Unlocking the Meaning of Batch Work : A Comprehensive Guide for Entrepreneurs
As an entrepreneur, you know that time management is key to running a successful business.
And when it comes to completing tasks in bulk, batch work is the ultimate time-saver.
However, understanding how to effectively use batch work can be a challenge… I often see people getting this wrong & failing to reap the benefits.
That's why I've created this comprehensive guide to help you unlock the true meaning of batch work (and its benefits).
You'll learn how to optimise your productivity, streamline your workflow, and achieve more in less time (plus a few examples of how I use batch work as a Squarespace website designer) . So whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to take your business to the next level.
From the benefits of batch work to how to implement it in your daily routine, this guide has you covered. So let’s get to it & explore batch work & how it can work for you too!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase via one of these links I may get a small kickback. I only recommend products and services I use and love myself! Thanks in advance :)
What is Batch Work?
Batch work is a productivity technique that involves completing similar tasks in batches, rather than tackling them individually.
The idea is that by grouping similar tasks together, you can minimize the time and energy it takes to switch between different tasks.
For example, if you have a list of emails that need to be sent, you could batch them together and send them all at once, rather than sending them individually throughout the day.
Batch work can be applied to a wide range of tasks, from administrative duties like email and social media management to creative tasks like content creation and graphic or web design. The key is to identify tasks that can be grouped together and completed efficiently.
Batch work is not a new concept. In fact, it has been around since 1890 (and probably before).
In the manufacturing industry, batch work is used to produce goods in large quantities. The same concept can be applied to business tasks to increase productivity and efficiency.
The Science Behind Batch Work
Batch work is based on the principle of "chunking," which is a cognitive process that involves breaking down complex information into smaller, more manageable chunks. When we chunk information, we make it easier to process and remember.
The same principle applies to tasks. By breaking down tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks and then group similar themed chunks together, we can make them easier to complete as we repeat similar tasks, use the same programmes & have less context switching cost (the time lost when changing between different types of task).
When we complete similar tasks in batches, we activate the brain's basal ganglia, which is responsible for habits and routines. This allows us to work more efficiently and effectively.
Research has shown that batch work can increase productivity and reduce stress, and avoid the loss of time suffered from context switching.
Benefits of Batch Work for Entrepreneurs
Batch work offers numerous benefits for entrepreneurs, in fact for pretty much anyone, but as you well know entrepreneurs tend to have a huge amount of competing demands and ideas on their plate so I think the benefit is probably even greater!
These include
Improved Productivity
By grouping similar tasks together, you can avoid the mental fatigue and time (up to 23 minutes lost!) that comes with constantly switching between different tasks. This allows you to work more efficiently and complete tasks more quickly.
More Focus
Shiny object chaser? Yup me too…
As an entrepreneur or owner of your own biz (however you define yourself) there are so many ideas, options & opportunities that arise every day. As a web designer, I have client emails piling in, questions from potential new clients, collaboration requests plus the actual projects, content creation & work I need to do. It can be hard to feel in control of everything that’s going on.
But when you focus on one type of task for a set period of time, you can get into the "flow" of the task and achieve a state of deep focus. This can help you to produce higher quality work and be more creative.
Enhanced Efficiency
Batch work allows you to streamline your workflow and eliminate unnecessary steps. For example, if you're creating a batch of social media posts, you can create templates and reuse them for future posts. This can save you time and effort in the long run.
The other day I batched my Pinterest pins for the 6 months, using the same set of templates which I just duplicated and spreadsheet of keywords that i had open all the time. It wasn’t the most thrilling thing i’ve ever done, but it was a whole lot more efficient than having to go in and do it for the next week only, or for just one blog post.
Reduced Stress
When you're able to complete tasks more quickly and efficiently, you can reduce the stress and overwhelm that often comes with running a business. Batch work can help you to feel more in control of your workload and reduce the risk of burnout.
How to Implement Batch Work in Your Business
Implementing batch work in your business is easier than you might think. Here are some steps to get started:
Step 1: Identify Tasks to Batch
The first step in implementing batch work is to identify tasks that can be grouped together. Look for tasks that are similar in nature and can be completed in a similar amount of time. For example, you could batch together tasks like email management, social media posting, or content creation.
I like to batch my blog post creation stages. Here’s how that looks:
Do keyword research - I research keywords to target for the quarter or even next 6 months. This is one batch of work.
Create blog post ideas - I’ll use the keywords from the research I did to create a list of blog posts & lay these out in my calendar. Again this batch of work is usually done once each quarter.
Writing blog posts - I batch writing several blog posts at a time. This way I can often connect them to each other. I also get into the flow and the words just pour out. I’m also not getting distracted by searching for links, or going to make graphics, so I can even turn my wifi off, open my word doc & type away.
Uploading blog posts - I upload several blog posts in one go, adding links, creating graphics etc at the same time. I’ll then schedule all of these
And finally I’ll batch the email newsletter I write, writing 4-8 (so one to 2 months worth) in one session, connecting them to the blog posts I’ve written & making sure they fit into the rest of the plan for that part of the year.
Step 2: Set Aside Time for Batch Work
Once you've identified the tasks you want to batch, set aside a specific time each day or week to complete them. This could be a set time each day, like the first hour of your workday, or a specific day of the week, like "Social Media Monday."
I like to observe my energy levels & then plan based on the likely best day or time to do a certain task.
In my world what this looks like is that i’m a morning person, and seem to just have more focus & get more done before the rest of the world wakes up. So my most creative tasks - blog post writing, website concept design, business strategy are all best placed in the mornings (as is doing any professional development or courses!)
I keep my afternoons for more administrative tasks (finances, adding or uploading content etc) and client calls (whatever time of day i’m great at being focussed when I’m actually speaking to a human!).
And finally I check emails just once at the very end of the day so that they don’t end up eating into my focus. Anything important that comes out of my inbox gets batched to do/ respond to later in the week.
Step 3: Create a Plan
Before you start your batch work session, create a plan for what you want to accomplish. This could be a list of specific tasks you want to complete, or a general outline of what you want to achieve. Having a plan in place will help you to stay focused and work more efficiently.
I’m a massive over-estimater & always plan in too much for each session, so I make sure to keep an ongoing list & then rescheduling any tasks I don’t get to within a certain batch into the next slot of time I have allocated. For example if I had a list of 4 blog posts I wanted to write & I only did 3, I’d carry the 4th one over into my next blog writing batch block.
Struggling with your longer term plan? Grab your free annual planning template below:
Step 4: Eliminate Distractions
This is the big kahuna. During your batch work session, eliminate any distractions that could interfere with your productivity. This could mean turning off your phone, closing your email inbox, or working in a quiet, distraction-free environment.
I work at home & I’m the WORST for seeing something that needs to be done, so i’ve taken to putting my headphones in, placing myself in a spot where I can’t see any house work, turning off my phone & emails & being incredibly strict about doing just that one thing.
Step 5: Evaluate and Adjust
After a batch work session, take some time to evaluate your progress and adjust your plan as needed. This will help you to identify areas where you can improve and make adjustments for future batch work sessions.
A good example of this is me always scheduling too much. Having unrealistic expectations of what I can get done is stressful, so over time I’ve started to get better at estimating how long things take, and being aware of time wasting (I can get sucked into looking at data for example, which i actually then do nothing with!) and eliminating these habits.
I also identified my best energy levels for different tasks thanks to reflecting after my batch work sessions :)
Step 6: Take breaks
The meaning of batch work is definitely not hustle. In fact, done well it’s about pairing down busy work, streamlining your processes, managing your energy, lowering your stress & having more breathing space. To help with this make sure to take regular breaks, between batch sessions, but also during them - you should make sure to look away from your laptop every 20 minutes for 20 seconds, and get up and move around at least once an hour. Staying hydrated and well nourished is also super important too!
Tools and Apps to Help You with Batch Work
There are many tools and apps available to help you implement batch work in your business. Here are some of our favorites:
Asana
Asana is a project management tool that allows you to create tasks and assign them to team members. You can use Asana to create a project for your batch work tasks and assign tasks to yourself or team members. You can also add subtasks to a master batch block. It’s the way I manage my work life & I wouldn’t be without it!
Trello
Trello is another project management tool that allows you to create boards, lists, and cards to organise your tasks. You can use Trello to create a board for your batch work tasks and move cards from a "to-do" list to a "completed" list as you work through your batch.
Evernote
Evernote is a note-taking app that allows you to create notes, checklists, and reminders. You can use Evernote to create a list of tasks for your batch work session and check them off as you complete them. It’s also a great tool to use to note down things that you’ll come back to later on to address in a batch as opposed to doing them right away.
As an alternative to evernote you can also use google keep, or even just a specific note or task in your asana.
Focus@Will
Focus@Will is a music app that provides scientifically optimized music to help you focus on your work. You can use Focus@Will to create a playlist for your batch work session and improve your productivity.
I also love Noisli and even some Spotify playlists are designed to help you focus - I’m a fan of this Deep Focus one right now!
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Batch Work
While batch work can be a highly effective productivity technique, there are some common mistakes to avoid (which I’ve managed to do pretty much all of at one stage or another!!) Here are a few of them:
Failing to Plan
One of the biggest mistakes you can make with batch work is failing to plan. Without a plan in place, you may find yourself wasting time and not accomplishing your goals. Look at your quarter, month, week and days and plan out the key tasks you can batch on each of these schedules. Add them to your project management tool/ calendar and then try to stick to them!
Overbatching
Overbatching, or trying to complete too many tasks in one batch, can lead to overwhelm and burnout - helllooo! It's important to identify a realistic number of tasks to complete in each batch and stick to it. You’ll probably get this wrong at first, but come back to it & rejig until you find a sweet spot. I also recommend trying to get a bit ahead so you’re not working up against deadlines, this means you have the opportunity to move unfinished tasks to a future batch block as opposed to having to overwork to get stuff done.
Ignoring Priorities
When creating your batch work plan, it's important to prioritise your tasks based on their importance and urgency - this is one of the reasons looking at your plan over several different timescales is handy. You’ll probably also find some things that actually don’t need to be done at all & you can cull from your work tasks list.
Not removing distractions
Even the most Zen of people get thrown off course by an angry email, or click baity headline… and if you’re me, simply having my phone in my eyeline means I get distracted - as soon as something’s difficult I’m tempted to pick it up & scroll, as opposed to facing making a tricky decision or finding the right words to explain something. The more distractions you can remove, the more likely you are to have success with your batch working rhythm.
Tips for Successful Batch Work
Here are some tips to help you make the most of your batch work sessions:
Use a Timer
Set a timer for each batch work session to help you stay focused and motivated. Knowing that you only have a set amount of time to complete your tasks can help you to work more efficiently. I’ve actually found this to be a game changer - know Parkinson’s law? (A task expands to fill the time available) then you’ll know what I mean!
Take Breaks
Taking short breaks between batch work sessions can help you to recharge and stay focused. Use your breaks to stretch, take a walk, or do something else that helps you to relax. Taking a couple of big double inhales also known as the Physiological sigh (inhale once through your nose, then, before breathing out, inhale again) before doing a big sigh exhale through your mouth is a great way to calm your nervous system (Andrew Huberman explains more here!)
Reward Yourself
Rewarding yourself after a successful batch work session can help you to stay motivated and focused. Treat yourself to something you enjoy, like a cup of coffee, a walk in nature or a favorite snack. Sometimes I find the session itself can be a reward - like scheduling a session of creative work that I know I’ll enjoy after a particularly difficult planning or writing session.
Examples of Batch Work in Different Industries
Batch work can be applied to a wide variety of industries. Here are a few examples:
Web design
As a web designer batch working is a perfect fit as there are so many tasks that can be batched or grouped together, and given the creative nature of what we do, having interruption free time to focus & have the time to be creative is super effective.
I batch my content creation (you can see the example I gave of blogging earlier), I batch responding to emails (daily in my last 30 minutes of the day), tracking data (monthly on the last Friday of the month), client work in Squarespace Help VIP days, or specific design sessions. I also batch creating & scheduling my Pinterest pins, updating my portfolio with client work & creating & scheduling my rare social media posts!
Graphic Design
A graphic designer might use batch work to complete multiple design projects at once, such as creating a batch of social media graphics or designing a series of website banners. My friend Amy over at Begin Studio talks about how she uses Batch working in her graphic design biz in this post.
Writing
A writer might use batch work to create a series of blog posts or articles at once, then editing them in a batch, rather than writing them from a-b individually over time. This can help to improve the quality and consistency of their writing.
Photography
A photographer might use batch work to edit a series of photos at once, rather than editing them individually. Or if they’ve done several shoots in a week, doing the editing of all of the shoots in one batch. They’re likely to also batch other similar tasks to graphic or web designers when thinking about marketing their business.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Batch work is a highly effective productivity technique that can help entrepreneurs to streamline their workflow, enhance their efficiency, and reduce stress.
By grouping similar tasks together and completing them in batches, entrepreneurs can optimize their productivity and achieve more in less time.
To implement batch work in your biz, follow these steps:
Identify tasks to batch
Setting aside blocks of time for batch work
Creating a plan & weekly/ monthly/ quarterly rhythm
Eliminate distractions
Evaluate and adjust your progress as needed.
Use tools and apps to help you stay organized and focused, and avoid common mistakes like failing to plan, over-batching, and ignoring priorities.
With these tips and techniques, you can unlock the true meaning of batch work, tap into it’s potential and take your business to the next level.
related posts
New on the ‘Gram…
