In this article, I will discuss a time management technique called "batching" that is especially useful for completing certain types of tasks more efficiently and saving you time so that you can perform other tasks more efficiently. I will explain why it is a beneficial time management strategy, what exactly batching is, and finally I will discuss the five steps required to successfully complete a batching task.
What is Batch Processing?
Batch processing is a time-saving method that allows you to complete repetitive tasks more efficiently while consuming less mental energy. The core of this task is defined as the completion of relatively small, repetitive tasks that would normally be performed regularly over time, several times in a row, over long periods of time.
Why is Batch Processing an Advantageous Time Management Technique?
By completing small tasks that you would normally complete several times a day, daily or weekly over a large period of time, by freeing up those small portions of your day or week that you would normally spend completing batch tasks, you save money.
Completing a task several times in a row can also make you more efficient at completing that task. When you come up with a system for completing repetitive tasks, your brain gets used to doing a particular task, and ultimately it costs your brain more to repeatedly complete the task in front of you than it does to complete the repetitive task one at a time, which in turn costs you.
Being able to do this repetition also saves mental energy in two ways: First, it takes mental energy to switch from one task to another to focus your attention on completing another. By using this technique, the brain has more time to focus on completing the same task, reducing the cognitive energy or brain energy spent on switching between tasks. Second, as with most tasks that can be completed in batches, completing routine tasks early eliminates the need to remember to complete them later, literally freeing up the cognitive load and brain space to complete other tasks.
How Do I Batch Process Tasks?
There are four basic steps to tackling a single task. We will list them in order and explain each step in detail. First, select the appropriate tasks for batch processing. Second, select relatively large time blocks and schedule them to complete all iterations of the tasks you have completed. Third, identify the processes, routines, or systems that will allow you to complete your tasks most efficiently. Fourth, actually, complete the task.
1. Choose The Right Task
To choose the right tasks for batch processing, you need to think about things that are relatively short to complete, that you need to do regularly, and that are not time-critical to complete.
For example, if you are not very motivated and full of energy, you would not want to choose a job that requires you to write several academic papers in a row. This is too time-consuming, not easy to systematize, has different deadlines and time constraints, and is not something that needs to be done frequently and regularly.
A more appropriate task would be something like preparing your work clothes for the week, something you need to do weekly, you can come up with a system for selecting, ironing, and hanging or something similar to complete the task efficiently, and it is a task that can be completed early without sacrificing the benefits of your degree.
2. Select and Plan Time Blocks
Most tasks that you group into stacks can be completed individually in a relatively short time. The first time you start batch processing a task, you will want to multiply the time it takes to complete your own task by the number of repetitions. Then this will be a relatively large amount of time, especially compared to what you are used to spending on completing the task. Therefore, intentionally plan time to make sure that you have enough time to complete the batch processing and get the most out of it. You want to make sure that you complete each iteration of the task you intend to complete in order to get.
To continue with the example of preparing your clothes for the week, it usually takes 20 minutes to choose an outfit every evening or morning, iron/ steam it, and have everything you need for your outfit ready for the next day; if you work 5 days a week, you have 20 minutes to do 5 I want to multiply this by repetition. This equals 100 minutes, or about 1 hour and 40 minutes; an hour and 40 minutes, or a little longer if you are just starting out, and you can choose a day to finish the clothes of a week. If you make your process more efficient, the time needed to complete a full batch process will probably decrease by a noticeable amount.
3. Find Out Your Routine/Processor System
To save time and energy in batch processing, it is essential to design a system, process, or routine to handle your repetitive tasks. The most time-efficient method of batch processing is usually to perform the same first step for each iteration of a task, then a second step for each task, and so on. While this is not always possible, finding a process to complete all tasks before completing the next iteration in the same process will also improve efficiency and ultimately save time.
For example, if you are preparing your clothes for the week, you can decide to pick out all your clothes first. You can then choose the accessories you want to wear with each outfit. Then you can choose the shoes you want to wear with each outfit. If you are doing this as part of preparing your outfit, first iron or steam all the clothes of one type, such as all the pants you wear, then another type of clothes, such as a top that is worn until you have prepared each type of outfit, then the next outfit. all of them. Finally, you will hang up each outfit, and to increase efficiency, hang it up so that the order in which you wear it is obvious to you.
4. Complete Your Batch Process
The final step in the batching process is to complete the task for which you have actually decided to batch in a pre-selected time period. Depending on the task, this may feel tedious, or it may feel like a waste of time if you take a relatively long time right now to complete a task that you would normally complete later in a much shorter time, but by practicing and familiarizing yourself with this process you will begin to see the benefits that this time management technique offers in the long run.
Even though it may seem counterintuitive to spend 100 minutes to easily complete something you are used to doing in 20 minutes a day, to complete our example of batch processing equipment to prepare for work, in the long run, you will save 20 minutes of your day and you will finally be able to complete your entire You will spend less time completing the process and you will feel less stress because you will no longer have to think about completing the process or prepare to choose your work clothes every day.