Why the gap between meetings is hard
Gaps are often only 5–15 minutes. People check messages, open a feed, or ruminate about the next call. When the next meeting starts, working memory still holds fragments of the last one—so new information is harder to load.
You do not need a long session. You need a bounded short round that pulls attention away from social apps and back to one clear task.
A 5-minute routine
- Mute notifications for 2 minutes—or flip the phone face down. The gap’s value is not being punctured by new stimuli.
- Pick the simplest drill: after a noisy meeting, prefer the Schulte grid; if the next session needs holding points or numbers, pick N-back.
- Commit to one round only. Stop at the results screen—do not rematch until you are late.
- Write one sentence for the next meeting (e.g., “confirm the timeline”). Attach the focus you just built to real work.
When not to drill
- Less than ~3 minutes left: stand, water, restroom—do not start a round you cannot finish.
- High anxiety / racing heart: ten slow breaths first, then decide.
- You must speak immediately: outline talking points instead of opening a drill.
With timers and to-do lists
Short drills switch state; timers and to-dos protect work blocks. On meeting-heavy days, place one round before the first morning session, after lunch, and before the afternoon slot where you usually drift. Review weekly trends—not every single score.
See also daily practice habit and focus after short video.
Next step
Open the play list for one round, or read the Schulte / N-back explainers. Full path: home.