How long do you wait between applying your skincare products?

Whenever I apply my basic skincare products, I find it so hard to figure out the timing for the next step. I used to just apply toner, pat it in roughly, and then quickly swipe on lotion and cream right after. But it suddenly occurred to me that if I apply them like this, the ingredients aren't absorbing into my skin and are just mixing together on the surface and sitting around.

I noticed that people usually wait for at least a few minutes, so for the past few days, I've been trying to apply toner, wait 3 minutes, apply serum, and wait a few more minutes. However, it actually takes quite a long time, and it's just impossible to manage on busy mornings...

Furthermore, if I wait too long before applying the next step, the moisture from the first step actually evaporates into the air, making the inner dryness of my skin worse and leaving my face feeling parched and tight.