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What is
Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a popular time management method developed in the 1980s by Francesco Cirillo. The Pomodoro Technique uses a timer to break apart your tasks into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length and separated by short breaks. Each interval is known as a “pomodoro” which is derived from the Italian word for “tomato”. This was modelled after the tomato shaped kitchen timer (Pomodoro timer) that Francesco Cirillo had as a university student. This technique has been popularized by many free apps and websites providing pomodoro timer and instructions.
Does the Pomodoro technique
work for everyone?
Try this productivity system if you:
- Find little distractions often derail your whole day
- Consistently work past the point of optimal productivity
- Have lots of open ended work that could take unlimited amounts of time
- Are overly optimistic when it comes to how you can accomplish in a day
- Enjoy gamified goal setting
The Basics
of the Pomodoro Technique:
1. Decide on the task to be done.
2. Set timer for 25 minutes
3. Work on the task until timer rings
4. Take a short break for 5 minutes.
5. Set timer again for 25 minutes.
6. Repeat step number 4.
7. After four pomodoros, take a longer break (15-30 minutes) and go back to step 1.
A pomodoro is the interval of time a person spends working. Short regular breaks separates the many pomodoros which form a set. Longer breaks (15-30 minutes) are taken between starting a new pomodoro.
The goal with pomodoro technique is to reduce the impact of internal and external interruptions on focus and flow of productivity . When interrupted during a pomodoro, the task you are doing must be recorded and postponed or the pomodoro must be abandoned. If there is an disrupted event that cannot be avoided, take a short break and start again. Cirillo recommends tracking interruptions (whether internal or external) as they happen and reflect on how to avoid them in future pomodoros.
After tasks are completed in four pomodoros, use the pomodoro’s leftover time to:
- Review and edit item(s) that was completed.
- Review items from learning point of view: What did I learn? What can I do better or differently?
- Review list of upcoming jobs for the next planned many pomodoros time blocks and start reflecting or updating those tasks. This will help when you are planning steps to complete your projects during midterms or finals for university student. It also applies to those working who are busy during end of quarter or end of year.
Cirillo ends up writing a 130 page book about the Pomodoro technique. The technique includes three rules for getting the most out of each session:
1. Break down complex projects.
If a task requires more than five pomodoros, it needs to be divided into smaller, actionable steps. Stick to this rule will ensure you make clear progress on your projects.
2. Small tasks go together.
Any tasks that will take less than one pomodoro should be combined with other simple tasks such as: write rent check, book dentist appointment, and read 1 news article could go together in one session.
3. Once a pomodoro is set, it must ring.
The pomodoro is an indivisible unit of time and cannot be broken, especially to check social media, texts or incoming emails. Any ideas or requests that come up should be taken note of to come back to later. A digital task manager app is great for these (there are some available for free), but pen and paper will be fine too!
Is Pomodoro
really effective?
It sounds silly but using a tomato to symbolize the number of times you repeat a cycle helps people get things done. This is what makes the system unique to boost productivity:
Making it easy to get started
Research shows that procrastination has little to do with laziness of lack of self-control. It actually means that we delay things to avoid certain negative feelings. You may not be sure how to complete a large task or project so you turn to Netflix or TikTok or your favourite apps to boost your mood, even if it is just temporarily.
Fortunately, studies have shown an effective way to break out of this cycle is to shrink whatever it is you are putting off down to tiny, first step that is not intimidating. For example: instead of sitting down 8 hours a day to write a novel; sit down to write for 5 minutes. Still hard? Try sitting down to edit one paragraph. Doing a small task for a short period of time is easier to face than trying to take on a big project at once. This strategy is exactly what the pomodoro technique asks you to do. It keeps you focused on one thing than being overwhelmed by the huge task you need to finish.
Combating distractions
If you have been interrupted when you were in a state of flow, you know how hard it can to regain focus. Recent studies have shown that more than half of all work day distractions are self-inflicted. This means we pull ourselves out of focus. It can be easy to reason “This email is too important to wait” or “It took me less than 30 seconds to check the team scores.” These interruptions add up! It is not just the time you lose out on, it also takes time and energy to regain your attention. After changing gears, our minds can linger over the previous thing we did for more than 20 minutes! When you give in to your impulses to check your phone for one minute, can turn into almost half an hour of getting back on track.
The pomodoro technique helps you resist from interruptions and train the brain to focus. Use the pomodoro to dedicate on task and each break is a chance to reset and bring attention back to what you need to be doing.
Be aware of your time
Humans tend to underestimate the time needed to complete tasks. Even when we know from past experience that similar tasks needs more time. Your present self thinks your future self works under different circumstances and time restraints (planning fallacy).
Pomodoro Technique can be a great tool against this planning fallacy. When you work in short periods, time is no longer abstract concept but a concrete thing. It becomes a pomodoro; a unit of both time and work. It is different than the idea that you did 25 minutes of work but an event that measures focus on a single task or a few simple tasks.
The concept of time changes from a negative to positive; representing events that were done. Cirillo calls this “inverting time” because it changes perception of time passing from abstract source of anxiety to exact measure of productivity.
When you use the pomodoro technique, you have a clear measurement of time and effort which allows you to reflect and plan your days more accurately and efficiently. With practice, you will be to accurately see the number of pomodoros a task will take and build more consistent work or study habits.
Tips to personalize
Pomodoro Technique
It is possible to tweak the productivity method to make it suit for your work and studying styles. Below are some tips to use the pomodoro technique the way it suits you to stay focused and increase productivity, instead of using a productivity planner as an alternative.
1. Alter length of your pomodoro
For many people, being trapped in a rigid half hour pomodoro may sound like a vain attempt at boosting productivity. You can tinker with the timer and choose a pomodoro length that works for you and suits your preference. There is no rule saying you cannot adjust your work session length to 35 minutes instead of 25 minutes. Some people have reported that chunking their work hours to 1.5 hours works for better for their focus.
This may take some trial and error but you will get there as some CEOs discover that one hour is the optimal pomodoro length. This would work well for tasks that require deep thinking such as: coding, writing, composing. Wear your headphones, turn off anything that could cause distractions and get started! A study noted that 52 minute focus and 17 minute break is the perfect balance. Some prefer 90 minute with a half hour rest period.
In the beginning, you can try with a 15, 10 or even 5 minute pomodoro. This would also work for a job that has been put off for a long time or if you are feeling stuck. Try mixing intervals based on your energy, type of work and how much the work makes you want to bury your head on YouTube instead.
2. Use household chores to define pomodoro length
Another way to customizes this method is to schedule in tasks as you manage household work or parent your child. For example: focus and get things done between the time you put your laundry in the washer and take it out from the dryer.
This method is referred to the “real life Pomodoro” by Bella Beth Cooper where she uses events in her life as timers. This method work wells for those who work from home. You can be productive while you wait for the dishes or laundry to be done. After the timer rings on the dishwasher, you take your break. .
This method can be used in the office too. Start a pomodoro session while waiting for client calls or between work team meetings for projects. Say you are a social media manager and you have 20 minutes before your next Zoom sessions start. You could start working to reply to emails or get something productive done in your work hours versus mindlessly scrolling on the web or social media feed causing interruptions to your work flow.
3. Set up musical timers.
This tip requires a system and process. Guess how long each task will take to get done and prioritize which tasks are important. Then choose a music playlist for each task and get started. You can even add the link to your music mix to your task description so when you open it, the music starts and you start working immediately.
This idea would work well for music lovers, as it can help boost productivity and concentration. Be careful when choosing the music as lyrics can be distracting. Tempo can also impact your focus and productivity. Dr. Emma Gary, a cognitive behavioural therapist worked with Spotify to learn benefits of different music types. She mentioned that music set in the 50-80s range is best for stimulating and enhancing creativity. Cinematic, classical, video game and nature music can also enhance concentration.
4. Shift focus to your state of flow
This is another tip that requires a process. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a pyschologist discusses productivity flow; a mental state in which a person works at their optimal, all thanks to intense focus during that time. A 10 year study by Mckinsey and Co. tested this flow and learned that top executives were five times more productive in their flow. The catch is that we spend less than 5% of our day in flow.
The question is: “Does this mean we let go because the tomato timer or alarm clock rings?” The answer is “Nope!” Once pomodoro is over, do a quick 2 minutes assessment of whether you should take a break or continue working on the project. Monitor periods of naturally high productivity. From this data, work out the best productivity and time management system.
You can also omit breaks to maintain your flow! Keep in mind that this does not mean you skip all the breaks that the pomodoro technique offers. Research shows that rest is critical for your work performance and focus. It gives you time to blow off steam and zone back into a period of sharp concentration.
5. Be flexible with your breaks
Not everyone has the vacation days or financial means to escape burnout. Take some time to recognize the signs of burnout.
Do you feel emotionally exhausted? Tired? Unmotivated?
On these days, take longer and more frequent breaks. While you might feel you are not as productive as usual, you definitely will not achieve much by putting half the effort on a project. Be flexible, listen to your body when it is telling you to stop. Remember to also be disciplined when doing so.
6. Plan out your pomodoros in advance
Take time at the beginning of your morning (or at night, whatever works better for you) to plan out your pomodoros. Make a to-do list for the day and note how many pomodoros each task will take. Tasks that take more than 5 pomodoros need to be broken down into smaller steps! Small things like answering emails can be lumped together into a single pomodoro.
If you work for 8 hours, make sure pomodoros for the day do not go over 16. If they do, postpone the least urgent items for later on in the week.
7. Build overflow pomodoros into your schedule
An 8 hour day leaves room for 16 pomodoros. It’s recommended to have a buffer of two to four pomodoros for overflow. Use these for jobs that take longer than you planned or for unexpected things that come up during your morning or day. If you do not need them, use the extra pomodoros to learn or lower priority items that usually get pushed to the end of your list. It is much less stressful to finish the day with extra pomodoros than to over schedule yourself! Please note it is also perfectly fine if you are not capable of doing 16 pomodoros in a day! A lot of us are not productive for the full 8 hours and the ones that think they are; have not been paying attention to themselves.
8. Put the screens away
If your work is done on the computer, give your eyes and body a break from the screens. This includes your phone and tablet! Get up, stretch, breathe some fresh air, grab some water or snacks!
9. Use free apps to enforce pomodoros
This tip requires a system and process. Guess how long each task will take to get done and prioritize which tasks are important. Then choose a music playlist for each task and get started. You can even add the link to your music mix to your task description so when you open it, the music starts and you start working immediately.
This idea would work well for music lovers, as it can help boost productivity and concentration. Be careful when choosing the music as lyrics can be distracting. Tempo can also impact your focus and productivity. Dr. Emma Gary, a cognitive behavioural therapist worked with Spotify to learn benefits of different music types. She mentioned that music set in the 50-80s range is best for stimulating and enhancing creativity. Cinematic, classical, video game and nature music can also enhance concentration.
