How to use the Pomodoro technique regularly by fieldsofclover

"Monotasking is the new productivity!"

How I did it: It would not be too dramatic to say that this has completely changed the way I work, and the way I think about working.

The idea behind the Pomodoro Technique is you use a kitchen timer to track short amounts of time (20-25 minutes), and during that time you work intensely on only one task, and nothing else. Limit interruptions, task switching, everything. At the end you take a short break, then start a new 25-minute period; after three pomos you take a longer break (3 pomos + 1 long break = one cycle). All tasks can be broken into pomodoros- think of them as a single unit of time.

It's named as such because the inventor used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer when he came up with the format :)

I have ADD, but routine and discipline work better for me personally than medication. This is hands-down the best tool I've learned to use, in... 15 years? It also makes a nice external "boss" to keep me on track since I'm self-employed.

Noun: "I think it will take me three pomodoros to do the whole layout."
Verb: "I'm going to pomodoro this thing or I'll never finish up in time for happy hour."

Lessons & tips:

  • Find the best toolset for your style. I love paper, but it's nice to have something doing the menial tracking for you. I use a combination of Pomodroido (smartphone app) and Dave Seah's Emergent Task Planner pads.  
  • Every pomo is a fresh start. If you got interrupted in the last one and had to void it, it's ok. Mark it and start fresh with the next one.
  • Don't skip your breaks. Even the long ones. Getting up for a stretch, a snack, or just surfing the web for a few minutes helps your brain shift gears and catch up with the world, before you hunker down and start focusing again.

Resources:

  1. The Pomodoro Technique
  2. Pomodroido (for Android)
  3. Pomodoro (Mac App Store)
  4. Emergent Task Planner (davidseah.com)
  5. ETP pads (Amazon.com)


4 people found this helpful
 

Jan 14, 02:18PM PST | 4 comments | 15 cheers


Comments:

nevadagirlamber Is on the road

Great idea!

I work best in sprints – I’ll have to give this a try!

Jan 14, 04:03PM PST | Respond to this 1 cheer

Gosudar is taking a break from 43things to focus on health.

I am going to try this!

Why not? Nothing else is working. And besides, I want to “feel like a genius” too :)

Jan 14, 07:46PM PST | Respond to this 4 cheers

aleisha88

I gotta get back to doing this. Thanks for reminding me.

Jan 14, 08:04PM PST | Respond to this 3 cheers

PasadenaSue is ready for some serious change... and life is helping me.

Flylady does this as well.

Breaking house cleaning into 15 minute tasks. I use this for doing things I have been putting off since 15 minutes isn’t hard to do.

Thanks for the write up!

Jan 14, 08:31PM PST | Respond to this 1 cheer


fieldsofclover has gotten 15 cheers on this entry.

 

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