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Darren Rowse recently wrote about batch processing over at Problogger, and other bloggers have done the same. This got me thinking about an overlooked way to dealing with an overwhelming amount of tasks everyday.
So what’s batch processing?
Although initially used as a personal term, batch processing is also used to describe a productive way of handling several tasks.
Basically, it’s about grouping and queuing your related tasks together and doing them at a scheduled time - as opposed to doing them in real-time (whenever they arrive) or whenever you remember them.
This idea works really well for both the workplace and your home.
Here are some work tasks you can do in batches:
Email - I’m ruthless when it comes to checking email. The trick is to deal with it once or twice a day (depending on how many emails you get), and not as they come in. Sometimes your email client makes a graphic or sound notification along the lines of “You have mail!” and if you’re like me, you’re itching to check it. Here’s the thing: don’t. Why? It could be nonsense, spam, or something that’s superior read when you’re not busy.
It’s much easier to batch your email processing if you turn off any real-time notifications about received email.
Social networking - No, spending all day on Facebook is not the same as ‘expanding your business contact list’. If you’re really keen on social networking, make time for it - say an hour each day, rather than running to Facebook each half hour or so. By doing the latter, you’re more apt to spend more time on it than you should.
Reading RSS feeds - I read my RSS feeds each morning and every night. I want to do it just once a day, but I’m still working my way out of that addiction. Again, the point of getting a feed reader in the first place is that you’ll be able to read updates from your favorite websites whenever you like - not as they’re updated.
Organizational tasks - I check and update my to-do lists every morning, and each evening I make sure that my to-do list is complete for the following day. I also input my financial information (income and daily expenses) once a day instead of every time I make a purchase.
Other things you can do in batches:
Laundry - Instead of doing your laundry multiple times a week, it’s much simpler to do it whenever you’ve got a massive batch of laundry to do. My personal cue for doing laundry is whenever my large laundry basket is full. This means I only wash clothes once every two weeks.
Cooking - I’m a huge fan of batch cooking, although I don’t do it all the time. Basically, the trick is to prepare food for the rest of the week on one day, stick ‘em in the freezer, and just heat them up each time you need to eat. Here’s a very informative article on batch cooking.
Have you tried batch processing? What tasks do you do in batches? Does it make you more productive?
Photo Credit: Image from Sigurd Decroos from stock.xchng
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