Ive switched to using Pomodoro timers just for my own personal reasons. I find that constantly switching back and forth on a task forces me to be more explicit

Ive switched to using Pomodoro timers just for my own personal reasons. I find that constantly switching back and forth on a task forces me to be more explicit and keeps me fresher. It takes some adjusting, but I've found that I can do pretty high level stuff that way, and keep it in my head just fine as long as I schedule distractions. (Ex: I've recently been working through knot/tangle theory, to try and get up-to-snuff so I can work on higher dimension TQFTs.) It also lets me just ignore people who interrupt me during one with a quick "I'm busy, I'll be with you in (X<25)" or "Ask me in (X<25)". Sometimes the response they get during that break-time convo is that I'll get back to them even later, I need to think about it. But it's surprising how quickly people will pick up that if they bother you on the hour or half past, you'll respond and othertimes you'll blow them off.