The Pomodoro technique is a time management method that can help you be more productive and focused. It’s a simple approach that breaks your work into 25-minute intervals, separated by short breaks. The Pomodoro technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s, and it’s named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used to keep track of his work intervals.
In this post, we’ll explore how the Pomodoro technique works and how you can use it to improve your productivity and focus.
To use the Pomodoro technique, you’ll need a timer this can be as simple as a kitchen timer, a stopwatch, or a timer app on your phone will do the trick. You can also use something a little more specific like the web based marinara timer or an app such as forest as they provide a nicer interface and in the case of forest can gamify using Pomodoros which can help keep you motivated to use them.
Changing your habits to use the Pomodoro technique can take a bit of time and so it can be handy to track your Pomodoros in a notebook or a to-do list app if you’re not using a specific pomodoro tool.
Here’s how it works
The technique is simple and boils down to the following…
Choose a task you want to work on.
It can be any task but ideally you’ll try and scope it down to an amount of work you can do in about 20 minutes.
Set your work timer (usually 25 minutes)
And work on the task until the timer goes off. During this time, try to avoid distractions and stay focused on the task at hand. Towards the end of the focus block (~last 5 mins) make sure to review what has been done in the block as this helps to tie the block off so you’re ready to have a break!
Take a short break (usually 5 minutes)
to recharge and refresh. It’s often recommended to intentionally remove yourself from your ‘work’ space, so this is a good time to step away from your work, stretch, grab a drink, or do something else to help you relax and recharge.
Repeat the above (~4 times in total)
Repeat the above work and break blocks (work for 25 minutes, take a break) for a total of four Pomodoros it’s time to…
Take a Long break! (usually 15-20 minutes)
After four Pomodoros, take a longer break to recharge and refocus.
After your long break pick up from the top by alternating between work and short breaks as before.
There’s no set amount of pomodoros you need to complete and you can stop at any point so don’t feel like you MUST complete an entire set of 4 works and 4 short breaks plus a long break before being ‘done’. Remember this technique it to help you stay focused during your work periods and is not supposed to take over your day.
Advice
The Pomodoro technique is flexible and can be tailored to your individual needs and preferences. You can adjust the work and break intervals to suit your own rhythm, and you can also adjust the number of Pomodoros you do before taking a longer break. Some people find that the Pomodoro technique helps them stay focused and avoid procrastination, while others find it to be a helpful way to structure their workday and get more done.
Nothing about this technique is all that strict so if you do find yourself missing a break or forgetting to start your next work timer don’t worry about it! Just carry on from where you left off.
If you don’t feel like the Pomodoro technique works for you that’s 100% OK! It’s not going to be for everyone. Who knows there might even be some more blog posts about alternatives in the future…
Conclusion
The Pomodoro technique is a simple and effective way to improve your productivity and focus. Give it a try and see if it works for you! By breaking your work into focused intervals and taking regular breaks, you can get more done and avoid the distractions and multitasking that can hinder your productivity.
More resources
Besides the marinara timer and forest app mentioned earlier, there’s plenty of other resources and tools that you can use! Feel free to find ones that work for you;
