coworkers. That's my communication and teamwork quota; now it's time to be asocial and write some dang code. Campfire and Skype will both be hidden, but I will still be interruptible by people who are looking for me. I assume that they know about quiet working conditions, so I can trust that any interruptions that knock me out of the zone are worthwhile.