ClearTheDecks is the name of a strategy for setting an increased priority on small tasks that are individually not a high priority but have a small scope.  Someone is waiting for them and they become a nagging influence on the main task.  So allocate time and grant them an interrupt to be serviced, i.e. do em and hang their low priority.  Then they are out of the way.  The triggering condition for clearing the decks becomes a cultural thing.

--RaySchneider