1. A system, comprising: a graphics processing unit (GPU); a central processing unit (CPU) configured to: process an execution thread; and generate a plurality of work units related to the execution thread, wherein each work unit includes one or more associated processing tasks; write each of the work units to a buffer; assign one or more of the plurality of work units to the GPU; halt processing of the execution thread; enter an interrupt mode from a polling mode; and wherein the GPU is configured to: access the one or more of the plurality of work units from the buffer; execute the one or more associated processing tasks included in each one of the one or more of the plurality of work units; write an indication of progress of executing the one or more associated processing tasks included in each of the one or more of the plurality of work units in a memory; and send an interrupt signal to the CPU dependent upon completion of a subset of the one or more work units, wherein a particular work unit is complete when the one or more associated processing tasks included in the particular work unit have finished executing; wherein the CPU is further configured to: repeatedly read the indication of progress from the memory; and estimate an amount of work remaining to be performed by the GPU based on the indication of progress; switch from the interrupt mode to the polling mode in response to a determination that the amount of work remaining is less than a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is dependent upon an operational mode of the CPU, and wherein the operational mode is one of at least a high performance mode or a low performance mode; while operating in the interrupt mode, resume processing of the execution thread in response to a determination that a first time period has elapsed or in response to receiving the interrupt signal; and while operating in the polling mode, resume processing of the execution thread in response to a determination that a second time period has elapsed or in response to receiving the interrupt signal, wherein the second time period is less than the first time period.