Errandswhile

Errandswhile is a term used in productivity and workflow discussions to describe the practice of performing routine errands or administrative chores during intervals of waiting for other work to progress. The idea is to use small, non-complex tasks to fill gaps between larger tasks, thereby reducing downtime and maintaining momentum.

The term appears in online productivity discussions in the 2010s as a neologism formed from errands and while. It is used to describe both personal routines and automated workflows, depending on the context.

In practice, errandswhile can take several forms. For individuals, it might mean sending a quick message, filing a form, or organizing a desk during a delay in a project or while a long-running process completes. In automation, it can refer to orchestrating lightweight subtasks to run during system idle times, keeping resources productive without adding significant latency.

Critics warn that errandswhile tasks can disrupt deep work or increase cognitive overhead if not planned. Proponents note that when applied selectively, errandswhile can improve time utilization and reduce wasted waiting time.

See also: time management, task batching, microtasking, productivity techniques.