For years I struggled with focus and concentration towards my work and academic studies. In a pinch, I could pull an all nighter and finish dissertations when the adrenaline fuelled me. Obviously though, this approach doesn’t work over the long-run and it's an unhealthy way to work. I tried several hyped-up productivity methods but nothing seemed to stick. This was until I found the Pomodoro Technique.
When I was first introduced to the Pomodoro Technique I was sceptical. It seemed far too simple to work. However, my initial scepticism has given way to amazement as my daily productivity has continued to rise and rise. I’m getting shit done every day. My clients are happy and I’m freeing up more time to do the stuff that I want to do.
I recommend that you too suspend your disbelief and give this method a try. When we plan well and concentrate intensely it’s amazing how much we can get done.
The benefits of the Pomodoro Technique
- Getting important things done each day
- Dramatically higher productivity
- Increased intrinsic enjoyment of work
- Lower stress levels
- More free time for you
What you will need
- ‘Pomodoro Technique Illustrated’ by Staffan Noteberg
This book properly explains the method and the intelligent thinking behind it. My post will skim over the details, but I recommend you pick up this book even if it’s on the expensive side. It's 100% worth it.
- An egg timer (also known as a kitchen timer)
Or anything else that you can time yourself with. Mobile apps exist but it’s better to stay away from them as the potential distraction factor is too high.
- A notebook and writing utensils
This notebook will serve as your base for planning out work and recording your performance. No fancy software required. Again, low tech is the way to go when it comes to productivity.
The Pomodoro Technique explained in simple terms
There is a lot to be said about the Pomodoro Technique. I’m going to give a basic overview on how it works and leave the rest for you to discover yourselves. While you can immediately implement the technique based on this information alone, you will benefit more by looking into the method more deeply before starting out. Do it right and you will reap the benefits. OK, with that caveat let’s get down to business!
First off, this technique is best utilized when applied to FOCUSED, high-priority work. The technique’s author himself (a computer programmer) has stated that he is only able to complete 8 “Pomodori” periods per day. One pomodoro period is measured by 25 minutes, so 8 Pomodori work out to just 200 minutes (3.3 hours) of focused work each day.
Though you can sometimes go over this 8 Pomodori guideline, doing more on the regular will eventually lead to burnout. Trust me now that slow and steady always wins the productivity game.
200 minutes/day doesn’t sound like much, but believe me, it’s more than enough when you are fully applying this method. This is going to be ball-bustlingly intense and focused hard work. You will feel mentally drained when you are done.
This technique is not designed to kill yourself by doing 12 hours of work. I highly doubt you could apply it for that long in any case. The basic idea is to get shit done and then go about your day. It’s amazingly effective, especially if you are in the position to set your own hours. That said, you could still apply these principles in an office job to do important tasks first thing and then goof off for the rest of the day.
It's all about flow
Flow constitutes a big part of the method. You want to achieve single-minded focus on the task at hand, as if nothing else existed in the world.
You have probably achieved such a state when working on something you enjoy or when an urgent deadline is at hand. With Pomodoro, we are aiming to reach this level every single day!
So how do we maximise flow? Here are some tips:
- When working on your Pomodori tasks, find a quiet place with minimal disturbances. - - Focus on the task at hand only (more on this later).
- No texting or emailing (I turn off my phone).
- If you share a working space, let others know what you are doing and when so they can respect your focused time.
See ‘Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience' by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi for more information on how flow works. The book is not essential for applying this method, but it’s an excellent and insightful read.
Next, I will break down the basic Pomodoro methodology that I apply every day.
1. Write down the high priority tasks that you will complete today
Each and every day, sit down with your morning coffee and notebook. Write down your priority tasks for today, along with an estimation of how long they will take. We will call this your “Pomodoro List.” Time units are measured in “Pomodori” of 25 minutes.
If you have a large project, break it down into smaller chunks. One such task entry might be: “Write introduction to Q4 Sales Report (2P)”. So you are estimating 50 minutes for this task. Be realistic with your estimation. Things usually take longer than you expect. Later on you will be able to monitor how accurate your estimation was, but for now this is enough.
The Pomodoro List is a commitment for today only. It’s NOT your standard to-do list. To-Do lists are fine, but they are different from Pomodoro lists. Keep the two separate!
- Errands and odd jobs go on your To-Do list.
- “Nice to have” and longer-term tasks go on your To-Do list.
- High priority tasks go on your Pomodoro list. Only write down high priority tasks to complete today.
Again, the Pomodoro List is a commitment to yourself. Make it a matter of manly pride to complete everything you write down in the morning. With time and experience you will learn to only commit to realistic tasks in the morning, because you know that you have to finish everything on the list. I for one have tortured myself into the earlier hours of the morning on many occasions by writing down too much!
2. Set your egg timer to 25 minutes and get to work
When you are ready to start work, set your egg timer to 1 Pomodoro (25 minutes) and start on your highest priority task. Often, you won’t feel like starting so the key is to just do this mechanically and obey the timer. It’s amazing how quickly your mind settles down once you begin.
To make this 25 minutes effective, you are ONLY going to work on this task. Close all your other browser tabs and focus.
- Other tasks and projects will be ignored. They don’t exist.
- No checking email.
- No chatting to others.
- No answering the phone.
- No browsing RVF.
- No food or drinks.
- No checking the timer.
The above sounds extreme, but remember that there is plenty of other time in the day for all of these things. We are training our brain here. These 25 minute periods are for focused work only and your ability will increase over time.
You may sometimes find your mind drifting. This is OK. Perfect focus is difficult to achieve. Gently bring your attention back to the task at hand. Continue work until your timer goes off. You know you are doing it right when the timer goes off much quicker than expected. That’s when you are immersing yourself in the present task.
Quick tip: I’ve found that going over the current task with a highlighter pen helps me to maintain some extra single-mindedness. Occasionally when my mind wanders, I can glance down to my notebook to remind myself of what I’m doing. It sounds stupid and obvious but it does work.
3. When the timer goes off, take a 5 minute break.
Taking short (and timed) breaks is vital. What you do during this time is entirely up to you. Basically anything that isn’t related to your current task constitutes a break. You can make a quick drink, walk around the room or even do some pushups if you like. Whatever rocks your boat. I recommend staying away from the PC during this time, but you can occasionally check your email if it’s important for your job.
Don’t make my mistake and let a 5 minute break turn into an hour though. Use your timer to measure breaks too, then go back to work when it goes off. You are conditioning your brain to know when it’s time to focus. Cheating will just confuse the process and reduce the effectiveness of your results.
4. Rinse and repeat for 4 Pomodori periods then take a longer break
Repeat the above method until you have completed 4 Pomodori in a row - you can then take a longer break of 15-30 minutes. Cross off the tasks as you finish them and write down how many Pomodori they took. This gives you a good idea of how long things take. Such experience will build up over time until you are able to accurately estimate your own productivity on any given kind of work. Continue this process until all the tasks on your Pomodoro list are complete.
Any questions?
Above is the essence of the method, but I left a lot of details out. Like I said, pick up the book for the full deal.
The author recommends monitoring distractions and measuring up your own estimations of work time. For those of you who go to the gym, it’s similar to examining your detailed workout logs for cause and effect. This analytical approach is highly logical and brings new insights about yourself and your work. While you can get a lot of value out of this, it isn’t necessary in the beginning. Start simple and consider adding these elements in as you go.
Planning ahead is another key factor. As time goes on, you will notice that your original task planning leaves a lot to be desired. Your focus is only as good as the set task. Try to break down projects as effectively as you can and hit the priority parts first. A good sign of a priority task is one that you are dreading doing. Being honest with yourself helps a lot in this regard.
All in all, discovering this technique has had a profound effect on my life. I've been applying it since December 2014 with great results. It sounds too simple to work, but having also tested it on family and friends, I can confidently state that it's effective for anyone who applies it correctly. Give it a spin and post up your results. Let me know if there are any questions!
When I was first introduced to the Pomodoro Technique I was sceptical. It seemed far too simple to work. However, my initial scepticism has given way to amazement as my daily productivity has continued to rise and rise. I’m getting shit done every day. My clients are happy and I’m freeing up more time to do the stuff that I want to do.
I recommend that you too suspend your disbelief and give this method a try. When we plan well and concentrate intensely it’s amazing how much we can get done.
The benefits of the Pomodoro Technique
- Getting important things done each day
- Dramatically higher productivity
- Increased intrinsic enjoyment of work
- Lower stress levels
- More free time for you
What you will need
- ‘Pomodoro Technique Illustrated’ by Staffan Noteberg
This book properly explains the method and the intelligent thinking behind it. My post will skim over the details, but I recommend you pick up this book even if it’s on the expensive side. It's 100% worth it.
- An egg timer (also known as a kitchen timer)
Or anything else that you can time yourself with. Mobile apps exist but it’s better to stay away from them as the potential distraction factor is too high.
- A notebook and writing utensils
This notebook will serve as your base for planning out work and recording your performance. No fancy software required. Again, low tech is the way to go when it comes to productivity.
The Pomodoro Technique explained in simple terms
There is a lot to be said about the Pomodoro Technique. I’m going to give a basic overview on how it works and leave the rest for you to discover yourselves. While you can immediately implement the technique based on this information alone, you will benefit more by looking into the method more deeply before starting out. Do it right and you will reap the benefits. OK, with that caveat let’s get down to business!
First off, this technique is best utilized when applied to FOCUSED, high-priority work. The technique’s author himself (a computer programmer) has stated that he is only able to complete 8 “Pomodori” periods per day. One pomodoro period is measured by 25 minutes, so 8 Pomodori work out to just 200 minutes (3.3 hours) of focused work each day.
Though you can sometimes go over this 8 Pomodori guideline, doing more on the regular will eventually lead to burnout. Trust me now that slow and steady always wins the productivity game.
200 minutes/day doesn’t sound like much, but believe me, it’s more than enough when you are fully applying this method. This is going to be ball-bustlingly intense and focused hard work. You will feel mentally drained when you are done.
This technique is not designed to kill yourself by doing 12 hours of work. I highly doubt you could apply it for that long in any case. The basic idea is to get shit done and then go about your day. It’s amazingly effective, especially if you are in the position to set your own hours. That said, you could still apply these principles in an office job to do important tasks first thing and then goof off for the rest of the day.
It's all about flow
Flow constitutes a big part of the method. You want to achieve single-minded focus on the task at hand, as if nothing else existed in the world.
You have probably achieved such a state when working on something you enjoy or when an urgent deadline is at hand. With Pomodoro, we are aiming to reach this level every single day!
So how do we maximise flow? Here are some tips:
- When working on your Pomodori tasks, find a quiet place with minimal disturbances. - - Focus on the task at hand only (more on this later).
- No texting or emailing (I turn off my phone).
- If you share a working space, let others know what you are doing and when so they can respect your focused time.
See ‘Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience' by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi for more information on how flow works. The book is not essential for applying this method, but it’s an excellent and insightful read.
Next, I will break down the basic Pomodoro methodology that I apply every day.
1. Write down the high priority tasks that you will complete today
Each and every day, sit down with your morning coffee and notebook. Write down your priority tasks for today, along with an estimation of how long they will take. We will call this your “Pomodoro List.” Time units are measured in “Pomodori” of 25 minutes.
If you have a large project, break it down into smaller chunks. One such task entry might be: “Write introduction to Q4 Sales Report (2P)”. So you are estimating 50 minutes for this task. Be realistic with your estimation. Things usually take longer than you expect. Later on you will be able to monitor how accurate your estimation was, but for now this is enough.
The Pomodoro List is a commitment for today only. It’s NOT your standard to-do list. To-Do lists are fine, but they are different from Pomodoro lists. Keep the two separate!
- Errands and odd jobs go on your To-Do list.
- “Nice to have” and longer-term tasks go on your To-Do list.
- High priority tasks go on your Pomodoro list. Only write down high priority tasks to complete today.
Again, the Pomodoro List is a commitment to yourself. Make it a matter of manly pride to complete everything you write down in the morning. With time and experience you will learn to only commit to realistic tasks in the morning, because you know that you have to finish everything on the list. I for one have tortured myself into the earlier hours of the morning on many occasions by writing down too much!
2. Set your egg timer to 25 minutes and get to work
When you are ready to start work, set your egg timer to 1 Pomodoro (25 minutes) and start on your highest priority task. Often, you won’t feel like starting so the key is to just do this mechanically and obey the timer. It’s amazing how quickly your mind settles down once you begin.
To make this 25 minutes effective, you are ONLY going to work on this task. Close all your other browser tabs and focus.
- Other tasks and projects will be ignored. They don’t exist.
- No checking email.
- No chatting to others.
- No answering the phone.
- No browsing RVF.
- No food or drinks.
- No checking the timer.
The above sounds extreme, but remember that there is plenty of other time in the day for all of these things. We are training our brain here. These 25 minute periods are for focused work only and your ability will increase over time.
You may sometimes find your mind drifting. This is OK. Perfect focus is difficult to achieve. Gently bring your attention back to the task at hand. Continue work until your timer goes off. You know you are doing it right when the timer goes off much quicker than expected. That’s when you are immersing yourself in the present task.
Quick tip: I’ve found that going over the current task with a highlighter pen helps me to maintain some extra single-mindedness. Occasionally when my mind wanders, I can glance down to my notebook to remind myself of what I’m doing. It sounds stupid and obvious but it does work.
3. When the timer goes off, take a 5 minute break.
Taking short (and timed) breaks is vital. What you do during this time is entirely up to you. Basically anything that isn’t related to your current task constitutes a break. You can make a quick drink, walk around the room or even do some pushups if you like. Whatever rocks your boat. I recommend staying away from the PC during this time, but you can occasionally check your email if it’s important for your job.
Don’t make my mistake and let a 5 minute break turn into an hour though. Use your timer to measure breaks too, then go back to work when it goes off. You are conditioning your brain to know when it’s time to focus. Cheating will just confuse the process and reduce the effectiveness of your results.
4. Rinse and repeat for 4 Pomodori periods then take a longer break
Repeat the above method until you have completed 4 Pomodori in a row - you can then take a longer break of 15-30 minutes. Cross off the tasks as you finish them and write down how many Pomodori they took. This gives you a good idea of how long things take. Such experience will build up over time until you are able to accurately estimate your own productivity on any given kind of work. Continue this process until all the tasks on your Pomodoro list are complete.
Any questions?
Above is the essence of the method, but I left a lot of details out. Like I said, pick up the book for the full deal.
The author recommends monitoring distractions and measuring up your own estimations of work time. For those of you who go to the gym, it’s similar to examining your detailed workout logs for cause and effect. This analytical approach is highly logical and brings new insights about yourself and your work. While you can get a lot of value out of this, it isn’t necessary in the beginning. Start simple and consider adding these elements in as you go.
Planning ahead is another key factor. As time goes on, you will notice that your original task planning leaves a lot to be desired. Your focus is only as good as the set task. Try to break down projects as effectively as you can and hit the priority parts first. A good sign of a priority task is one that you are dreading doing. Being honest with yourself helps a lot in this regard.
All in all, discovering this technique has had a profound effect on my life. I've been applying it since December 2014 with great results. It sounds too simple to work, but having also tested it on family and friends, I can confidently state that it's effective for anyone who applies it correctly. Give it a spin and post up your results. Let me know if there are any questions!
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