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| Tomatoes by Anelka |
It's actually very simple: by default, one "pomodoro" (Italian word for tomato) lasts 25 minutes. During this time, you should try to work in a focused way without interruptions. After the pomodoro, you can take a short 2-5 minutes break. After 4 pomodoros, it is recommended you take a somewhat longer break (15 minutes or more).
Simple, no? But why should you use this technique? Well, there are multiple (scientifically proven) observations behind this:
- It is difficult for the human brain to focus for a long time. Of course, everyone is different, so some people may be able to focus for longer than half an hour, but it is also highly dependent on the task you have to complete. It should be feasible for most people to remain focused for 25 minutes.
- We are all very deadline-driven. Using the Pomodoro technique is about creating deadlines for yourself. Some tasks can be done within 25 minutes. Make it your goal to actually finish within that time frame. Some tasks might take longer. Try to break it down: what can you do within 25 minutes? If you have to study, how many pages can you study within one pomodoro? Set it as a goal, and keep it challenging.
- It makes you think about the work ahead of you and (ideally) you can use this method to plan your day. How many pomodoros will a task take? Plan it out and keep track. It might help you to push yourself to get it done, and if not, it should at least help you to estimate similar tasks later on.
Personally, the only issue I have at work is that I constantly get interrupted by colleagues, which is why I'm currently not using the Pomodoro technique. From next week on however, we all need to start time tracking, so I think it's a good moment to pick it up again. I'll just have to tell my colleagues that I'll get back to them during my breaks. Let's see how it goes. :) Wish me luck!
Do you use the Pomodoro technique? Any tips & tricks you'd like to share? Leave a comment!
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