First of all, you can easily set the battles to Wait Mode in the Configuration menu. It's much better this way (it always is in the series), as you don't have to rush through menus. Plus, chocobos won't have a chance to run away while you're scrolling to the near-end of the items list for Gysahl Greens.

When spherechanging, I always pause for a couple seconds to orient myself. Better than wasting precious time getting mauled by fiends, you know.