When you are deep in work and someone interrupts, or when you finish one task and jump to another, the transition feels jarring. Your mind needs a moment to shift gears. Give it that moment.
Before you switch tasks, set a two-minute timer. Use this time to finish your current thought, close what you are working on, and mentally prepare for what comes next. This is not wasted time. It is transition time.
This practice works for interruptions too. When someone needs your attention, say “Give me two minutes to finish this thought.” Then use those two minutes to properly close what you are doing before you shift your attention.
Try it today. Before each task switch, pause for two minutes. Notice how much smoother your transitions become when you give your mind time to shift between activities.