2.3Batching: grouping similar tasks
The essentials in 30 seconds
- Stay in the same mode: batching groups same-nature tasks (emails, calls, admin) handled in a row.
- In slots, not continuously: 1–3 dedicated slots (e.g. emails at 11 am and 4 pm) instead of checking twenty times a day.
- Reflex: batching for small similar tasks, time-blocking for background work.
Running case — Anis checks emails twenty times a day
Anis checks emails and messages continuously: each switch costs him time and energy. He batches emails (11 am and 4 pm) and calls (late morning) into dedicated slots, and keeps his protected blocks for background work. True urgencies go by phone.
Following on from cases 2.1–2.2 — Anis batches instead of scattering.
1. Staying in the same mode
Endlessly switching task types exhausts and wastes time (context-switch cost). Batching means grouping same-nature tasks — emails, calls, admin, creation — to handle them in a row.
You thus stay “in the same mode”, faster and less tired. Anis chains his calls instead of scattering them.
2. In slots, not continuously
Concretely: rather than checking emails twenty times a day, handle them in two or three dedicated slots; rather than scattering calls, chain them.
Batching cuts costly transitions and frees long slots for background work. One of the easiest gains to get.
🔎 Concrete example — 🔎 Concrete example — Emails in slots
Not continuously.
Checking emails 20×/day → permanently fragmented attention.
Handling them at 11 am and 4 pm → enough in most jobs.
→ for true urgencies, another channel (phone) exists.Outcome: real free slots for background work.
Reflex: batching for small tasks, time-blocking for background.
Section vocabulary
- Batching
- Grouping same-nature tasks to handle them in a row, limiting context switches.
Simple example: Anis handles all his emails at 11 am then 4 pm.
What it is not: doing several different tasks at once.
Reflex: same nature = same slot.
- Context-switch cost
- Time and energy lost at each switch from one task type to another.
Simple example: Twenty email/file round-trips exhaust Anis.
What it is not: time gained from variety.
Reflex: each switch has a price: group.
- Dedicated slot
- A slot devoted to a single task type (e.g. handling emails 11–11:30 am).
Simple example: Anis's 11–11:30 am email slot.
What it is not: a vague slot where everything mixes.
Reflex: one slot = one task type.
- Continuous handling (avoid)
- Checking/handling endlessly (emails, messages): fragments attention and multiplies transitions.
Simple example: Anis checking emails twenty times a day.
What it is not: fixed slots at 11 am and 4 pm.
Reflex: close the inbox outside slots.
- Attention savings
- Focus gained by avoiding round-trips between different tasks.
Simple example: Anis frees a real background slot in the afternoon.
What it is not: fatigue from monotony.
Reflex: fewer transitions = more background.
In practice — In practice — Grouping tasks into batches
- Spot recurring tasks you scatter through the day (emails, messages, calls, admin).
- Group them in 1–3 dedicated slots (e.g. emails at 11 am and 4 pm, chained calls late morning).
- During these slots, do ONLY that task type; outside them, resist returning to it continuously.
- Measure the gain: fewer interruptions, more free slots for focused work.
Ready-to-say script — announcing your slots (30 s)
“I handle my emails at 11 am and 4 pm, and chain my calls late morning. Outside these slots, I'm on background work — for a true urgency, call me.”
To say to your team: visible slots avoid instant-reply expectations.
Copy-paste template — my day's batches
EMAIL BATCH: ___ am/pm and ___ am/pm (instead of continuously)
CALL BATCH: ___ to ___ (chained)
ADMIN BATCH: ___ to ___
URGENCIES (other channel): phone at _______________Heavily solicited employee
Add an away message between slots: “emails handled at 11 am and 4 pm, urgency by phone”.
SME Algiers
Anis sets slots outside counter peaks and warns clients and colleagues of the two reply windows.
Remote work
Statuses matched to slots (notifications off outside batches): batching shows in the status.
Creative work to protect
Don't batch creation: reserve it a time-blocking slot, and batch everything else around it.
✓ Best practices
- Handle emails and messages in slots, not continuously.
- Chain same-nature tasks (calls, admin).
- Combine batching (small tasks) and time-blocking (background work).
✗ Common pitfalls
- Checking emails endlessly (fragmented attention).
- Endlessly mixing different-nature tasks.
- Wanting to batch everything, including complex creative work.
Key takeaways
- Endlessly changing task types exhausts and wastes time.
- Batching groups same-nature tasks, handled in a row.
- Handle emails/messages in slots, not continuously.
- Fewer transitions = more focus and useful time.
48h Challenge — apply tomorrow
Handle your emails in 2 fixed slots (e.g. 11 am and 4 pm) instead of continuously, and chain your calls. Note the freed background slots.
- I can explain context-switch cost.
- I handle emails and calls in dedicated slots.
- I have held 1 day in 2–3 slots instead of continuously.
Frequently asked questions
Isn't handling emails only 2–3 times a day risky?
Rarely: most emails don't demand minute-level answers. For true urgencies, a dedicated channel (phone, message) exists. Expecting instant email replies is often pressure you impose on yourself.
Does batching suit all tasks?
Mostly repetitive, same-nature tasks (emails, calls, entries, validations). Big creative or complex tasks belong to time-blocking. Both methods complement each other.
Anis checks emails twenty times a day and has no background slot left. What do you advise?