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How to Use Weekflow to Improve Your Batch Processing

So, you want to be more productive. But batching tasks isn't enough. Distractions can get in the way. Interruptions can result in context change. Things can come up that prevent you from batching effectively. That's why you need Weekflow, and in this guide, we look at exactly what that is.


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David Andrew Wiebe

2 years ago | 6 min read

If you’re looking to increase your productivity, you should try batch processing.

It can help you focus on similar tasks for longer without the need to constantly switch tasks and lose productivity.

But in my experience, batch processing can be a little shortsighted if you aren’t doing things the right way. It can even leave you scrambling at the last minute if you aren’t looking ahead.

Here’s how to use Weekflow to improve your batch processing.

What is Batch Processing?

Batch processing is where you group similar tasks together to reduce the productivity loss resulting from task switching.

Let’s say your week looks a little like mine. Most of your time is spent on writing, but aside from that, you also format and schedule posts in WordPress, record podcast content, schedule social media posts, syndicate and distribute content, edit images and videos, and so on.

So, as much as possible, you’d try to group similar tasks on the same day. This is a crude example, but since I do a lot of writing, I’d probably want to batch my writing on Monday through Wednesday. I could make Thursday social media day. And I could make Friday multimedia day (graphics, audio, and video). Finally, I would work on my all my newsletters on Saturday (which is what I already do).

But why would you do things this way?

Jory MacKay, editor of the RescueTime blog found that context switching can affect your overall productivity by 20 to 80%, depending on how many tasks you’re switching between. The more context switching you’re doing, the less productive you are!

If you’ve ever wondered whether there’s a trick to getting more done in your day, it’s this – batch processing.

What is Weekflow?

It’s a concept I came up with a while back (no relation to the app of the same name).

I like batch processing a lot. The main issue I often ran into was accounting for days where task switching was inevitable unless I planned for it far in advance.

Blog posts would sometimes need to be written and scheduled the same day. Which meant I would need to spend time inside Microsoft Word writing the piece, in Photoshop designing a header graphic, and in WordPress formatting and scheduling the post.

I’m used to having to do things that way, but it sort of defeats the purpose of batch processing, because you find yourself having to task switch regardless.

Basically, it’s not enough to think in terms of tasks. You must match up your tasks with your schedule and deadlines to be effective.

That’s why I came up with Weekflow. It’s the process of thinking about what needs to be done by when, and ensuring minimal task switching while engaging in batch processing.

Getting Started with Weekflow – Task & Deadline Breakdown

First, we need to think about the tasks we’re engaged in as well as their respective deadlines.

I’m going to use myself as an example here. Here’s what’s usually on my calendar each week:

  • I publish a new blog post daily on DavidAndrewWiebe.com and syndicate it to Medium.
  • I record a new podcast episode each week and publish on Thursday. I usually send out an email letting my audience know about the new episode as well.
  • I publish at least one new post per week on News Break (usually on Friday).
  • I write and schedule three to four posts per week for Music Industry How To.
  • I publish an installment of Creative Entrepreneur for The Indie YYC on Fridays.
  • I send out newsletters on Saturday.
  • I schedule a week’s worth of tweets, usually on a Sunday or Monday.

(I shared this about a year ago, and some of my workflow has changed.)

So, altogether, that looks something like this:

Although I’ve left out other client work and product development, this isn’t always a constant, so I didn’t include it.

Now, it’s time to break everything down into its components.

Blog Posts

Blog posts always have the following in common:

  • Ideation (all my ideas are stored in my LifeSheet)
  • Writing
  • Editing
  • Header graphic
  • Additional images
  • Formatting (headers, bullets, links, bold and italicized text, click to tweets, etc.)
  • Scheduling
  • Social media posts
  • Distribution and syndication

Regardless of whether I’m publishing on one of my own blogs, Medium, News Break, Music Industry How To, or otherwise, publishing usually involves all or most of the above.

Podcast

Recording a podcast has a lot in common with blog posts, except that there are a few additional steps. They are as follows:

  • Ideation
  • Scripting/research
  • Editing
  • Recording
  • Audio editing
  • Metadata
  • Upload audio to Amazon S3
  • Header graphic
  • Additional images
  • Formatting
  • Scheduling
  • Social media posts

Creative Entrepreneur

With the Creative Entrepreneur series, I’m basically repurposing podcast content, so the process is a little different than just recording another podcast or making a video. Here’s what’s involved:

  • Create podcast clip in Repurpose
  • Edit video in iMovie
  • Process audio through Auphonic
  • Write intro text
  • Schedule video for publishing in Creator Studio (Facebook and Instagram)

Newsletters

My weekly digests get repurposed as weekly newsletters (though I do some minor editing). Here’s what’s involved.

  • Copy and paste content into Mailchimp
  • Edit (based on audience)
  • Format
  • Rinse and repeat

Social Media Posts

Although I’m experimenting with a variety of social networks, my focus this year is Twitter. So, here’s what I need to do to ensure I’m on top of it:

  • Make a list of tweets to model
  • Rewrite tweets and put them into my own voice
  • Schedule tweets

Batch Processing + Weekflow = Effectiveness

Looking at the above, you may feel as I do, that trying to avoid task switching would be a near impossibility.

So, is batch processing even worth the effort? What benefits am I tapping into if I can’t possibly get away from task switching?

Now you’re starting to see the essence of why Weekflow is necessary.

It’s not enough to batch, or even to make the commitment to batch. You must think about how you can effectively set yourself up, each day, for the next. That’s Weekflow.

So, it’s not just a matter of saying I will write on Monday through Wednesday. Each day is about teeing yourself up for the next. It’s about looking ahead and being sure you’re not scrambling on Tuesday because you didn’t spend enough time preparing for it on Monday.

If you do this well, your batching efforts will pay off in droves.

Weekflow Optimization

Okay, so now you understand how to get started with Weekflow, as well as why it’s necessary.

Now we need to talk about how you can optimize your schedule with Weekflow.

This process isn’t difficult. But it can take time.

For me, it typically begins on Sunday with my #StrategySunday planning sessions.

By the way, if you don’t have a weekly planning session, good luck trying to optimize your Weekflow. It’s just not going to happen.

But let’s say, for instance, that I wanted to batch my header graphics for the week. Monday would be a relatively good time to do this, as I typically try to ease into my week on Monday and start to wind down on Friday.

During my #StrategySunday session, I would have thought about the content I want to publish throughout the week. It’s entirely possible I’ve brainstormed titles already.

I would take a moment to review these titles and spend some time revising. After all, titles are everything when it comes to getting clicks.

After committing to a set of titles, I would go into Photoshop and make all my header graphics for the week. I would do the same for all my other publishing efforts, identifying in advance what graphics I need to edit and ready for my posts.

It sounds easy, but I’m also publishing on Monday. So, I would have had to thought of that in advance too.

But now you see how it all comes together.

Altogether, it may seem daunting, but Weekflow is a process of gradual improvement – Kaizen.

You can only act on the information available. And if you haven’t been batch processing or optimizing your Weekflow yet, then you have no experience to derive from. You need to gain some experience, and when you find something to that doesn't work, return to the drawing board.

Your Weekflow may never be perfect, and that’s okay. Keep thinking strategically and you will get better at it.

Final Thoughts

It’s not enough to identify the enemy of productivity, which in this case is task switching. You must also come up with an elegant solution.

Batch processing isn’t the solution. It’s just the starting point.

You must execute and know what it feels like, and commit to the process.

Then comes optimization, which in my view, requires Weekflow. I don’t know how else you’re going to make the most of batch processing.

You must have a clear view of what’s coming and be able to tee yourself up, each day, for the next thing, and then the next.

Did you find this helpful? I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

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David Andrew Wiebe

Empowering independent artists to share their passion, build devoted fan bases, and turn creativity into income. Let's amplify your journey in the world of music! 🎶✨


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