Rather than cleaning one room at a time, batch by task: Vacuum all floors, then dust all surfaces and then clean all mirror. Photo / 123rf
This workplace technique for time management can be put to use at home.
When it comes to managing our homes and personal lives, most of us aren’t using an Eisenhower Matrix to organise our to-do lists or performing a SWOT analysis to make our mornings run smoothly. But techniques and processes designed for the workplace can be surprisingly effective when applied at home, especially tools designed to improve time management skills.
One such tool, a technique known as batching, can combat overload and help us get stuff done – whatever that stuff may be. If you find yourself forever multitasking but never really accomplishing anything, batching may be the solution your stressed-out mind needs.
“Batching is a productivity technique where similar tasks are completed in a dedicated block of time, rather than being spread out or tackled randomly,” says Nicole Gabai, a professional organiser and the author of The Art of Organising. Bundling – or batching – similar tasks helps the brain stay focused.
It can reduce cognitive overload and improve productivity, according to Karishma Patel Buford, the chief people officer at Spring Health. “Instead of jumping between different kinds of tasks like answering emails, cleaning or prepping meals, you set aside time to complete each type all at once.”
When faced with extreme busyness, it can feel logical to rely on multitasking. But that could be creating more problems than it solves. “Research shows it can actually drain focus and energy,” Buford says. “Batching minimises the mental cost of switching tasks.”
Mental exhaustion can lead to mistakes and inefficiencies, says Gary Small, chair of psychiatry at Hackensack University Medical Center. Multitasking can also affect your mood, creating another roadblock to completing tasks. “We know that disorganisation affects mental health,” Small says. “It can fuel anxiety and frustration, and it can be exhausting and affect our ability to focus.”
At their core, decluttering and organising are about decision-making. When you’re faced with a task that is more mentally exhausting than physically taxing, the best way to simplify the process is to reduce the number of decisions you need to make. Batching facilitates this by narrowing your focus. “Instead of trying to organise an entire room or your entire house at once, group similar tasks or items together and tackle them in manageable chunks,” Gabai says. “Your brain works more efficiently and with greater confidence when you’re making repeated decisions about similar items.”
Gabai tells her clients to think in sections that you tackle in discrete organising sessions. “For example, instead of doing the whole kitchen in one sitting, start with food storage containers. Then go on to the spices section, then the utensils. And that would give you a good, manageable start.”
Batching is most suited to organising and decluttering projects, but it can be applied to cleaning jobs, too. “Rather than cleaning one room at a time, batch by task: Vacuum all floors, then dust all surfaces and then clean all mirrors,” Buford says. “With less time lost in transitions, it’s easier to keep a satisfying rhythm going.”
Buford uses the example of a messy kitchen to illustrate how batching can improve efficiency and leave you feeling less frazzled. “Don’t bounce between wiping counters and organising drawers,” she says. “Instead, batch by activity. Clean all surfaces first, then tackle drawer organisation next. This allows for a flow state that feels manageable, and for some, even meditative.”
It’s particularly useful, Gabai says, for tasks that “repeat across all sections in every room”. Buford recommends it for “routine or repetitive tasks where consistency matters”. Examples include:
Switching from cleaning room by room to batching may look like this: instead of cleaning the living room on Tuesday, the bedrooms on Wednesday and so on, you might dust the entire home on Tuesday, strip all the beds on Wednesday, vacuum on Thursday, and clean and disinfect hard surfaces on Friday.
Batching is extremely useful for large – and often overwhelming – organising projects, such as cleaning out the garage, attic or basement or tackling an overflowing closet. “Organising involves setting aside time to coordinate and arrange chores,” Small says. “When you do decide to get organised, don’t overwhelm yourself. Rather than attempting to declutter your entire home on a Saturday afternoon, pick one closet or drawer to get started, but prioritise where you begin.” For example, Small says, “sorting out winter clothing stored in the attic would be less of a priority during spring cleaning than making sure your home’s entry closet is not overflowing with winter coats and ski gear”.
Doing this also helps to establish priorities and create a road map, essentially leaving you with a project plan. “You avoid being overwhelmed and avoid getting discouraged,” Gabai says. “If your project is ‘organise my house,’ that’s pretty intimidating.” Batching forces you to narrow your focus, making it easier to successfully complete tasks. “Your brain gets into a rhythm, and you can make faster, more confident decisions,” Gabai says.