The multitasking myth is omnipresent. No matter how much multitasking research we see, we keep telling ourselves that more people can't multitask, but we can.
Time and time again, research shows that when we think we're multitasking, we're actually doing no more than one thing at a time. We are switching back and forth between activities, and that a phenomenon known as “Transfer Costing” makes us less efficient (and can put us in danger).
But…
There is a particular type of multitasking that could be more efficient. It may not be as efficient as focusing on a single task. But if you can't bear to focus on one thing for more than a few minutes, you may be in luck.
(To be fair, there are some cases where multitasking can be an efficient way to get things done Single vs. Multitasking:What's Best for Productivity? What's Best for Productivity? Best for productivity? Turns out, it's not necessarily the silver bullet for productivity. The key is knowing when to multitask. Read More
Different productivity gurus have defined task grouping in slightly different ways. But what it boils down to is this:
So you can have a list of “coding,” “debugging,” “documenting,” and “scheduling” tasks, for example. In my own life, I'd probably do batch tasks like “writing,” “editing,” “researching,” “heading,” and so on.
How is this useful?
Batching tasks helps you be more productive by encouraging you to stick with a similar group of tasks to reduce the cost of switching when you move between them. Going from editing photos to managing your email is a big change, and it could incur a big switch cost as your brain struggles to shift gears.
Switching from photo editing to, say, posting photos on stock photography sites might incur a lower switching cost. Or imagine switching from calling potential customers with sales pitches to calling existing customers to sign up. That would be easier than switching from tone calls to creating quarterly reports.
And that lower switching cost results in increased focus.
How you batch tasks is up to you - The important thing is that they are similar. . If you find it difficult to switch gears between two tasks, then they don't belong in the same batch. You can have a large number of batches or a smaller batch, depending on the types of things you need to do.
Once you've grouped your tasks together, you can spend time on each batch.
This is where the batch task becomes really useful. When you designate a specific block of time How to Block Time on Google Calendar for a Productive Workday How to Block Time on Google Calendar for a Productive Workday Having trouble with time management? Here's how to block out time in your Google Calendar to increase focus, reduce stress, and improve productivity. Read More Which is great for those of us who like to move between projects a lot.
As long as you don't switch to a task out of From that batch, you will be more efficient. The cost of cognitive change will be less and you will get more results.
It's as simple as that.
And once you start batching your tasks on your calendar, so you have a set time to work on them, you'll start to see your productivity skyrocket. Because your switching cost is lower, you'll spend less time catching up on each task. And having a set time for specific batches will help reduce distractions (which have a huge Transfer cost).
How to Use a Time Management System Like the Pomodoro Technique How a Simple Pomodoro Timer Made My Life Better How a Simple Pomodoro Timer Made My Life Better The Pomodoro Technique is one of the simplest time management tricks. Break up distractions with the help of 25-minute clips and a timer. It could be a change of routine that will change your life if it suits you. Read More
If you're ready to give task clustering a try, here's what to do:
The first thing you need to do is create batches of tasks. Since everyone will have different sets of tasks and different batching methods, how you go through this process is entirely up to you. As I mentioned, it might be good to start with three or four categories. For the purposes of our example, we will use “planning,” “building,” “checking,” and “reporting.”
We will combine these bundles with the concept of time blocking Time blocking:the secret weapon for better focus Time blocking:the secret weapon for better focus Are you looking for a more efficient way to organize your work days? Try time lock. This time management tactic can help you stay on track while keeping distractions, procrastination, and unproductive multitasking at bay. Read more . Simply reserve blocks of time in Google Calendar for specific batches.
Here I've added events that tell me when to work on specific batches:
I've also added a reminder to make sure I know when my reporting block starts:
Now I'll get a reminder when it's time to work on my reporting tasks. During that time, you could use the Pomodoro Technique. The best Pomodoro timer apps to improve your productivity. The best Pomodoro timer apps to boost your productivity. attention. This selection of timers has an option for each platform. Read More Or I could let it happen more naturally, where I move between tasks whenever I want. This part is up to you.
You get the idea. Now just insert more batches into your calendar! But please note that you still need time unlocked. You'll need a few minutes here and there to manage email, catch up on calls, chat with people in the office, or just give your mind a break.
A question you might be asking right now:How do I choose when to schedule each batch? There is no correct answer for this. If you have a specific type of task that you do best in the morning, schedule it early. If you like less cognitively intense tasks in the afternoon, schedule them there. Do you prefer to switch to something completely different when you switch tasks? You can do that too.
You know how and when you work best How to stay productive if you're a morning person or a night owl How to stay productive if you're a morning person or a night owl Don't force yourself to get up early or stay late. Instead, optimize your systems so you can address the phase where your productivity is low. Here are some smart strategies. Read More
Once you have your batches on the calendar, you're done! Now all you need to do is go to work.
Scheduling batches of tasks in Google Calendar could be enough to completely revolutionize your productivity. But if you need a bit more of a boost, you can use Google Calendar's other awesome features.
For example, you can sync your to-do list with your Google calendar How to sync your Google calendar with your to-do list How to sync your Google calendar with your to-do list To organize your life, two tools are essential:your calendar and your to-do list. But most task management solutions keep these two things separate. We will show you how to combine them. Read More This could help you prioritize between tasks in each batch.
Or you can use the updated view of multiple calendars. 5 New Google Calendar Features You Must Try! 5 new features of Google Calendar that you have to try! Google Calendar has become more fantastic. Google finally updated its calendar. We'll show you how to get the new design and what new features you should try. Read More
You can even tag your calendar entries How to make the most of Google Calendar with 7+ new tools How to make the most of Google Calendar with 7+ new tools Use Google Calendar to save time and make the most of your day labor. These new Google Calendar tools and services offer a few more productivity tricks. Read More
There are so many features and tools that you can do almost anything you want with your Google Calendar.
Of course, it is never that simple. There is always maintenance. For example, you should regularly set aside a few minutes to review your batches. If you feel that a certain task is not flowing with the others in your batch, you may want to create a new batch to reduce switching costs.
And you may find that your programming is not optimal. Maybe you need more time between batches, or you need a full day with no scheduled activities to catch up on things.
Even When You Find The Perfect Productivity System How To Build The Last Perfect Time Management System You'll Ever Use How To Build The Last Perfect Time Management System You'll Ever Use Productivity is a constant quest for more organizations with less work. A way to achieve everything you dream of achieving, without losing sleep. Can This Automated Time Management System Do It All? Read More Batch tasks is no exception.
But when you do a batch of tasks successfully and integrate them into Google Calendar, you will have an almost automated time management system. And it doesn't get any better than that.!
Have you tried the batch processing task? What do you do to minimize the time and effort required to switch tasks? Share your advice in the comments below!
