The two-minute rule says that if you can deal with it in under 2 minutes, do it right then. In some cases, I think this is a good rule. But in others, I think batching is a better way to go.
What Is Batching?
Batching is grouping like tasks together and getting them done. They don’t all have to be the same task – you can batch by location or equipment. For instance, you could update your calendar, pay for your pet licenses, and process your email in a batch, because you can do all these things on your computer.
The Benefits of Batching
Batching is a powerful way to get the most out of what you are doing.
- Eliminate context switching. Every time you must pull you attention away from what you are doing, you incur a cost in your attention. Batching allows you to minimize this by keeping context switching to a minimum. After all, batching is about staying in the same context.
- Remove tasks from other days. Context switching is most apparent when done within a small time period. But you can move tasks to other days to make the batching easier, saving context switching over a longer period. If you know you will sit down at your desk on Monday, you can wait to deal with the papers you receive today.
How To Batch
Batching is easy when you understand how to group tasks together.
- Locate similar tasks. Look for tasks that have to be done in the same room or area (example: prepping breakfasts for the week and unloading the dishwasher). Look for tasks that need the same equipment (example: calling the doctor’s office and calling your insurance agent). Look for tasks that involve the same skills (example: entering a new appointment on the calendar and typing up meeting notes).
Advanced Skill: Schedule Your Batching
To really take advantage of batching, you can set up certain days and times when you will batch. Having a day when you do major food preparation saves time throughout the week. Having an evening when you take care of bills, filing and other paperwork can give you a concentrated period to work on these important things – without having to worry about them getting lost or behind.
However, if you use this approach, make sure you don’t move that day around. If you have a desk day scheduled, make sure you do this the same time every week. If this isn’t possible on a given week, do it as soon as possible. Otherwise you can end up with a week being skipped.
Conclusion
Batching is a great way to minimize context switching and get more done in the same amount of time. Do you have any tips for batching? Share below.
