This Time Hack Saves 75% Of My Time | How To Batch Everything!

The “How”

Finding and figuring out an effective way to approach batching and maximize productivity in a way that makes sense for you can feel intimidating if you’re new to the game. 

Yet, the truth is that it’s all about finding what works best for YOU and doing it in a way that allows you to reach your goals and maximize your effectiveness. 

Whether you’ll benefit from weekly, monthly, quarterly, or even yearly batches of work depends on the type of task or your lifestyle/goals; there is no ‘one-size fits all’ rule.

Batching may look different depending on who uses it, but its primary purpose stays consistent- 

Helping people streamline their processes through a tailored strategy to get more stuff done!

The “Why”

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by trying to complete multiple tasks at once? You’re not alone! 

Studies have shown that the human brain can’t focus on more than one task at a time. 

The notion of multitasking doesn’t actually exist- we are just shifting rapidly from activity to activity thinking we’re getting things done. We’re actually just ‘context switching.’

Research conducted at Princeton University concluded that for each additional responsibility taken on, there’s an exponential amount of time lost.

For example, adding just one extra task to your plate results in losing 20% of your time efficiency and reaches a whopping 75% once you’ve switched to your fifth task 🤯

How to maximize productivity with batching

Rather than clumping multiple tasks together and losing precious time, it only makes sense to group one job while you’re in a consistent flow and get ahead before jumping into other tasks!

You’ll maximize productivity by saving yourself from the repetitive process of preparing to start your task repeatedly.

On that note, let’s look at what batching looks like and how it can save you exponential amounts of time ⌛

#1. Planning

I covered how I batch my “planning” tasks in my blog “15 systems that have simplified my life” and noticed that people had a lot of questions regarding what that entails.

Everything from:

• Goals
• How I intend to spend my day/week
• Tasks
• Projects
• Etc.

These are all things that I plan ahead of time. Then, I break it down even further… take goals, for example!

Under goals for my business, I have two different categories; financial and growth.

Regarding my personal life, I have goals attached to fitness, self-care, vacation, family, etc.

From here, I will look at what I want to implement into my calendar in a way that allows me to be intentional with the goals I’ve set for myself and maximize productivity in the most efficient way possible. 

The best way to figure out what those things are is to reverse-engineer my goals until I’ve established a starting point.

By batching all of my planning, I’ve been able to avoid those situations where I wake up in the morning and ask myself:

What the heck should I be doing today… and where do I even begin 😵‍ 

Some people plan their day the night before, the week prior, or an entire month in advance! All of those are great options. 

Once you pick a structure that works best for you, you’ll notice you feel more efficient, and it will eliminate the stress of having to plan every single day.

If you’re new to planning, there are a variety of different tools that you can use to make the process feel a lot easier!

I’ve tried my fair share of different tools, but ClickUp has been my favorite in all things “business.”

As for personal planning, a simple Google Calendar has been my go-to.

A planner is a great way for you to be able to visualize when things are due and to be able to see any upcoming appointments.

Does anyone else struggle with remembering essential appointments, or is that just me? 😅

If you are like me, this is a great way to ensure you never forget again! Punch it in, and rest assured it won’t get lost in all the chaos.

If you’re more of a creative spirit, sometimes getting more artistic with your planning can be a great way to get motivated.

One trick I use to keep me focused is to create a bullet journal or write things down by hand (which usually involves some doodling.) Using a pen-to-paper approach can help trigger your brain and give you a clear vision of your goal.

It’s also really relaxing and can make the process feel fun. 🎨

#2. Creative Tasks

Safe to say, batching my creative tasks has been imperative to my business.

My creative tasks are consistently changing. When I started my business, my main focus was a blog… 

then my course… 

then my podcast…

You get the point.

Since my focus is constantly changing, so are all the tasks involved! And they involve a lot of prep work.

For example, when I’m filming, I have to set up the camera angles and the lighting, along with all the other small tasks involved with preparing to film. I also have to settle into a different mindset than I would be in “mom” mode.

By batching my videos back to back, I can avoid multiple setups during the week, which saves me so much time! I also reduce multiple transition periods between tasks- and that’s what batching is all about!

Transitioning from tasks takes up more time than we may think. There’s the physical aspect of getting yourself transitioned but also the mental transition. 

Once you start batching, you begin to realize just how much time you save, and it’s also revealing to see how much time you initially wasted when you were “multitasking.”

Here’s a method I’m currently using: I create my current week’s video and one extra video each week. Fast forward 12 weeks, and I will have 12 additional videos, putting me three months ahead.

It’s a simple yet achievable way to maximize productivity without feeling stressed.

Of course, there will be times when things don’t go as planned- like now, for example, I’m just coming off maternity leave and transitioning back into the groove of things again.

But that’s the whole point! Once you’ve caught up on batching, it will give you wiggle room for life’s hiccups and blessings so you can step away without falling behind.

#3. Technical & Analytical

It’s what I call “left-brained tasks”: the analytical stuff that requires math, crunching numbers, and tracking progress. 

Every three months, when it pops up on my radar- any spare moment really – I find myself in a state of analysis: looking at my website, videos, analytics, and anything else number-related!

My “left brain” tasks might not be set for a specific day, but I put them as quarterly reviews and reserve them for moments when I can switch my brain to left gear. 🧠

Tasks that require a lot of analytical or technical thinking can be exhausting, and we tend to push them off. 

That’s why it’s good to do them all at once, and you’ll save yourself the stress of mentally preparing yourself for these types of tasks repeatedly.

#4. Social Activities

As an introvert, I know how hard it can be to muster the social energy for everyday interactions. 

To save some of my mental power, I’ve become a master at what I like to call “batch socializing!”

That means organizing all my calls and meetings into one designated period during the week, so I’m already in a state of ‘social readiness.’ 

If you looked at my calendar, you would see that Thursdays tend to be the day I batch all my calls & meetings together, so I don’t have to spread my social energy throughout the week. 

#5. Shopping

I’m an “all in one go” kinda gal; I like to avoid wasting time on multiple trips.

If I have several errands, you can be sure they all get done simultaneously. Making numerous trips in and out of the house takes time and can especially feel like a huge process when you’re doing it with a baby in tow.

Shopping is a serious business for me, so it needs to be efficient and intentional. I maximize productivity on my errands by condensing all of my groceries into one weekly stop and saving additional shopping trips until I have an extensive enough list to make it worthwhile.

This also saves money on gas, which runs high these days!

#6. Physical Activity

To avoid dragging my feet on tasks that require a lot of physical energy, like taking down the Christmas tree or walking Charlie, I’ll batch them together while I’m already in motion. 

Even though tackling it all at once can be exhausting– mentally and physically, it’s worth it for that super satisfying feeling of relaxation without expectation when everything is finished.

Batching mental, creative, technical, and physical tasks & processes will not only preserve mental capacity & energy (as you’re already in that state of flow), but you also avoid time wasted on procrastination between tasks. 

#7. Meal Planning

I plan ALL of my meals- I have a Pinterest board for every meal we like to use, and we “shop” our groceries based on what we’re going to be eating that week.

We have sub-boards like chicken meals, snacks, desserts, etc. It’s like picking from a menu! (If you want to check out the recipes we frequently use, you can find them here.)

Batching your meal prep/plan before the week starts will save you the time spent staring blankly into the fridge, wondering what’s for dinner.

#8. Budgeting And Financing

I’m a big fan of the app, Mint. I have a spreadsheet that pulls all the numbers in, and I can see it all in front of me.

At the start of each month, I like to sit down and “balance the books” for the previous month and shut everything down. 

I’ll review finances, budget, business accounts, etc., to catch any red flags or ensure everything is in alignment.

It saves me from having to look through every day or week and losing the mental energy I would spend doing it 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there, an hour over here, and making sure everything is categorized correctly…

#9. Decluttering And Home Tasks

This blog wouldn’t make sense if I didn’t mention decluttering or your home at some point, as I’m all about holistic clutter-free spaces.

I often teach people to work in “modes”; in other words, BATCHING.

It means focusing on one category in a task at a time rather than operating room by room.

At some point, room by room is a suitable method, but it’s best to kick start with “modes” for the same reason as everything else on this list… it prevents you from mentally switching in and out of multiple mindsets.

For example, you start cleaning the kitchen, only to be sidetracked by kids’ shoes on the floor and an unexpected mess in the bathroom minutes later! Next thing you know, hours have passed, and you’re in an endless loop of busy work that leads nowhere. 🤦‍♀️ 

For that reason, it’s beneficial to focus on one task at once. Your sanity will thank you for it!

In my free masterclass, you can learn much more about clutter-free formulas and techniques, where I cover many other ways to optimize and create systems to organize your space.

Conclusion

And there you have it! Those are my best tips for batching like a pro. I hope these help you save time in your business so that you can focus on the things you love.

It’s helped me keep track of my tasks and focus on what’s important.