What I learned when I gave up my daily to-do list and tried ‘task-batching’

When it comes to productivity, there are countless tips and tricks out there. I've tried many of them, some of which have even been featured in my own work for this publication. However, the method that seemed to work best for me was maintaining a to-do list ranked from the most important to the least important each day. But recently, due to various life distractions, I found myself needing to become more efficient with the limited time I had.

I noticed that I tended to accomplish a lot when I grouped similar tasks together. Inspired by this observation, I began task-batching—working on similar tasks one after another on a daily basis. I anticipated some improvement, but after a week, I realized I had been approaching productivity incorrectly.

The culprit behind my fluctuating productivity turned out to be context-switching. This term refers to switching from one type of task to another, originating from the world of computing where the central processing unit (CPU) saves a process before moving on to another. In a work setting, context-switching can have a significant cognitive cost, especially when constantly transitioning between tasks.

Anthony Sali, an assistant professor of psychology at Wake Forest University, explains that when we're working on a task, our brain's active memory system is engaged, making us less distracted by other things. Switching tasks requires momentarily disengaging from the first one, and the more frequently we switch, the more prone we are to getting distracted.

What surprised me was that the cost of switching between similar tasks can be higher than switching between tasks that don't use the same brain function. For instance, task-batching allowed me to get closer to achieving a state of "flow" or being in the zone. I no longer needed those transitional breaks that added up and sometimes stretched too long, as they were no longer necessary since I was already in the zone for the activity.

The power of uninterrupted time became evident, acknowledging the privilege of having the flexibility to set my own hours and schedule. While I do have to work around calls and meetings outside of my time zone, I don't face the issue of being interrupted by colleagues constantly. Sali suggests that finding blocks of uninterrupted hours is the sweet spot, and employers should consider policies that protect employees' time to work without interruptions.