The Pomodoro technique or how to boost your productivity

With our never ending tasks, knowing how to manage the time we have it’s extremely important to find a balance between our work and personal life.

The Pomodoro technique will help you create a sense of urgency to learn how to prioritize your tasks and resist interruptions.

Let’s dive more into this simple time management method

But first, what is the pomodoro technique ?

The pomodoro technique is a time management method developed in the 80s by Francesco Cirillo.
The story of the Pomodoro technique:

“I was a student at the university in 1987 and I had to take the sociology exam in September. I couldn’t keep my mind focused on my book. I was constantly getting distracted. I made a humble bet with myself: ‘Can you stay focused for two minutes without distraction?’ I went to the kitchen, grabbed a timer and came back to my table. The timer was red and shaped like a Pomodoro (tomato in English)”

This method is based on 25 minutes of focused work broken by five minute breaks. The main goal is to help people develop better work habits and focus during a short period of time to increase efficiency.
By learning how to manage your time better you can get more done in less time.

Does it sound like you ?

• You are working on a task and you suddenly need to do other things. You struggle to focus on what you are doing
• You’re trying to do too much and you are overworking yourself which can lead to a burn out
• Feels like it’s impossible to complete your tasks before your deadline
• You don’t know how to prioritize your tasks

Well, you are not alone. The Pomodoro technique is a simple but great solution to help you recognize and prioritize what needs to be done to achieve your goals.

What are the benefits of the Pomodoro technique ?

Breaking your tasks into blocks makes them less intimidating. Knowing there is a time limit set and a break helps you focus and avoid distractions.

Here are some of The Pomodoro technique benefits.

1. Helps you focus
2. Reduces procrastination
3. Lowers risks of burn out
4. Boost motivation
5. Enhance quality and quantity of work
6. Break the habit of multi-tasking
7. Improve time management

How does this technique work ?

• Choose a task on your to do list.
• Set a timer to 25 minutes. The time span is short enough to stay focus and long enough to make progress.
• Work on the task. Focus on your task until the timer rings. Don’t do anything else during this time span.
• Take a short break. From 2 to 5 minutes.
• Repeat. Repeat the process and after 4 pomodoros take a longer break from 15 to 30 minutes.

Pretty easy right ? The most important part for this technique to be efficient is to avoid distractions and really be in complete focus during each pomodoro.
Every individual is different, don’t be afraid to adapt this method to suit your lifestyle. Try different durations if you feel like it.

Don’t forget to listen to your body and mind.