How to save time and simplify your life (task batching is a simple time management tool you can start using today)

Let’s set the stage here for a moment. 

We all have the same amount of time in the day, right?

24 hours at our disposal, but it can feel like we need our days to be 48 hours long! 

Sometimes we look at our friends, family or social media and see that others seem to get so much more done than you feel you do. I want to be super clear on this, what you see online versus reality is completely different. You can’t see what’s not in the picture, you don’t know if someone else’s completely clear and clean counters are really just boxes of stuff shoved in the closet.

These thoughts that infiltrate your mind can cause you to get down on yourself.

If this is you, I recommend putting blinders on. Meaning that you stop the comparison to others and really focus on what you can control. With blinders on, you’re able to put you, your family and your current season of life in the center of how you manage all the things in your home.

In the course Home Organizing for Beginners you learn exactly how to get your home organized in a way that puts you and your real life at the core of the entire process. This is the only way to get and keep your home organized. When you download cookie cutter organizing checklists that just tell you what to do, you don’t benefit from considering how your day to day life actually functions, but the course does. You can learn more about it at www.homeorganizingforbeginners.com.

When you search for how to save time in your day, you’ll see a lot of different ideas. I’m sharing just one thing with you that you can do today in order to start saving time.

This allows you to see a positive impact right away and that builds momentum and confidence.

What is task batching?

It’s pretty straightforward. You’re grouping tasks together that make sense.

The best example that I have of this that can save the most time overall in my week is running errands. We live about 20 minutes from Aldi and Sam’s Club where I do all of our grocery shopping. This is the same area our doctors are and our clothing stores and such. I work our schedule pretty hard to make sure that I only run into town once a week. If I can span 2 weeks, that’s even better. I’ll admit, sometimes it’s like I’m driving into town 3 or more times a week. That’s ok. If it works out to batch my tasks in town together, great. If it just won’t work, I’m sure not to beat myself up about it. But this is my very first go-to that saves me a lot of time and it’s just the best example so that you truly understand what task batching is.

It can also be checking email. Doing this only once a day, allows you to find a focus on the task versus checking email 3-4 times a day. This gives us control over our time versus being at the beck-and-call of anyone needing something from us.

How to implement task batching today

Step 1

Write down how your current days unfold. Be honest about it too.

If you spend 2 hours on your phone regularly or you fill 5-10 minutes here and there reviewing emails or texting friends and such. We all do it, I’m just saying that you want to truly be aware of how things are actually going down each day.

What is the week currently composed of?

Use a paper or spreadsheet, what works best for you. 

What does Monday look like? Then Tuesday and so on. Keep it fairly high level, but put the tasks in order. As you begin to lay this out, you’ll see what type of things you can batch together.

• Get up
• Get dressed
• Drive kids to school
• Go to work
• Come home from work
• Make dinner
• Relax for a bit
• Get kids ready for bed
• Tuck kids in
• Get ready for bed
• Go to bed

Step 2

Review what you’ve written for what stands out as options to be batched.

Look at items that require the same tools or the same destinations as your starting point.

Are you driving into school at night multiple times to pick kids up? If so, can the kid that’s done earlier just wait until the last kid is done? They can work on homework during that time or hang with friends. Are you driving to the same area multiple times a week? Can you start grouping your trips? 

Step 3

Select 2-3 tasks that you’re going to start batching together and try it out.

Write up how each day will look like with these tasks batched. When, where and such so that you know what you’re shooting for. Don’t assume you’ll remember because this is a new habit and it takes time to test out. Commit to these changes for 3-4 weeks.

Step 4

Each week, review how it’s going.

Set a reminder in a week from today to review how this change is going. If you skip this step, your mind will trick you into thinking that it’s not benefiting or that it’s benefiting more than you think!

So, set the time to review. 

When you review, you’ll take a look at the first document, compare it to the second document and make an assessment if you can continue with the improvements, if they’re saving time or not. Then review if you can add more batching. This continues until you’re satisfied that you have optimized your time by task batching.

In summary your steps are

Step 1 - Write down how your current days unfold. Be honest about it.
Step 2 - Review what you’ve written for what stands out as options to be batched.
Step 3 - Select 2-3 tasks that you’re going to start batching together and try it out.
Step 4 - Each week, review how it’s going.

Get started today if you can!

Are you to the point where you just want someone to come into your home to get it clean and organized?

I get it. Daily life so easily has us feeling like we’re running around like chickens with their heads cut off. What if you could learn how to clean and organize your home in a truly effective and lasting way? In the online course Home Organizing for Beginners that is exactly what I teach you. It’s so important when cleaning and organizing your home to consider how you and your family live life each day. It’s a must to set yourself up for success with a home that you can whip back into shape anytime life gets out of control.

Home Organizing for Beginners will give you:

• Confidence in your ability to organize your own home. Allow your new found confidence to show your children that they can be organized too. (even though they’ll fight you on it!)
• Fool proof steps to creating a clean and organized home that you will be proud to welcome others into even when they stop in unannounced.
• Time to spend how you choose. For me the extra time has been spent with the Lord. This has helped me bring true peace and joy into my home.

To learn more go to homeorganizingforbeginners.com.