We often have trouble focusing on work and getting things done, especially when we have a lot of work to do. We take an eternity to start and do very little. Inevitably it ends up being an unproductive day. Then you have to work late or perhaps over the weekend to complete the deadlines. Or you did some work and decided to take a break. Then you lose control of your time and realize that you are about to finish your favorite Netflix show already.
I understand. Especially after switching to work from home full-time, a lot of people might find it hard to focus. Happens to the best of us.
That’s why in this article I want to talk about the Pomodoro technique and how I am using it to increase my productivity. I hope it will be helpful and we will manage to turn time into our ally.
So without further ado, Let’s begin!
What is Pomodoro technique?
The Pomodoro technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. He was struggling to focus on his studies and asked himself to commit just 2 minutes without distraction. He went to the kitchen, grabbed a tomato-shaped timer (yes, I was there), wound it up for two minutes, and started to focus. It worked. Then he gradually increased the amount of time and in the end, he decided that 25 minutes was the ideal amount. Encouraged by it, he went ahead and wrote a 130-page book about the method and that’s how the Pomodoro technique was born.
How does it work?
Don’t worry, you don’t have to read the book. This is one of the simplest and yet effective productivity methods out there. And that’s the beauty of it.
This is how it works:
- Pick a task.
- Set the timer to 25 minutes and work on the task until the timer rings.
- When your session ends, take a 5-minute break.
- After 4 consecutive work intervals, take a 15–30 minute break.
Pomodoro Technique
It would be better if you do some planning at the beginning of your work day. For instance, you can split your big task into smaller subtasks and sort them by priority. Then each 25 minutes you can finish one or two.
Also, make sure to shut off all the distractions while you focus. Concentrate on your task until you hear the timer go off.
What makes Pomodoro technique so effective?
- It’s simple: Pomodoro doesn’t have any complex rules. All you need is a timer. Whether you’re at the office or home. You work for a short period of time, take a break and repeat. That’s it.
- It helps you to focus on one task at a time: This technique is designed to improve multitasking skills and concentration. Rather than juggling between multiple tasks, Pomodoro helps you manage your time by dividing your big tasks into smaller chunks and forces you to focus on one task at a time. At the end of the day, you put the puzzle together.
- It helps you to reduce your stress: This technique helps you to combat stress and anxiety at work. It improves your organization and planning skills, gives you control over your time, makes sure that you don’t overwork, and prevents burnout.
Some helpful tips
I’ve been using the Pomodoro technique for almost a year now and want to share some tips that I think might be helpful.
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Don’t be religious about work and break times: Classic Pomodoro is 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of break. But that doesn’t mean you have to follow this bluntly. If you think you work better with different times, go ahead and do it your way. You can work 15 minutes and take a 10-minute break or work 10 minutes and take a 5-minute break etc. It’s completely up to you.
Also don’t feel obligated that if it rings you immediately have to stop working. For instance, when you’re having a meeting with a coworker and you hear the ring, don’t jump out of the call (I never did that btw). Sometimes you’re doing some work and want to focus on it with no interruption. Just continue your timer and do your work. That’s totally fine. - Stay away from the screen during your break: Try not to scroll on social media, YouTube, or any other websites for that matter. You can read a book, make yourself a nice cup of tea (or coffee), or go take a walk and get some fresh air during the long breaks. This will help you to reduce stress and when you come back to work, you’ll be more concentrated.
- Use Pomodoro tools: While any timer will work for the Pomodoro technique, a dedicated Pomodoro app can make your life easier by automatically alternating between work and break periods. Using a phone timer or Google timer might be a hassle since you will not be able to track your progress. I would suggest using some online tools. I personally use pomofocus.io. By using this app, you can adjust times very easily according to your preference, track your progress daily, weekly, and monthly, and organize your tasks.
And that’s it, folks. I hope it will be helpful for a lot of people. Pomodoro technique is the simplest and most efficient method of time management. Go ahead and give it a try, and see how it works.
Thanks for reading!
