Create a 'Parking Lot' for Ideas That Pop Up During Focused Work

You're deep in a task when a random thought appears: "I should reply to that message," "I need to look up flights," "What if we tried a different approach?" If you chase it, you lose your focus. If you try to hold it in memory, it nags at you.

Keep a notepad or a blank document next to you. When an unrelated thought pops up, write it down in one line and go right back to work. You'll process it later — but your flow stays intact now.