If I could point to a common trait of Product Manager positions, whether the focus is technical or marketing, it’s that Product Managers spend much of their time in what I call interruption mode. Interruption mode is when it seems like everyone, from the CEO to the UPS delivery man, pops into your office to ask you questions or seek your help on projects as varied as requirements, RFPs, press releases, and collateral.

These kinds of interruptions could easily take up your entire workweek. I’ve had days which were nothing but interruptions, by phone and in person.

But Product Managers also have critical components of their jobs which require extended concentration to produce. Projects such as requirements documents, user stories, articles and presentations all demand blocks of time where you can create and polish them.

The struggle, then, is to figure out how to carry out these two conflicting aspects of your Product Manager job. Read on for tips on how to carve out concentration time for your bigger projects and yet be available as an as-needed resource for teammates who need your help to get their work done.