Batching Is Your New Best Friend

The best tool to boost your productivity.

Oh batching, where have you been all my life?!

Seriously, I don’t know why it has taken me so long to jump on the batching bandwagon, but boy am I glad I finally have!

I am so much more productive, organised and aware of where my time goes. And not just with writing, but also home and social life too.

Honestly, I sucked at multi-tasking. I became distracted too quickly, spent too much time on unimportant tasks or focused on the wrong priority. I half finished heaps of different things, and it would take me twice as long to actually complete a project then what it should have.

With batching I am able to prioritise tasks and actually get them done without distractions.

What is not to love about that?!

What is batching?

So what is this miraculous “batching” that has completely changed the way I do EVERYTHING?! And I really do mean everything. From my content writing business and novel writing to chores and running the household, batching is now my go to time management method.

Batching is the grouping of similar tasks to be completed in a set time block that aids in streamlining your day.

It is really just another form of time management. Batching suits my needs and lifestyle at this point in time, especially with the tight time constraints working around my children and family commitments.

Batching is SIMILAR to the pomodoro technique, but also different!

It is similar to the Pomodoro technique.

The Pomodoro technique is super simple. You choose a task from your to-do list, set a timer for 25 minutes and work on that task until the timer goes off. You don’t allow any distractions like social media, making a cup of tea or eating. Just work for that 25minutes without stopping.

Batching is similar, however you aren’t simply doing one task. Such as a blog post from start to finish.

You work on similar tasks in that time window, such as outlining several blog posts at once. By grouping similar tasks together in the one time window you maintain your flow of thought and creativity, cut down on wasted time and find that large projects will be easier to manage.

Why you should be using batching for productivity and time management.

The question should really be, why wouldn’t you use batching?

There are so many benefits to using batching for time management. It really has increased my productivity and makes me feel more in control of my days.

Better work flow.

As you don’t switch constantly between tasks, you are able to focus and achieve a better work flow. By staying focused on similar tasks you will find yourself “in the zone” quicker and your work will become easier.

You will find your productivity, creativity and mental focus are that much sharper and more effective as you are not switching constantly between completely different tasks.

Cut down on wasted time and procrastination.

By setting a timer and concentrating on that group of tasks you will cut down on wasted time and procrastination.

Every time you become distracted in can take an average of 15 minutes to regain your focus. 15 minutes!

Imagine if you are scrolling Facebook or Instagram, answering phone calls or surfing the internet every 5 minutes when you are meant to be working. Then add another 15 minutes to regain your focus. That really adds up over the course of a day.

Large projects are easier to manage and less intimidating.

This batching technique is great for breaking big projects into smaller, less intimidating tasks.

For example, previously I would have written “write article” on my to-do list. Now I break that article into several steps, such as research, outline, draft, edit and final copy. I still keep a “master to-do list” of all current projects, however I break all those projects down and pencil them into my batching timeframe.

So if I have 3 articles I need to write in one week, rather then work on one after the other after the other I outline all of them before moving onto the next batch task. Which would be research or drafting.

I find that by breaking all my projects down and working on them this way, they are much more manageable. I feel inspired and motivated to work on them, rather then overwhelmed. As we all know if you feel overwhelmed you are less inclined to work.

The “how-to” of batching.

Shannon Ashley has this great article on batching for blog writing:

Still not sure about batching or how to get started? Here are a few ideas of batching “windows” to get you started.

• Email: set aside batches of time to check, sort and respond to your emails.
• Social Media: Limit your time on social media, whether personal or business related.
• Blogging: I break this down into different time windows of researching, outlining, writing, editing, creating graphics/images etcetera.
• Cleaning: This is a huge winner for me! I block out a time window to get my big weekly whole house clean done. I usually schedule it for the same time and day of the week to help with routine. It has really helped me to keep on top of the housework.
• Planning: I usual set aside a few hours on Sunday evening for planning.

How to get started with batching.

It may take a bit of getting used to, and moving things around until you find a batching timeframe and process that works for you. I assure you though, all the time and effort to set it up is worth it.

I have a master to-do list of all my current projects and tasks that need completing. I use a combination of Asana and paper and pen (old school but there is magic in writing things down on paper).

Top Tip: Use coloured post it notes to write down your “tasks”. Pop these into a paper planner to help create your batching schedule.

I then break each project down on this master list and schedule it into my weekly batching schedule.

Have a look at my example below to get an idea of what it looks like in practice. Keep in mind that you can have as many time windows over the course of the day as you want or need.

Each window is generally about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how much work I have on for that week.

The weekends I leave for planning, creating an editorial and content calendar, a social media calendar and to finish up any unfinished business.

So there you have it. Simple, right?

Using this method I really feel like my stress levels have decreased, I have more time and I am much more productive. I absolutely LOVE batching!

Have you tired it? Or do you have some other time management tool that you are absolutely in love with?

Check out these other posts on planning and organisation for families and working parents:

• A Different Type Of Date Night. — Calm the chaos with family planning days.
• Quick Lunch Box Hacks For Time Poor Parents
• Working From Home With Children — Top tips to keep children occupied so you can work productively.
• Time Saving Tips For Busy Families — A 6-week rotating meal plan!
• How To Set Boundaries as a Freelance Writer and WAHM.
• How To Balance Work and Life — The secret to a successful life.

Rachel Maree is a writer, mum and registered nurse. Bringing you the real truth to parenting, nursing and writing (even when it is downright ugly). You can learn more or hire her to write amazing content for you — Rachel Maree.

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