Using Timing to Automate Repetitive Tasks

Scheduling a specific day, or time of day, to complete tasks you repeat on a daily or weekly basis is an effective way of automating them. This can work especially well for professional or personal tasks you find boring, mundane, or undesirable. In this blog, I explain how this strategy works and why. I then discuss five key points to consider when implementing it and provide some real-life examples.

How this works 

Simply put, when you engage in a behavior at the same time every day or every week, your brain starts to make an association between the timing and that particular behavior. Over time, this association strengthens and you unconsciously engage in the behavior as soon as your brain is triggered by the timing. Essentially, what you’re doing is programming your brain to go on autopilot when it’s cued. A common example of this is brushing your teeth in the morning. Another example is waking up at a specific time every morning without an alarm because you got used to waking up at that time. 

Why this works 

Automating tasks based on timing:

• eliminates the amount of decisions you have to make, reducing the load on your working memory; 

• helps with time management;

• reduces the chances of acting at the whim of your emotions, reducing the need for willpower; 

• helps with focus because you’re completing one task at a time; and 

• gives the part of your brain responsible for executive functioning more capacity to focus on cognitively demanding tasks. 

Let’s say, for example, you decide to check your email every weekday from 10-11 AM. When that hour approaches, your brain automatically goes into “check email mode”. This eliminates checking your email randomly throughout the day, which drains your time, energy, and focus. It also eliminates thinking about when and how often you should check your email and allows you to be more in the moment.

Five key points to consider

1. Specificity:

   

   You can specify an exact time for the task (“I will check my email from 10-11 AM everyday”) or keep it general (“I will check my email everyday after lunch”).

   
   

   Depending on the task, you can also specify a theme for each day (“I will do laundry on Saturdays and vacuum on Wednesdays”). You can come up with a creative name for each day to help you remember. For example, Taco Tuesdays is a common one.

2. Timing:

   

   Set yourself up for success by choosing a time when you can reasonably commit to doing the task at the same time with minimal to no distractions. For example, schedule easier tasks (answering email or other administrative tasks) when you have lower energy and more complex tasks (big projects, assignments) when you have higher energy.

   
   

   You can also choose a time immediately before or after a well-established habit to help you remember and stay consistent (“I will check my email for one hour as soon as I start work every morning”).

3. Quantity:

   

   Set yourself up for success by focusing on only 1-3 small tasks until they become routine habits. You want to avoid feeling overwhelmed and then giving up because you took on too much. Be reasonable and realistic, given your current circumstances and capability. As a general guideline, it helps to start with tasks that are the most urgent or causing you the most distress. This will look different for every person.

4. Consistency:

   

   Consistency is key to forming new habits, especially at the beginning when the habit isn’t well established yet. Having reminders will help you with that consistency. You can use timers or visual cues (like post-its) or mark a recurring event on your calendar. You can also ask a trusted friend, family member, or professional to hold you accountable.

5. Flexibility:

   

   Change is always a process and doesn’t happen overnight. Allow yourself to make mistakes as you adjust to new habits, modify things along the way if something isn’t working, and reward yourself for even small successes.

Real-life Examples

Struggling to work on a complex project or assignment?

Allot a chunk of time everyday, or however often you need, to work on the task without interruption, preferably during a time when your brain is most alert.

Does immediately responding to each new email or notification you receive disrupt your flow?

Allot a chunk, or chunks, of time throughout the day dedicated to just checking email, or responding to other types of notifications.

Does your job involve administrative tasks that drain your focus and energy?

Allot a chunk of time everyday dedicated to just completing those tasks or assign one day as your “admin day”.

Have trouble deciding what to eat everyday?

Pick one day of the week when you decide on your meals for the upcoming week. Or have different themes for each day, like Taco Tuesday or Pasta Monday.

Struggling to stick to an exercise routine?

Choose on which days and/or at what time you’re going to exercise. You can also have themes for specific days, like upper body, lower body, cardio, etc.

Spend too much time deciding what to wear every morning?

Plan your outfit the night before or pick a day of the week when you plan all your outfits for the following week.

Struggling to keep up with house chores?

Pick one day where you catch up on all your chores or assign a different chore for each day like doing laundry one day, vacuuming on another, etc.

Final Thoughts

Scheduling repetitive tasks at the same time or on the same day is an effective executive functioning strategy. It helps reduce your cognitive load so you can have space for more demanding or important tasks. Start small by picking one task that has been really weighing you down or will result in the most long-term efficiency. Use the guidelines to make it an established habit and, once it is, move on to another small task. 

Questions or comments? Leave them below!