If you're looking for a proven way to maximize productivity, batching tasks might be the life hack you've been waiting for. Batching involves grouping one type of task together in chunks, making an overwhelming amount of work feel manageable.

Whether you're creating content for your business or handling personal tasks at home, this tried-and-true method has become my number one time management technique.

Get cozy! I'm sharing how to batch everything and why this life hack will revolutionize how you get things done. 🎉

The "How"

Finding an effective way to approach batching can feel intimidating if you're new to it. The truth is that it's all about finding what works best for YOU.

Whether you'll benefit from weekly, monthly, quarterly, or even yearly batches depends on the task and your lifestyle and goals. There's no one-size-fits-all rule.

Batching may look different depending on who uses it, but its purpose stays the same. It helps you streamline your process with a tailored strategy so you get more done.

The "Why"

Have you ever felt overwhelmed 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 brain can't actually multitask. What feels like multitasking is your brain moving rapidly from one activity to the next, and researchers call this "context switching."

Research conducted at Princeton University found that for each additional task you take on, there's an exponential amount of time lost.

Adding just one extra task to your plate costs you 20% of your time efficiency. By the time you've switched to your fifth task, that number reaches a whopping 75%. 🤯

How batching helps you maximize productivity

Rather than clumping multiple tasks together and losing precious time, 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 over and over.

Let's look at what batching looks like in each area of my life, and how much time it can save you. ⌛

#1. Planning

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

Everything from:

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

I plan these ahead of time and then break them down even further... take goals, for example!

Under goals for my business, I break things into two categories, financial and growth.

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

From here, I decide what to put on my calendar. That way I stay intentional about the goals I've set for myself and use my time as efficiently as possible.

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

By batching all of my planning, I've been able to avoid the mornings where I wake up 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 for you, you'll feel more efficient, and it will eliminate the stress of planning every day.

Tools I Use to Batch My Planning

If you're new to planning, there are a variety of tools 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 to visualize when things are due and to see 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.

Getting Creative With Your Planning

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

One trick I use to stay focused is to keep a bullet journal or write things down by hand, which usually involves some doodling.

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 lighting, along with all the other small tasks involved in 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 avoid multiple setups during the week, which saves me so much time!

I also cut down on the mental and physical transition time between tasks, which is really what batching is all about.

Transitioning from task to task takes up more time than we may think. There's the physical aspect of getting yourself transitioned, as well as the mental transition.

Once you start batching, you begin to realize just how much time you save. It's also revealing to see how much time you initially wasted when you were "multitasking."

My Video Batching Method

The method I'm using right now is simple. I create my current week's video, plus one extra each week.

Fast forward 12 weeks, and I'll 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 during a busy season at home or work.

But that's the whole point! Once you've caught up on batching, it gives 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, or whenever I have a spare moment, I sit down and go into full analysis mode. I look 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 on the calendar as quarterly reviews and reserve them for moments when I can switch my brain into 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. You'll save yourself the stress of mentally gearing up for these tasks over and over.

#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'd see that Thursdays tend to be the day I batch all my calls and meetings together, so I don't have to spread my social energy throughout the week.

#5. Shopping

I'm an "all-in-one-go" kind of gal. I like to avoid wasting time on multiple trips.

If I have several errands, you can be sure they all get done at once.

Making numerous trips in and out of the house takes time, and it can feel like a huge process when you're doing it with a toddler 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.

I save additional shopping trips until I have a big enough list to make the trip count. This also saves money on gas!

#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 SO worth it for that satisfying feeling of relaxation once everything is finished.

Batching mental, creative, technical, and physical tasks and processes does more than preserve your mental capacity and energy while you're already in that state of flow. It also means you 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 eating that week.

We have sub-boards for chicken meals, snacks, desserts, etc. It's like picking from a menu!

You can find the recipes we frequently use on our Pinterest recipe board.

Batching your meal prep and 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 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 make sure everything is in alignment.

It saves me from spending five minutes here, ten minutes there, and an hour over there trying to keep everything categorized correctly throughout the month.

#9. Decluttering And Home Tasks

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

I often teach people to work in "modes," which is really just another word for batching.

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

Room by room works eventually, but it's best to start with "modes" first. Switching in and out of different mindsets is what costs you the most time and energy.

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 a time. Your sanity will thank you for it!

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

Make Batching Work For You

And there you have it. Those are my best tips for batching like a pro, and I hope they help you save time so you can focus on the things you love.

Batching has helped me keep track of my tasks and stay focused on what's important.

Time batching is one piece of a bigger puzzle.

Once your tasks feel manageable, the natural next step is learning how to simplify your life for more time, energy, and mental capacity so the rest of your day feels just as easy.