I totally sympathize!

I’m definitely a “makager” sometimes, but usually I want that long, uninterrupted time when I can focus deep on a project for a few hours. If I have a short 30 minute gap of time before or after a meeting, I don’t know what to do with myself.

You’ve outlined this conflict in scheduling mentalities perfectly. I feel that struggle all the time — as it definitely does require a thift in mental modes to transition from creating to meeting.

Thankfully, as a freelancer, I’ve managed to control my schedule enough that interruptive meetings are kept to a minimum.