[schaefer]

what works for me in this case is to pop in a single ear bud and turn on an audio book I've already listened to.

because there is a narrative, it shuts down rumination. because there's nothing novel, my brain is quite happy to drift off to escape the tedium.

[marknutter]

My god, this is not only exactly what I've done for years, but you described it in exactly the same way I describe it when telling people about it, almost word for word.