Count the switches that ate the day
An evening count of how many times you changed context today, flagged when fragmentation wins
- Runs while your laptop is closed
- Reports in Littlebird and by email
- Free plan includes 5 routines
You switched context 31 times today, and your longest focus stretch was 25 minutes.
- Busiest stretch: from 1:00 to 1:45 PM, you moved between email and the Birdseed Brands proposal 12 times.
- Meetings: four calls spread from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM left no gap longer than 45 minutes.
- Try tomorrow: your calendar is clear from 9:00 to 11:00 AM, so the proposal could come before email.
The problem
Nobody feels the ninth context switch. They feel the 6pm exhaustion and the strange fact that nothing is finished, and they blame the work instead of the switching.
A day cut into forty pieces costs more than the same day cut into eight. The cost is invisible until you count it.
What it does
Every evening, this routine counts how often you switched between projects and tasks during the day, and flags the days that got too fragmented to do deep work.
Once the pattern has a number, it gets managed. Meeting clustering, batched messages, and a defended morning: the fixes become obvious when the count is in front of you.
Try the prompt
Copy it into a new Littlebird routine, then set the days and times that fit your schedule
- Open Littlebird and go to Routines. Open the menu next to New Routine and choose Set up manually.
- Paste the prompt into Instructions, then set the days and time under Run.
- Littlebird runs it on schedule from then on. You can pause or edit it anytime. Auto-pause is on by default and pauses it if reports go unread.
You can also choose Create with Littlebird and describe the routine in chat.
Every evening count how many times I switched between different projects or tasks today and flag the cost
Why make it a routine?
Skills are a good demo. You open a chat, paste in yesterday's context, and get a pretty solid answer exactly once.
Tomorrow you do the whole thing again: same paste, same wait. The skill does not know your meetings, your threads, or what changed since Monday.
This routine knows all of that before it runs. It fires on schedule and hands you the result where you already work.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a context switch?
Moving between distinct projects or task types. Not every alt-tab counts, only the meaningful jumps that restart your focus.
Is this surveillance?
No. It counts patterns in your own context for your own use, and the report is visible only to you. Nothing is sold.
How is Littlebird priced?
Basic is free, and Plus is $17 a month ($20 month-to-month) after a free 14-day trial. Pro starts at $100 a month, Team starts at $17 a seat, and Plus for students is $15 a month.
Can my Windows teammates use it?
Yes. Littlebird runs on Mac and Windows, so a Windows machine works fine.
More routines like this one
Put Littlebird to work
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