Life, especially work, can be stressful, and thus harmful to our mental wellbeing. Sometimes, this kind of stress can be managed with better time management, like the Pomodoro Technique. The bonus of this approach is how it can help motivate you to stay engaged as well. Read on to find out more.
What Is The Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s (I used “new” in the loosest way possible for SEO). It is designed to improve focus, productivity, and time efficiency by breaking work into focused intervals and providing regular breaks. This is what’s often called a time boxing strategy, which can be applied in any situation (Gobbo and Vaccari, 2008).
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that uses a timer to break down work into intervals, typically 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, from the Italian word for “tomato,” after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer Cirillo used as a university student.
The Benefits Of Using The Pomodoro Technique
Improved focus
Much like breaking a task down into smaller, more manageable chunks helps with goals, doing the same with a task you’re engaging in, using short intervals, helps you stay focused on the task at hand. Working in these focused bursts helps maintain concentration on a single task, minimising distractions and increasing productivity.
This is speculation on my half, but these regular breaks might also give your brain time to work a problem in the background, allowing for positive intrusive thoughts.
Time awareness
The Pomodoro Technique enhances your awareness of how you spend your time and helps you prioritise tasks more effectively by helping you become more aware of how you spend your time.
Increased productivity
By setting specific intervals for work and breaks, you can accomplish tasks more efficiently and maintain a consistent level of productivity. A study by Biwer, Wiradhany, oude Egbrink, and De Bruin (2023), found that having predetermined breaks, rather than self-regulating breaks, leads to efficiency benefits.
Reduced procrastination
Breaking tasks into smaller, manageable intervals makes them less overwhelming and reduces the tendency to procrastinate. Also, knowing that you only have to work for 25 minutes can make it easier to start a task.
According to Dizon et al. (2023), their study found that using the Pomodoro Technique resulted in a slight improvement in procrastination behaviour. Although it’s only slight, it’s still significant and worth considering to overcome this behaviour.
Better work-life balance
The technique promotes regular breaks, allowing for relaxation and rejuvenation, leading to improved work-life balance. It also helps reduce the risk of you working into your free time.
Enhanced time estimation
Tracking Pomodoros can help you better estimate how much time different tasks require, enabling more accurate planning.
Sense of accomplishment
Much like having a to-do list, crossing each chunk of Pomodoros off when you complete one, provides a sense of achievement, motivating you to continue making progress.
Reduces stress
Taking regular breaks can help you avoid stress and eventual burnout. It also helps keep you interested in what your goal or task is, helping it feel less like a slog fest. Following the Pomodoro Technique has also been shown to benefit mood as well (Biwer, Wiradhany, oude Egbrink, and De Bruin, 2023).
How To Use The Pomodoro Technique
Set a goal or choose a task to focus on
Start by identifying a specific goal, task, or project you want to work on.
Set a timer
Set a timer for a fixed interval, traditionally 25 minutes, known as a “Pomodoro”. You can use a kitchen timer, a smartphone app, or a Pomodoro Technique timer.
Work intensely
During the Pomodoro interval, focus solely on the task at hand and work without distractions. Avoid checking emails, social media, and engaging in unrelated activities. After all, you can do that in 25 minutes.
Complete a Pomodoro
Work on the task until the timer goes off. Once the Pomodoro is complete, mark it as a completed session.
Take a break
After completing a Pomodoro, take a short break, typically 5 minutes. Use this time to relax, stretch, grab a snack, or do something unrelated to work.
Repeat and track
After the break, start another Pomodoro and continue working. Each completed Pomodoro should be recorded. After completing four Pomodoros, take a longer break of around 15-30 minutes to recharge.
Review and adjust
At the end of the day, review your completed Pomodoros, reflect on your progress, and make adjustments for the next day’s work.
Tips For Using The Pomodoro Technique
- It can help to find a quiet place to work where you won’t be interrupted, but it’s more important to be in a place where you won’t be disturbed. If you’re anything like me, you’ll like to play music when working on tasks. That’s very much a strategy from my dopamine menu.
- Turn notifications off on your phone and computer, if possible. If you’re using your phone as your timer, this might not always be possible.
- Avoid multitasking during your Pomodoros.
- If you get interrupted during a Pomodoro, start the timer again.
Summary
The Pomodoro Technique is a simple and effective way to improve your productivity and reduce stress. If you’re looking for a way to get more done in less time, I highly recommend giving it a try.
The underlying principle of the Pomodoro Technique is to work in short bursts of focused time, allowing for regular breaks to prevent burnout and maintain productivity. Dividing your work into manageable intervals helps improve concentration and combat procrastination.
Remember, while the Pomodoro Technique can be effective for many people, it may not work for everyone. Adapting and modifying the technique to suit your needs and preferences is essential. Experiment with different time intervals, adapt the technique to fit your workflow and find a balance that works best for you.
As always, leave your feedback in the comments section below. Also, please share your experiences with the Pomodoro Technique or other time management techniques in the comments section below as well. Don’t forget, if you want to stay up-to-date with my blog, you can sign up for my newsletter below. Alternatively, click the red bell icon in the bottom right corner to get push notifications for new articles.
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References
Biwer, F., Wiradhany, W., oude Egbrink, M. G., & De Bruin, A. B. (2023). Understanding effort regulation: Comparing ‘Pomodoro’ breaks and self‐regulated breaks. British Journal of Educational Psychology. Retrieved from https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/bjep.12593.
Dizon, R. J., Ermitanio, H. D., Estevez, D. M., Ferrer, J., Flores, S. J., Fontanilla, K. M., Frias, A., Galang, E., N.F. Guei, N. F., & Sugay, D. J. (2023). The effects of pomodoro technique on academic-related tasks, procrastination behavior, and academic motivation among college students in a mixed online learning environment. Journal of Progressive Education[Online]. Retrieved from https://globusedujournal.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/GE-JD21-Dr.-Sugay-J..pdf.
Gobbo, F., & Vaccari, M. (2008). The pomodoro technique for sustainable pace in extreme programming teams. In International conference on agile processes and extreme programming in software engineering (pp. 180-184). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Retrieved from https://iris.unito.it/bitstream/2318/1715621/1/P.2008.3.enGobboFVaccariM-XP2008.pdf.
Great article! We’ve been using this technique with a group of self-employed women to work on our business and I can guarantee, it works! We do 2 hours in 25-minute sprints and have a quick chat in between. Sometimes it doesn’t work though, the 25 minutes can cut the flow inconveniently, and for some it’s the perfect amount of time to procrastinate😅 But in general I would definitely recommend it at least for admin and marketing tasks.
Teresa Maria | Outlandish Blog
Thank you for sharing your personal experience with the technique
This is something I started doing it more this year. The pomodoro techinque. Interesting and informative post. Also, you shared great tips.
Thanks for commenting
Great article! I don’t use this technique myself, but I regularly go along to a freelance coworking session which uses this method. It’s a great way to focus on work but also get a break in between tasks. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thanks for sharing
My husband and I kind have a routine.
Thank you for introducing this concept to me. I never heard of it before, yet interestingly, I think I used a similar technique when I wanted to complete a series of tasks. Instead of 25-minute intervals I gave myself an hour, with 5-minute breaks in between for a breather and stretch. I found this method was perfect for me in getting important tasks done. I’ll have to get back into it. Thank you so much!
It’s great that you’ve found a version of the technique that works for you. Thanks for sharing
I love pomodoro technique. It is so helpful
Thanks for commenting