The modern world is full of distractions, and sometimes focusing on the task at hand can be a pretty big challenge. To manage your attention and do your best in your work or studies, you might try the Pomodoro technique that has proven benefits and allows us to get more done in less time. Pomodoro is a simple strategy that is meant to help you organize your workload.
So, let’s start with, what is the Pomodoro technique?.
1. You make a list of all tasks and prioritize them.
The first step is choosing what to focus on. Make a list of all the tasks you need to complete. It’s better to write things down and have them in front of you. Once you do, decide what has the highest priority and what you will be focusing on first. You might use criteria like importance and urgency. It’s better to prioritize what is important and urgent and always leave what’s not important for later.
2. Set a timer for 25 minutes
The second step involves setting a timer for 25 minutes. The creator of the Pomodoro technique used a kitchen timer shaped like a tomato, which gave the technique its name, but any app, program, or clock will do. 25 minutes is the classic Pomodoro time, however, you might sometimes modify it to be less or more. 15 minutes, 25 minutes, or 45 minutes can all work. 25 minutes, however, is a good stretch of time to get things done without fatigue settling in.
3. Work for 25 minutes
When you set your timer, you commit to focus on the task and nothing but the task for the next 25 minutes. So give it everything you got until the timer goes off. If you have difficulties starting, don’t do anything else. Just sit there with the task to complete.
4. Take a 5-minute break
Once the timer goes off, give yourself a 5-minute break. This is also an important part of the technique. Stretch, take a quick walk, drink some water. Avoid activities that will suck you in, like browsing social media.
5. Rinse and repeat
Keep doing the Pomodoro until you are done with the task. Every 3 rounds, you want to give yourself a bigger break, 20 or 30 minutes. You can split your entire workday or study time into a series of pomodoros.
Now, How is this technique useful for you? Why is it being used by employees and students across the world?
1. It helps you manage your time
A Pomodoro helps you get a better hang of your time. It allows you to make more precise plans and easily organize your day by using 30 minutes as the basic unit to get your workload in order.
2. It helps you stay focused
It’s easier for us to stay focused for 25 minutes at a time than for several hours in a single go. Even if the result will be the same, we find it a lot more manageable, so we are less likely to procrastinate and avoid distractions during this time, leading to better results.
3. It helps you plan
Once you are used to Pomodoro, it becomes a lot easier to estimate how much time a task will take and also to see how much you have gotten done and how much is yet to be finished. This gives you a better idea of your own workload and ability to manage it.
4. It improves productivity
When we are focused, we do our best work. Pomodoros help us focus and allow us to achieve a lot more in less time, just because we spend that time entirely immersed in the activity. This means that you will be able to get more things done during your day and have more time for other activities.
It also helps you take advantage of the scheduled time – you are a lot less likely to have to put in extra hours to finish. In turn, this keeps you fresh and focused and gives your performance an additional boost.
The Pomodoro technique is very popular and one of the most widely used productivity strategies around the world.
It’s accessible, and all you need is a timer, which you probably have on your phone. Give it a go and see how your productivity can increase through the simple strategy of splitting your workday into chunks of 25 plus 5 minutes.
