How to Use Batching to Become More Productive

15 Jul.,2024

 

How to Use Batching to Become More Productive

A friend recently sent me a fascinating article on &#;batching.&#; After reading it, I became intrigued with the idea of dedicating blocks of time to similar tasks in order to decrease distraction and increase productivity. While there are variations of batching, the Pomodoro Technique seems to be well thought out and tested. There are also free tools and resources to get you started.

For more information, please visit types of batching.

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/aroax

What Is Batching?

Batching is simply a form of time management that allows a person to maximize concentration and decrease distraction. As a result, it increases your productivity, creativity, and mental sharpness, while decreasing fatigue, procrastination, and stress. Batch processing is the grouping of similar tasks that require similar resources in order to streamline their completion.

Too many of us go through our day allowing distractions to dictate our activities. We&#;re in a constant state of reacting to the needs or interjections of those distractions (e.g., , calls, text messages, voicemail, meetings, etc), However well-intentioned, we often allow the priorities of others to supersede our own. How often have you had a project or specific tasks that required time and focus but an or call distracted you from accomplishing it? Working in a perpetual state of shifting tasks and refocusing attention creates fatigue, stress, and decreased productivity.

Every time we become distracted, it takes an average of 15 minutes to regain complete focus. Unless you are intentionally managing your time, there is a very good chance that you operate in a constant state of unfocused response. If that&#;s the case, you are not being nearly as effective or productive as you could be and you&#;re simply not giving yourself, or your employer, your best (note: your best is not defined by how hard you work but by how smart you work).

Batching minimizes the amount of distraction that&#;s placed on our increasingly connected lives. It not only protects us from the distractions of others, but also from our self-inflicted distractions. How many times have I seen an update on Twitter or Facebook from a friend that indicated they should be ______ (fill in the blank; writing a paper, editing, answering , working on a project, cooking dinner, etc.)?

Batching is setting aside an intentional amount of time for intentional tasks and making an intentional effort to not allow the distractions or interjections of others break that focus. After that block of time is up, take a planned break, then begin the next block of focused time. Each block of focused time is dedicated to one task or set of similar tasks.

The Multi-Tasking Myth

We are creatures of structure and habit; without it, we get stressed and fatigued. There&#;s a myth that (s)he who masters the practice of multi-tasking will be at the top of their game. It couldn&#;t be further from the truth. Study after study has shown that multi-tasking decreases productivity dramatically and drains one of creativity. The purpose of multi-tasking is reactive in nature&#;it&#;s the ability to adapt to tasks &#;on the fly&#; and to constantly shift focus from one task to another. Multi-tasking creates a convoluted and stressful environment that is eventually unsustainable. Left unchecked, you will drop balls lose your sanity.

In an article for the the Harvard Business Review, Peter Bregman notes that our productivity goes down by 40% when we attempt to focus on several things at once. He notes that we are not really multi-tasking. Instead, we are rapidly switching from one task to another and interrupting our productivity.

The Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is one method for batching tasks. Here&#;s how it works:

  1. Plan and prioritize the tasks that need to be completed, by writing them down.
  2. Set a timer for for 25 minutes and devote that time to a task, or to a group of similar tasks. Larger tasks can be broken into multiple blocks or &#;pomodoro&#;s,&#; and smaller tasks (responding to , returning calls, etc) can be grouped into a single block. After completing each Pomodoro, you put an &#;X&#; next to it and mark the number of times that you were distracted.
  3. Take a 5 minute break.
  4. Begin another block of time or &#;pomodoro.&#;
  5. After completing 4 pomodoro&#;s, take an extended 20 minute break.

According to the Pomodoro website, you should see noticeable improvements in your productivity almost immediately and mastery of the technique in 7&#;20 days.

And what about the name? Pomodoro means &#;tomato&#; in Italian. The inventor of the technique, Francesco Cirillo (Italian), initially used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer when he developed the technique.

Pomodoro Resources

Here are some Pomodoro resources you might find helpful:

Question: Have you ever tried batching? What would it make possible for your productivity? You can leave a comment by clicking here

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are &#;affiliate links.&#; This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we use and believe will add value to our readers. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission&#;s 16 CFR, Part 255: &#;Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

METHODS OF BATCHING OF CONCRETE

METHODS OF BATCHING OF CONCRETE

Batching of concrete is the process in which the elements or ingredients required for producing the concrete mix such as cement, sand, aggregate and water are measured in quantity for correct mixing according to the mix ratio.

Accurate quantity of all the ingredients should be used to produce high-quality concrete. Batching of concrete is a way of quantifying the quantity of ingredients.

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The aggregates, cement, and water should be measured to within 3% of the batch quantity, while the admixtures should be measured to within 5% of the batch quantity.

Volume batching and weigh batching are the two most used methods for concrete batching. The batching method chosen is entirely dependent on the required criteria and the job&#;s size. However, the weigh batching method is commonly used and is highly recommended.

The importance of concrete batching is to obtain strength, workability, durability and economy.

Concrete Batching

Concrete is a multipurpose, long-lasting, environmentally friendly, and inexpensive material as well as a globally recognized construction material. To produce better quality concrete, the components of concrete must be calculated properly and completely which is possible by adopting the accurate method of Batching of Concrete.

Concrete is made up of three basic components: water, aggregate (rock, sand, or gravel), and cement. cement usually in powder form, acts as a binding agent when mixed with water and Aggregates this Combination or concrete mix, will be poured and harden water into the durable material with which we are all familiar.

Types of Batching of Concrete

Following the three type of batching of concrete

  1. Random volumetric batching

    2. volumetric batching

    3. Weigh batching of concrete

1. Random Volumetric Batching of Concrete

Devoid of any control over the size and shape of the applied containers causing major disturbances and deviations numbers. This method is completely unscientific, unsophisticated, and should not be recommended even for a small project.

2. Proper Volumetric Batching of Concrete

Volume batching of concrete is accomplished with the use of a measurement box, locally named farma or gauge. Concrete components such as aggregates (Karachi + sand) and cement are calculated with farms or gauge boxes and proper precaution must be taken to ensure that the form of gauge box is excessively filled.

To calculate the amount of water, a water meter should be used when there is a certain amount of water cans or uses

Weigh Batching

Weigh batching method for cocnrete is used for all major works. Weigh batchers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Manual batching is used for smaller projects.

The weighing and mixing of the ingredients is done entirely by hand. Ordinary platform weighing machines can also be used for the weighing.

Weigh bucket equipment is utilised for large-scale projects. The weigh buckets are fed by hoppers, which release the materials into the mixer by gravity.

Automatic batching plants with capacities ranging from small to big and that can be controlled manually or electrically are available. They do, however, work on the same basis.

The weighing of all the different materials is started by pressing a button, and the flow of each is stopped when the correct weight is attained. Just like filling a water bottle from a tap.

The weight of each material delivered to each batch is graphically recorded by some of the most modern batchers.

Water is not added by graduated buckets in weigh batching because the water may spill over. The mixer is equipped with a horizontal or vertical tank. The filling is built in such a way that it can permit any amount of water.

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