What does it mean that batch processing beats continuous processing?

Set dedicated times to process your inbox rather than handling items as they arrive. Batch processing protects cognitive depth; continuous processing fragments it.

Example: You check email at 9am, 12:30pm, and 4pm — three fixed windows. Between those windows, your inbox is closed. During each window, you process every item to zero: respond, delegate, defer to your task list, or delete. A colleague sends you a non-urgent question at 10:15am. You don't see it until 12:30pm. You respond in 45 seconds with full context. Had you seen it at 10:15, you'd have broken a 90-minute deep work block, lost 23 minutes to attention residue, and still given the same answer.

Try this: For one full workday, restrict your inbox processing to three fixed windows: morning, midday, and late afternoon. Set a phone timer for each window. Between windows, close your email client entirely — not minimized, closed. At the end of the day, note two things: (1) how many items actually required a faster response than your batch schedule allowed, and (2) how your focus felt during the gaps between windows.