With distractions being the biggest flaw of working from home, companies have been trying to figure out how to bring the best out of z
In this method, instead of answering emails, attending meetings, writing reports, and designing presentations all at scattered times, they are put together in time blocks, so that a person performs similar tasks in one time frame, which boosts efficiency.
Setting time blocks prevents your brain from multitasking and hopping onto different topics at the same time.
Batch working can restore a sense of routine, mental clarity, and momentum
- Reducing mental fatigue from frequent task-switching
- Enhancing focus during each block of work
- Providing a predictable structure for the day
- Making room for breaks without feeling guilty
How do I start with batch work? (step by step)
List down your common tasks
- Scheduling and attending meetings
- Answering emails
- Brainstorming/ Ideation
- Writing reports
- Designing a Presentation
- Administrative work
Put them into similar heads
- Communication – Answering emails, messages
- Creative – Writing reports, brainstorming, ideation
- Administrative – scheduling, organizing files
- Meeting block- Any meetings, catch-ups, updates
Mark your calendars
Now assign these heads a date and time on the calendar. Be mindful while selecting time frames. Keep the morning hours blocked for creative work, because the brain is most fresh and productive at that time. You can keep administrative tasks for later while attending meetings midday.
Prepare a checklist
Once you assign dates, prepare daily checklists so that you can track the work done and measure productivity. Checklists even act as a motivation to perform tasks at the earliest. Keep them detailed to avoid missing out on small tasks. Why does a checklist matter?
- Stress Management – Since it avoids procrastination, it reduces the workload stress on individuals
- Better Time Management – When the time and dates are assigned to a task, you tend to perform it timely, avoiding piling up work.
- Higher Accountability – With such records, holding yourself accountable for completing them becomes easier.
Avoid distractions
To achieve the best outcomes, avoiding distractions is necessary as it can further hamper both your productivity and efficiency. Be aware of what distracts you the most. Phone calls? Social Media? Household Chores? Laziness? Family interruptions?
Try finding easy ways out of it. Some strategies are –
- Turn off unnecessary notifications, silence app alerts, and social media notifications, if required in the creative time slot, and put your cell phone on do-not-disturb mode
- Communicate your time boundaries to your family, let them know your working hours & politely ask them for minimal interruptions during that time
- Assign yourself a dedicated workspace even at home, that puts you instantly in work mode as if you’re sitting in the office. It helps keep you focused on work and avoids unnecessary distractions
- Practice self-discipline. It takes a second for a notification to grab your attention, but your discipline can help avoid it.
Real-life example of batched work
- 9:00–9:45 AM – Planning & Reviewing
- 9:45–10:30 AM – Communications (Answering emails, Messages)
- 10:30–12:30 PM – Creative work (Writing reports, Designing presentations)
- 12:30–1:30 PM – Break
- 1:30–2:30 PM – Meetings (Video Calls, Teams)
- 2:30–4.00 PM – Administrative work (organizing, scheduling)
- 4:00–5:00 PM – Winding up
Final thoughts
The hardest part of working from home is being productive enough. And one of the ways to achieve it is by working in a batched manner. Working on different contexts of work altogether doesn’t let you concentrate enough, so it is always advised to do a similar kind of work in one go to boost productivity. Give your brain space to focus or switch between tasks. There is a plethora of experiments evidencing the benefits of working in batches. Not just with official work, when we incorporate this style into our regular work, it makes us quicker. Well, it is not about working harder, but about working smarter. This method can bring clarity and structure to the work of a remote professional,
Give it a try, you’ll be overwhelmed with the results, and how little changes can bring drastic results.
