The idiom "shift gears" means to change one's focus or approach to a situation. It comes from the idea of changing gears in a car to adjust to different driving conditions.
For example, if you are working on a difficult project and you are stuck, you might need to shift gears and take a break or try a different approach. Or if you are having a conversation with someone and the topic suddenly changes, you might need to shift gears and adjust your response accordingly.
You can also use this idiom to describe someone else's behavior. For instance, if a friend is usually serious but suddenly starts telling jokes, you could say that they shifted gears.
Overall, "shift gears" is a useful idiom to describe the need to adjust one's approach or behavior in response to changing circumstances.
• After years of working in finance, I decided to shift gears and pursue my passion for writing, which has been a fulfilling career change.
• Our company needs to shift gears and focus on digital marketing instead of traditional advertising.
• As the CEO of the company, I had to shift gears and make some tough decisions to keep the business afloat during the pandemic.
• I need to shift gears and start studying for my English exam.
• After a long day at work, I like to shift gears by doing some yoga.
• I am a multitasker, so I can easily shift gears between different projects.