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That "multi-state" view with lots of alternative desktops is important in a job setting; where I may have a desktop with a NMS running, a couple of desktops running various applications; with a large number of windows for development, testing etc of daemons, plus desktops for documentation etc. I usually have a separate "interruptions desktop" for handling phone calls etc.

At least I can serial-task like an old Mac. That is not bad for a male.

I know that mode. Concentration is placed somewhere else than the room you are in.

I usually answer that with a "do you really want the long answer to that", and in which case they will get the answer, even if it takes an hour to explain. It usually shuts them up; and even if they don't get what you actually are talking about they get the complexity level of what is involved, and will be reluctant to disturb you later.

This first state is a rather fun state of mind, and I got there a lot when I was debugging large-scale networks (500+ routers, 1k+ hosts) with complex routing protocol interactions at tens of different places. But this is not a useful set of mind in itself, you must transition this to a "solution-state" mindset. This transition can be challenging and taxing. I guess this is the place where you buttert the "I" above.

I find the next phase the most challenging, when all the loose "inspirational" threads are to be coaxed into a coherent system. This is where I need a large paper sheet or blackboard as "swap space" for the thought threads.

-- mrr