At a glance
Before switching away from unfinished work, record where you stopped, the next concrete action, and any unresolved question. Keep that note with the task and identify a realistic return point. When you come back, check that the plan still applies and begin with the recorded action rather than reconstructing the whole session.
To resume an interrupted task, leave a short note that identifies the exact stopping point and the next action. Include the file or section you need, what remains uncertain, and when you intend to return. If the interruption leaves no time to write, reconstruct those details as soon as you can.
What should a restart note contain?
A task title describes the work you intend to finish. A restart note describes its current state. “Finish the proposal” may still be the right title, but it does not tell you which estimate was unresolved when the phone rang.
Use four short prompts:
- Stopped at: the file, page, section, or step you reached.
- Next action: the first observable thing to do when you return.
- Still unresolved: a question, dependency, or choice that remains open.
- Return point: the next workable session or a condition that must be met first.
Link to the working file or name its location clearly. A note saying “check the numbers” still leaves you searching. “Compare the two estimates in the printing section against the supplier email” gives you a place to begin.
What does the research support?
A University of Washington report on research by Sophie Leroy and Theresa Glomb describes a short plan made before switching tasks. In the reported studies, that plan reduced lingering attention to the unfinished work and improved performance on the interrupting task.
The researchers did not test whether participants performed better on the original task after returning. Use the note here as a practical record of your place, without assuming a guaranteed speed or productivity gain. The four prompts and example below are an editorial application, not the study's tested template.
Worked example: a proposal interrupted halfway through
Imagine a freelance consultant is preparing a proposal when an agreed client call begins. The introduction and scope are complete, but the delivery estimate is unfinished. Instead of leaving “finish proposal” as the only cue, the consultant adds this fictional note:
Stopped at: proposal draft, delivery-plan section. Introduction and agreed scope are written; the estimate table is incomplete.
Next action: compare the workshop preparation estimate with the notes from the last similar assignment, then fill the preparation row.
Still unresolved: client has not confirmed the attendee count. Keep the workshop timing provisional until that answer arrives.
Return point: the afternoon proposal session after the call. If the call overruns, choose a new block before ending the day.
On returning, the consultant checks for the attendee reply, opens the named section, and starts with the preparation row. If the reply has not arrived, the consultant can still work on the estimate while keeping the dependency visible. The note prevents an assumption from quietly turning into a confirmed promise.
If the task must wait for someone else, make your next action a specific follow-up. The guide to due dates and scheduled work helps distinguish a time reserved for checking from a date promised for delivery.
Use a short return routine
- Read the note before reopening everything. Open the named file or location first. Avoid rebuilding an entire browser session when one document is enough.
- Check what changed. Look for the specific input or decision the note says is unresolved. Reconfirm the plan if a client reply changes the work.
- Do the recorded next action. If it is too broad to start, reduce it to one concrete step.
- Update the note at the next stopping point. Remove obsolete directions, or retain them as dated context when a changed decision matters.
A restart note cannot make an obsolete task worth doing. If the work no longer supports the project, revise or close it through your normal planning process. Keep a useful reference separately rather than repeatedly scheduling a task you have decided not to complete.
Keep the note with the work in ProjectBook
Put the restart note in the task description and schedule a return session in the daily planner. Add an estimated duration if it helps you reserve a workable block. This is a manual habit using ordinary task fields, rather than automatic recording of your applications or browser tabs.
For a short interruption, keep the project active and update the task's next step. If the whole project needs to stop for longer, use the project pause and restart guide to reconsider commitments and dependencies at that larger scale.
Adjust the habit to the interruption
Before a predictable meeting, reserve enough time to leave a few useful lines. During an urgent interruption, respond to the urgent need first and capture your place afterward. For repetitive work with an obvious next step, a single line may be sufficient.
If you keep postponing the return session, review whether the task still fits your available time. A better note does not solve an overloaded schedule. Browse the productivity guides for help shaping the next work block once the task and its next action are clear.
From ideas to a clearer week