A well-known method for productivity for some decades is the so-called Pomodoro technique. This technique is effective because it creates structure and forces you to work in concentrated intervals, which can help to increase productivity and reduce procrastination. But how does this work exactly?
Let’s say you work from home today. You open your laptop and start writing that report, until a social media notification distracts you from work for a while and makes you look at the screen of your mobile phone. In a world full of ringing phones and app notifications, staying concentrated on a task for a long time is among the most challenging things one can achieve. What is the best time management system to reduce distractions and help get your tasks done?
What is the Pomodoro technique?
Developed in the late 1980s by university student Francesco Cirillo, the Pomodoro Technique is a famous time management method that people use to maximize their efficiency during a task. The Pomodoro method uses a kitchen timer to break work into 25-minute-long intervals, separated by short breaks. The technique was named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer that Cirillo used, and this is why each interval is known as a Pomodoro (which in Italian means “tomato”).
The original technique has six steps:
- Decide what your task is: It may be a memo/report for work, a presentation, a speech preparation or even something not related to work, such as a university assignment.
- Set the Pomodoro timer (typically for 25 minutes). You don’t need a traditional tomato-like kitchen timer anymore; you can find several pomodoro timers online.
- Start working on the task and focus only on it. It is a generally good idea to remove potential distractions, such as your mobile phone.
- Stop working when the timer rings and take a short break (typically 5 minutes).
- If you have finished fewer than three pomodoros, go back to Step 2 and repeat until you go through all three pomodoros.
- After three pomodoros are done, take the fourth pomodoro and then take a long break (typically 20 to 30 minutes). Once the long break is finished, return to step 2.
The benefits of using Pomodoro technique at the workplace
1. Enhanced productivity: Taking regular breaks allows your mind to relax and re-energize, maintaining your overall focus. This means that you can be more productive in each 25-minute interval.
2. Higher motivation: Knowing that you must focus for just 25 minutes can give you bigger willpower to get started. In addition, the time intervals create a sense of urgency, because knowing how little time you have to do a task may prompt you to be creative and find innovative shortcuts.
3. Greater sense of accomplishment: By breaking up your work into manageable chunks, the Pomodoro technique can help you feel a greater sense of accomplishment as you complete each task. This can help you stay motivated and satisfied with your progress, which adds to overall efficiency.
4. Higher work quality: Taking regular breaks allows you to review your work regularly with a fresh new look and ensure that it meets your desired standard of quality. This can help you avoid any unnecessary errors or omissions that can cost you time and effort later.
5. Improved time management: Proper time management is the way to achieve better results in less time with less effort. By timeboxing tasks, the Pomodoro technique creates a sense of structure and can help you plan out how much time you should dedicate to each task you need to complete. This can help you prioritize tasks and ensure that you are not taking on too much at once.
6. Increased focus: They say the biggest enemy to productivity is multitasking. By breaking down tasks into 25-minute intervals, the Pomodoro technique can help you focus on completing one task at a time, allowing you to focus on one thing at a time and stay on track.
7. Less mental fatigue: Taking regular breaks in between sessions prevents us from feeling overwhelmed by a task and helps tackle the sense of mental exhaustion or in worse cases, burnout.
What am I supposed to do during my 5-minute break?
Just taking a 5-minute break staring at the wall is not effective. Instead, to further boost the incentive of your break, it is very useful to reward yourself during these breaks, so that you get more motivated to push through difficult moments. Such a reward can be a healthy snack or a short walk in the sun. If you are working from home, you may even find useful a brief nap. If you are at the office, you may find recharging to chat with a colleague or friend. Practicing mindfulness for a few minutes can also provide the body and mind with various health benefits.
