Does Batching Save You Time as a Working Mom?
Does batching really save that much time especially because it takes a chunk of time, to begin with?
When I first started my business, I joined a co-working day that was all about batch-writing content (like this weekly email you're getting). I joined thousands of content creators on a zoom call at the start of the day and committed to creating as much content as possible during our time together.
The hypothesis was that when you're focused on a single task for a dedicated amount of time, you produce more than if you were to bounce between tasks over time. With batching you "gather your supplies" and get into a rhythm, or a "flow".
I loved the concept of the batch-writing day, but I was working full-time still and couldn't do the full day. But even still, I was amazed at what I was able to write in a short period of time.
My writing flowed more freely as I got into the groove and ideas for future batching sessions also came pouring in because they had to the space to!
I wanted to harness that 'flow' in other areas of my life too.
If batching is about grouping like tasks together, I saw so many opportunities to be more efficient in my weekly schedule with batching:
Grocery shopping for the week/month instead of going to the store every time you need something.
Paying bills / reconciling the budget weekly rather than as you go.
Processing mail or paperwork once a week instead of piecemeal. (all of our mail goes in a basket until processing day.)
Prepping food, chopping fruits and veggies, and cooking protein weekly so it's ready to go for dinner throughout the week.
Making appointments or phone calls in batches so you can "get it over with" in one sitting rather than dragging it out!
I don't always want to do these things when the time comes, but once I get started, it's so much easier to just continue and get it all done than it is to talk myself into it with each phone call or each night making dinner.
When I experimented with meal planning for the month instead of the week, I was able to follow through because I LOVED the idea of only having to meal plan 12 times a year instead of 52 times a year.
You can apply the same thought process to anything that you want to batch.
It takes effort and energy sometimes to do the mundane, adulting chores that are just a part of life. When you batch, it means less energy spent "getting the wheels turning". Once they're rolling, you just keep rolling. And that to me is worth it.
As you're thinking about what chores or recurring tasks you can batch, here are a few tips that I've learned over the years that make for a successful batching session, regardless of whether you're batch cooking or processing paperwork:
Manage your Expectations
If you sit down to sort through an entire month's worth of paperwork and expect to get it all taken care of in 20 minutes, you might be setting yourself up for disappointment. First, estimate the amount of time you think you have for your batching session, and then think about the best-case scenario and what you'd be satisfied with. Would it be a good start just to get all of the envelopes open and junk mail thrown in the recycling? Great. Start there. Anything else will be icing on the cake.
Make it Fun
Adulting is work. There's no way around it. So how can you make the everyday chores of life more enjoyable while you tackle them in batches? Can you play some music, have a special drink, or sit outside in the sun? If you're going to work at this for a period of time, create a situation where you might actually have something to look forward to!
Celebrate Progress
When you're finished, take a minute to look at what you accomplished - the food you stocked, the veggies you prepped, the bills you paid, or the paperwork you sorted. Then think about all the time and energy you saved yourself by harnessing momentum and leveraging flow.
Be Flexible
Batching does require at least some time set aside. And let's be real, you're not always going to have that time! There'll be weeks that don't go as planned, where you're out of town during the time you would batch, or when you'd just rather play or relax than batch. Roll with it. Opt for convenience. Do things as you need to instead of in a batch. Let the "pile" get bigger as you push out your next batching session. And the key - don't feel bad about it! Batching isn't something you HAVE to do, it's something you CHOOSE to do. And some weeks you can choose something else. The batching will still be there the next week.
Is It Really Worth It?
Whenever I get a question from a working mom about how to manage life so you're NOT constantly doing chores, batching is my answer.
But start with just one thing. What's one chore or household task that takes more effort and energy than you'd like? Start there and think about how you can batch.
Do you procrastinate paying bills and sorting through paperwork? Make it a weekly date with your spouse, complete with a fun beverage or snack.
Do you have to talk yourself into chopping fruits and veggies so you have easy snacks for lunches? Do it in one chopping session per week and get it over with.
Do you delay calling doctors to schedule appointments that are long overdue? Set aside 30 minutes and see how many you can make in one swoop.
Just think about reducing the number of times you have to start something. And then commit to reducing that number by batching. If that isn't motivation, I don't know what it is!
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Here's to harnessing momentum and making it fun!