Episode 51: Daily Action vs Batching

Is it better to take care of regular tasks daily or let a backlog build up and then take care of it all at once? You probably won't be surprised by the answer that question: It depends. This week, Janine and Shannon discuss their ideas around which tasks are better handled daily and which can be batched.

Discussion topics include:

• Tornadoes in St. Louis

• Taking care of things every day versus letting things build up to do at once

• Janine’s affinity for daily habits

• How it’s more beneficial to batch some tasks rather than do them daily

• Areas that really benefit from daily action, like handling email and keeping the kitchen clean

• How perfectionism can get in the way of putting stuff away

• Janine’s definition of clutter: Having more items than you can comfortably store

• How some things are better done in batches

• Being mindful about approaching tasks daily or in batches

• How Shannon batches the processing of the mail

• The Paper Karma app that helps you get rid of unwanted mail

• Right-turn technology (have you ever seen a UPS truck turn left?)

• Getting rid of a backlog without adding to it

• How sometimes a backlog doesn’t even have to be dealt with