Do you find your productivity dropping as the year wears on? Use Time Batching to give yourself that productivity boost you need today. This article will delve into the concept of Time Batching, including how it works and what you stand to gain with it.
What is Time Batching?
Do you ever find yourself easily distracted from your tasks? Or do you unknowingly work for such long hours that you get burnt out easily? These are both symptoms of bad time management that could really hurt your productivity. That’s where Time Batching becomes useful. It refers to a productivity method that helps you organise your time well. In this method, you “batch” your tasks by working on similar tasks at each time. This way, you won’t get distracted by multitasking and you’ll have plenty of time to take the breaks that you need.
What types of tasks can I batch together?
In general, you can batch two types of tasks together — either shallow or deep-focus activities. Shallow tasks are administrative or quick things that you can check off your to-do list easily. Deep-focus tasks, on the other hand, involve tasks that require maximum energy and minimal distractions. By batching tasks of a similar nature together, you won’t have to jump from shallow to deep-focus tasks. This means you’ll be more efficient and productive within each of these individual categories.
Is Time Batching the best time management technique for me?
There are plenty of time management techniques for you to choose from. How would you know if Time Batching suits you the best? Well, in general, this technique is most favoured by the following types of people:
- Those who struggle to focus on one task at a time.
- People who get distracted easily from their environments.
- Individuals working on sometimes repetitive tasks.
On the other hand, Time Batching is generally not suitable for those with highly variable tasks, as this makes it difficult for them to effectively batch tasks together.
Tips for better Time Batching
Are you new to Time Batching? Follow these tips to practice better Time Batching.
- Group tasks of a similar nature together. This means putting high-focus tasks and minimal-focus tasks in two different groups. Subsequently, start with one group and complete the tasks. Next, take a break, then move on to the next group.
- Use a Timeqube to help. Time Batching is most effective when you set a time limit for each group of tasks. This can be a stressful task, so you should use a mindful timer like a Timeqube. A Timeqube is an unobtrusive timer that changes color with the passing of time. That means no ticking or blaring alarms!
- Set reminders. Remind yourself to stay on track and complete your tasks.
- Switch off your social media notifications. These serve as distractions that could really affect your productivity throughout the batching process.
- Get your friends involved. Make productivity a team effort. Tell your colleagues about Time Batching and get everyone involved. After all, productivity is best executed as a team more so than as an individual.
