Building a Workflow That Works for Your Brain: Why Task Batching Is My Go-To When Everything Feels Hard

Some days, I sit down to work and everything in me resists it.

The task is boring. My brain starts scanning for something, anything, more interesting. And sometimes, doing something “just because it needs to be done” feels genuinely painful. It’s not laziness. It’s not a lack of discipline. It’s a very real tension between two parts of me that often feel at odds: ADHD, which craves interest and novelty… and autism, which values structure, routine, and clarity.

For years, this internal conflict made everyday tasks feel like a battleground. I wanted structure, but not rigidity. I needed flexibility, but not chaos. Most productivity advice I read was built for neurotypical brains or people who wake up with the same energy levels each day. I don’t. So, I began building a toolkit. Task batching is one of the tools I reach for most often.

What is Task Batching?

Task batching means grouping similar types of tasks together and doing them in one focused window. Instead of jumping between totally unrelated things (email → bookkeeping → copywriting), I’ll do all emails in one batch. I’ll save admin tasks for a low-energy time block. I give myself permission to step away after finishing a batch, breaks are non-negotiable.

It’s not perfect. But it saves me from the mental whiplash of switching gears constantly. It creates a rhythm where there used to be friction.

Why it Works for Me

• It reduces overwhelm. My brain isn’t juggling 12 competing priorities. I just need to do one category.

• It honours how interest-focused my ADHD is. I can batch boring tasks and immediately reward myself with something energizing.

• It respects my autistic need for structure. There’s order, clarity, and predictability, but I choose the rules.

• It leaves room for self-compassion. Some days I only get through one batch. That’s still progress.

  
  

I don’t work the same way every day. I used to fight that. Now, I build systems that flex with me. I’ve studied hundreds of productivity approaches, pulled pieces from everywhere, and created something entirely my own. Some days I thrive with Pomodoro timers. Other days I need complete freedom. But task batching remains a steady anchor I come back to.

For Anyone Struggling with Workflow: You're Not Broken

Whether you're neurodivergent or just burned out, please hear this: your difficulty with doing boring tasks isn’t a character flaw. Your productivity doesn’t need to mimic someone else’s. You’re allowed to build a workflow you actually enjoy. One that celebrates who you are and how you work best.

Task batching isn’t a silver bullet. But it’s a gentle start. A way to bring ease into the hard parts. And maybe, with time and kindness toward yourself, you’ll gather your own toolkit full of rhythms, rituals, and routines that meet you where you are.

Have you found a productivity strategy that feels like it truly understands you? I'd love to hear what's in your tookit.