Accomplish More with Task Batching

Organizing the flow of daily tasks can be a nightmare. Many of us get stuck in the mode of simply doing what's in front of us. It's like a dog chasing his tail - you just do the first thing that appears and when the next thing appears, you jump to that. Little thought goes into it. You're just trying to keep up and get as much done as possible.

Of course, this isn't very productive. In fact, it actually works against you most of the time. Why? Because you end up pulled in a million directions at once. You have no focus. You bounce around from task to task without ever really getting in the "groove". As a writer, I struggled with this all the time. I was having trouble meeting deadlines because every time I sat down to write, I got distracted by an incoming email, a phone call, or some other task begging for my attention.

So, when I learned about Task Batching, it completely changed my work flow. Perhaps it can help you as well.

What is Task Batching?

The concept is simple: instead of doing each task as it arrives, compile them together with similar tasks and process them all at once at one designated time. For example, instead of reviewing your email throughout the day (and letting each message distract you), set aside a specific period of time each day to read and answer all of your messages. Maybe you'll need to set aside two periods of time each day.

For me, I've set aside all of my writing projects to happen at two different times throughout the week. This way, I'm not trying to squeeze it in between phone calls or emails or PowerPoint presentations. I've also set aside a specific period of time to do all of my research for my articles at once. This way, I'm not bouncing back and forth between researching and writing. When I research, I research. When I write, I write.

Benefits of Batching:

Batching is helpful for many reasons, but the two that are most relevant for me are the following:

Reduces start up and slow down time

Every task you work on requires a certain amount of time to get in the "groove". This is especially obvious with something like writing. When I first sit down, I usually have a few minutes of just getting in zone, staring at a blank screen, compiling my thoughts. Once I get going though, I can really rock and roll. Why would I want to experience that start up time over and over again? If I just try to squeeze writing in throughout the day, I'll end up going through that 3 or 4 times every single day. A huge waste of time! But once I'm in the zone, I want to get as much accomplished as possible. If I've set aside the time to do 4 or 5 articles at once, I'll get through them all incredibly quickly.

This is the same for almost every task you do. Think about when you get started working on spreadsheet. It takes you a minute to familiarize yourself with what you're looking at. What are these columns for? What does this formula mean? But once you're going, you get it. Why stop and start again later? Perhaps you update the same spreadsheet every day. If you batched all of that work and updated it once a week instead, you'd save an enormous amount of time by avoiding that orientation period.

Every task also has a slow down time associated with it. Consider a manual task like putting together marketing packets. Maybe you spend your start up time getting out all of the materials, the stapler, the postage machine, etc. When you're done, you also have slow down time spent putting all of these things away. If you have to make marketing packets, you probably want to do them all at once to avoid repeating that time spent setting up and tearing down. This time might not seem like a lot, but it adds up quickly.

Improves focus

By creating a batching system for your tasks, you give your brain permission to focus on one thing at a time. When you're writing, you're only writing. There is no need to worry about what is happening in your inbox. That will be handled at the scheduled time. Batching gives you the freedom to really concentrate on the task at hand. And the longer you work on a task, the easier it gets. This is the idea of "flow" or "getting in the zone".

How to Batch:

There are a variety of ways you can batch items together. But here are the two most common:

By Task

Put together tasks that are similar, such as:

• Reading and answering e-mail
• Making phone calls
• Writing
• Reading articles/researching
• Planning
• Cleaning
• Filing
• Meetings

Schedule a time for each batch of tasks and allow yourself to focus solely on that at the appropriate time. If you are worried about the reaction of those you work with, discuss your new system with them. Let them know when they can expect you to return email and phone calls. Give them a time when you're available for meetings. If you have to take control of your day, your co-workers and supervisors will understand and support you.

By Location

Most of us very naturally batch by location in our everyday lives. Going downtown to the mall? Why not hit the pet store while you're there? And the grocery store on the way home?

You can do the same thing in your office. When you go to the copy room, take all of your copy items with you. Don't just go back and forth throughout the day doing one item at a time. Same for the fax machine.

Give batching a try and let us know what you think! I love it and use it daily.