An appointment starts late and you reach for a saved article. Then you notice unread messages and begin replying. When your name is called, you are halfway through a conversation you would rather finish.
Carry an optional activity that is easy to interrupt, such as a few pages of a book or a note of ideas. Leave work with a hard deadline for a setting where you can give it the attention it requires. Waiting rooms and delayed trains rarely offer a dependable amount of time.
Choose an easy stopping point
If you use the wait, close the activity at a paragraph or a completed note. Keep sensitive work off a screen that others can read. You can also spend the time observing the surroundings or simply sitting, especially after a crowded morning.
Notice whether your waiting activity makes you reluctant to respond when the wait ends. If so, choose something lighter next time. A useful option gives you a choice during a delay; it does not need to fill every available minute or leave you with another unfinished obligation.
