How to make the pomodoro technique more productive

The simple yet effective time boxing strategy

S taying productive can be challenging at times. You start out motivated and ready to hit the ground running! But maintaining that high level of motivation and energy becomes harder as you get deeper into your work. One hour, two hours, and three hours in, your productivity starts slowing down, drastically.

This is perfectly normal. Us humans aren’t really designed to work straight for a very long period of time. We’re able to hyper-focus, but only for short periods of time, especially when our work involves staring at a computer screen. You need to get up, and stretch, and eat and drink water, all the natural things that are built-in to our evolution.

This means that working hard for more than a few hours straight is an ineffective strategy. It’s unnatural. It doesn’t take into account that you’ll get fatigued halfway through, making the second half of your work session much less productive.

But there is a better way, one that I personally use quite often: timeboxing. Timeboxing involves doing work in short, fixed intervals.

One of the most famous timeboxing techniques out there is called the Pomodoro Technique.

The Pomodoro Technique is one of the simplest productivity hacks to implement. All you’ll need is a timer. There are no other fancy apps, calendars, or tools.

There is a book written by the founder of the Pomodoro Technique. It’s a helpful read if you’re interested, but not 100% necessary because the method is so simple. All you’ll need are these 5 steps:

1. Choose a task to be accomplished
2. Set your timer to 25 minutes (standard length of time for this technique)
3. Work on the task until the timer rings. You’ve now completed your first time box
4. Take a short break, 3 to 5 minutes
5. Every 4 boxes of time you take a longer break, between 15 to 30 minutes

This process can be repeated a few times throughout the workday.

One of the most important components of this is that each timebox must be a hyper-focused unit of work. That means that if you’re writing a blog post, you’re only typing or perhaps brainstorming about what to write, nothing else. If you’re a coder, you’re only designing and writing code during that time, and so on.

That’s one of the main advantages that you get from this technique. You develop an understanding and a habit that this timebox is for super productive work. You’re a productivity machine during that timebox where nothing can distract or deter you from moving forward.

Then, you take a break. To recharge, and once again turn into a productivity machine. The combination of hyper-focused work and recharging breaks provides the perfect balance for productive work.

The Pomodoro Technique can be used for any kind of work, but it is especially valuable for creatives. Creative energy is valuable and not something you can expend for 3 or 4 hours straight. Pomodoro takes this into account, giving you bursts of time for your creative work, and then separate time to refuel your creative energy.

Although the Pomodoro Technique has worked for many people, from coders to writers, to designers, it’s not without its complaints.

Some people find the technique to be too rigid with the fixed time blocks. 25 minutes might be too short if you’re trying to get into Deep Work. You also might find that at times, you’d prefer a longer break.

Personally, I like to modify the productivity methods I come across to be more practical.

Flexible time boxing

First-off, your timeboxes do not have to be 25-minutes. Perhaps the original inventor of this technique, Francesco Cirillo, found that 25-minutes was right for him. Or maybe he took an average after doing some studies.

Frankly, I don’t really care.

What I do know for sure is that anyone or anything that says “it has to be this number” is usually just too rigid.

You can make your timeboxes however long you want. Personally, I like to set my time boxes between 15 minutes and 90 minutes. The amount of time depends on the task I’m doing. If I’m writing an article, I’ll pick a time between 60 and 90 minutes depending on the length. If I’m getting ready for work, I’ll timebox to 30 minutes.

Adapting your timebox time in the way is a lot more practical. You’re adjusting the method to be optimized for your specific situation. That’s a lot better than hard and rigid rules.

Flexible breaks

The same can be done with taking breaks. Take as long of a break as you need to regain your energy. If you need extra time for a bite to eat or a glass of what, take it. Do what you feel is best for you, not what the rules say.

I also find that it’s helpful for the break to be in a different environment than where I usually work. If you’re writing at your computer, don’t take a YouTube break. Get up and go for a walk.

The change in environment will help get those creative juices flowing again. Plus, taking your mind off the work for a bit might be just the thing you need to regain your focus.

Productivity methods should be made adaptable to the many different situations you’ll face throughout the workday. These two tips will make the Pomodoro Technique a lot more practical. If you find other things that help with your productivity, go ahead and them in!

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Last updated on September 16th, 2020

We have all come across numerous time management techniques and ways to work more productively, and they all suggest to make the best use of our time and work more productively.

I would like to introduce you to one of them which I use frequently.

1. The “TOMATO” Pomodoro Technique

This is the Pomodoro technique developed by the Italian Francesco Cirillo.

Pomodoro is Italian and means tomato. The name comes from the fact that Cirillo used a kitchen timer for his technique, which was shaped like a tomato.

2. The Tomato Work Unit

Cirillo divided his effective time into work units of 25 minutes each – because his tomato clock could be set to 25 minutes.

After each work unit he takes a short break of 5 minutes. And after 4 working units he takes a longer 30 minutes break.

In short:

Working in these “tomato” time units actually contributes to an increase in productivity, as one usually strives to complete the work in the specified time.

3. Switch Off Productivity Killers

To make the Pomodoro Technique effective, you should first ask yourself what is preventing you from working productively.

The usual suspects are probably the time killers that creep into our daily work routine.

This includes any kind of unwanted interruptions and disturbances, such as telephone calls, meetings, chats or other distractions.

Being permanently online is another seducer par excellence: checking your e-mails, a new status message on Facebook, a new WhatsApp message, what’s happening on Twitter …?

The Pomodoro technique is all about eliminating these time-consuming tasks as far as possible during a session so that you can devote 25 minutes to the task at hand, undisturbed and fully concentrated.

4. The Unit Length – Why 25 Minutes?

You can of course set any other unit length, but in practice the 25 minutes have proven to be optimal for small to medium sized tasks that need to be done.

You may ask yourself how you set tasks that require exactly 25 minutes of your time. There are three ways to get to such work units:

1. You have 1 task that you can complete in 25 minutes.
2. You combine several small tasks (e.g. checking incoming e-mails, replying to chat message, posting a letter) into one work unit.
3. You divide a big job into 25-minute units.

5. And how Do i measure it?

For the Pomodoro technique, well, you guessd right: a simple kitchen timer is the way to go – it doesn’t necessarily have to be in the shape of a tomato. 😉

The far more elegant solution is an hourglass. It makes a good picture on your desk, too.

Then there are quite a few digital options, see below.

And the easiest way: Use the countdown or alarm clock function of your smartphone.

When the decision was made in late March to lock down the United Kingdom (and much of the world), millions of employees were suddenly faced with a new frontier: working from home. For many, this was a welcome change. A 2019 LinkedIn survey found that 82% of working professionals wanted to work from home at least one day a week, with demand for remote and flexible options no longer limited to working parents. And while three-quarters of workers said that they maintained or improved productivity levels for individual tasks during the first few months of the pandemic, a question lingers over how long this can be sustained.

With remote and home working set to continue in 2021, how can employees boost their productivity levels and avoid the procrastination pitfalls that can be all too tempting in the home environment?

From mastering the Pomodoro Technique to implementing feedback loops and utilising new tools, there are many fast, free and effective ways to enhance focus and productivity in the new year.

Here are some of the best:

Time is ticking: make the Pomodoro Technique work for you

The Pomodoro Technique is often cited as being one of the easiest and best ways to improve productivity.

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s and has been used ever since as a time management method. Its fundamentals are simple: Work is broken down into 25-minute intervals, measured by a timer, during which the worker is fully focused on the task at hand. At the end of the 25 minutes, the timer buzzes and the focus is broken for a short break, usually of five minutes. The process is then repeated.

At the core of the Pomodoro Technique is the idea that short breaks and diversions vastly improve focus. It eliminates distractions and discourages multi-tasking, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in one task at a time.

How can I make the Pomodoro Technique work for me?

You can incorporate the Pomodoro Technique into your work routine in a number of ways. The simple nature of Pomodoro means that you don’t need any special equipment, although many people find that using timers, trackers and documentation tools help them to stay accountable. Some suggestions include:

Using a dedicated Pomodoro app: A Pomodoro Technique timer lies at the heart of any Pomodoro strategy, and many apps have been created to support this functionality. Check out PomoDone and Marinara Timer to get started.

Using Trello: Trello boards can be used to visualise projects and tasks. They’re a great way to plan out Pomodoro tasks to be actioned over the course of a day or week, moving individual tasks into a dedicated ‘In Progress’ list at the start of the Pomodoro timer. You can take this even further by using the Time Tracking Power-Up, which allows you to track the time spent on project tasks and record it on a Trello card.

Using a stopwatch, pen and paper: For the traditionalists out there, a standard kitchen timer or phone stopwatch is all you need to start your focused work session.

Read more on how the Pomodoro Technique can be used to improve your digital health here.

Proactively seeking out criticism? How feedback loops will make you better, faster

Asking for negative feedback may feel uncomfortable, but it’s a surefire way to cut to the root of any problem and learn more, faster. Regardless of your industry, incorporating feedback loops help you to solve problems and improve your work.

Feedback loops relate to the Agile mantra ‘Fail fast, fail often’, which encourages getting feedback as early as possible. They’re particularly useful when using project management and development software, such as Jira and Trello kanban boards, when teams can review stages in workflows, analyse reports and metrics and provide continuous feedback on work in progress. For team feedback loops, you may want to use something like a Sprint Retrospective board to help your team stay on track and remove roadblocks early. For more personal feedback, you could send your colleagues anonymous surveys, perhaps via a Google Form, to collect their honest review of your recent performance.

Even if you don’t use these tools in your work, you can incorporate feedback loops by identifying someone or something to measure your performance and provide suggestions on improvements. Crucially, this feedback should happen constantly (not just at the end of a project or task) so that you can incorporate the improvements and get better as you go.

Not all tools are equal. Find (and use!) the ones that work best for you

Between Skype, Slack, Zoom, Teams, Docs and Mail, it may seem like there is no room left to add meaningful technology products to your workday. In fact, Adaptavist’s recent Digital Etiquette Study found that workers spend an average of 45 minutes a day searching for information between different tech platforms, with inefficient use of digital channels threatening overall worker productivity. This means that any new tools you add to your armoury must be selected wisely. A few of the most highly recommended include:

StayFocusd: A productivity extension for Google Chrome that restricts the amount of time you can spend on time-wasting websites. StayFocusd physically blocks sites you designate once you’ve used up your allocated time per day on them.

Rescue Time: A tool which automatically tracks time spent on apps, websites and documents, with detailed reports on where your time goes.

Trello: An online visual list-making application that can be used by individuals and teams to plan and manage work. It can be used in place of email, documents and even meetings conference calls, effectively acting as one centralised app to rule them all!

Get ready for your most productive year yet

It’s time to leave 2020 in the past and look forward to the promise of a new year. With that comes an opportunity to power up your work habits and become more focused and productive than ever. Whether it’s by mastering the Pomodoro Technique, installing a focus app on your phone or asking your manager for more negative feedback, make sure you start the year off on the right foot.

For more insights on how you can use Trello to become more productive at work, check out the Orah Apps blog.

When the decision was made in late March to lock down the United Kingdom (and much of the world), millions of employees were suddenly faced with a new frontier: working from home. For many, this was a welcome change. A 2019 LinkedIn survey found that 82% of working professionals wanted to work from home at least one day a week, with demand for remote and flexible options no longer limited to working parents. And while three-quarters of workers said that they maintained or improved productivity levels for individual tasks during the first few months of the pandemic, a question lingers over how long this can be sustained.

With remote and home working set to continue in 2021, how can employees boost their productivity levels and avoid the procrastination pitfalls that can be all too tempting in the home environment?

From mastering the Pomodoro Technique to implementing feedback loops and utilising new tools, there are many fast, free and effective ways to enhance focus and productivity in the new year.

Here are some of the best:

Time is ticking: make the Pomodoro Technique work for you

The Pomodoro Technique is often cited as being one of the easiest and best ways to improve productivity.

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s and has been used ever since as a time management method. Its fundamentals are simple: Work is broken down into 25-minute intervals, measured by a timer, during which the worker is fully focused on the task at hand. At the end of the 25 minutes, the timer buzzes and the focus is broken for a short break, usually of five minutes. The process is then repeated.

At the core of the Pomodoro Technique is the idea that short breaks and diversions vastly improve focus. It eliminates distractions and discourages multi-tasking, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in one task at a time.

How can I make the Pomodoro Technique work for me?

You can incorporate the Pomodoro Technique into your work routine in a number of ways. The simple nature of Pomodoro means that you don’t need any special equipment, although many people find that using timers, trackers and documentation tools help them to stay accountable. Some suggestions include:

Using a dedicated Pomodoro app: A Pomodoro Technique timer lies at the heart of any Pomodoro strategy, and many apps have been created to support this functionality. Check out PomoDone and Marinara Timer to get started.

Using Trello: Trello boards can be used to visualise projects and tasks. They’re a great way to plan out Pomodoro tasks to be actioned over the course of a day or week, moving individual tasks into a dedicated ‘In Progress’ list at the start of the Pomodoro timer. You can take this even further by using the Time Tracking Power-Up, which allows you to track the time spent on project tasks and record it on a Trello card.

Using a stopwatch, pen and paper: For the traditionalists out there, a standard kitchen timer or phone stopwatch is all you need to start your focused work session.

Read more on how the Pomodoro Technique can be used to improve your digital health here.

Proactively seeking out criticism? How feedback loops will make you better, faster

Asking for negative feedback may feel uncomfortable, but it’s a surefire way to cut to the root of any problem and learn more, faster. Regardless of your industry, incorporating feedback loops help you to solve problems and improve your work.

Feedback loops relate to the Agile mantra ‘Fail fast, fail often’, which encourages getting feedback as early as possible. They’re particularly useful when using project management and development software, such as Jira and Trello kanban boards, when teams can review stages in workflows, analyse reports and metrics and provide continuous feedback on work in progress. For team feedback loops, you may want to use something like a Sprint Retrospective board to help your team stay on track and remove roadblocks early. For more personal feedback, you could send your colleagues anonymous surveys, perhaps via a Google Form, to collect their honest review of your recent performance.

Even if you don’t use these tools in your work, you can incorporate feedback loops by identifying someone or something to measure your performance and provide suggestions on improvements. Crucially, this feedback should happen constantly (not just at the end of a project or task) so that you can incorporate the improvements and get better as you go.

Not all tools are equal. Find (and use!) the ones that work best for you

Between Skype, Slack, Zoom, Teams, Docs and Mail, it may seem like there is no room left to add meaningful technology products to your workday. In fact, Adaptavist’s recent Digital Etiquette Study found that workers spend an average of 45 minutes a day searching for information between different tech platforms, with inefficient use of digital channels threatening overall worker productivity. This means that any new tools you add to your armoury must be selected wisely. A few of the most highly recommended include:

StayFocusd: A productivity extension for Google Chrome that restricts the amount of time you can spend on time-wasting websites. StayFocusd physically blocks sites you designate once you’ve used up your allocated time per day on them.

Rescue Time: A tool which automatically tracks time spent on apps, websites and documents, with detailed reports on where your time goes.

Trello: An online visual list-making application that can be used by individuals and teams to plan and manage work. It can be used in place of email, documents and even meetings conference calls, effectively acting as one centralised app to rule them all!

Get ready for your most productive year yet

It’s time to leave 2020 in the past and look forward to the promise of a new year. With that comes an opportunity to power up your work habits and become more focused and productive than ever. Whether it’s by mastering the Pomodoro Technique, installing a focus app on your phone or asking your manager for more negative feedback, make sure you start the year off on the right foot.

For more insights on how you can use Trello to become more productive at work, check out the Orah Apps blog.

Staying productive can be challenging at times. You start out motivated and ready to hit the ground running! But maintaining that high level of motivation and energy becomes harder as you get deeper into your work. One hour, two hours, and three hours in, your productivity starts slowing down, drastically.

This is perfectly normal. Us humans aren’t really designed to work straight for a very long period of time. We’re able to hyper-focus, but only for short periods of time, especially when our work involves staring at a computer screen. You need to get up, and stretch, and eat and drink water, all the natural things that are built-in to our evolution.

This means that working hard for more than a few hours straight is an ineffective strategy. It’s unnatural. It doesn’t take into account that you’ll get fatigued halfway through, making the second half of your work session much less productive.

But there is a better way, one that I personally use quite often: timeboxing. Timeboxing involves doing work in short, fixed intervals.

One of the most famous timeboxing techniques out there is called the Pomodoro Technique.

How the Pomodoro Technique works

The Pomodoro Technique is one of the simplest productivity hacks to implement. All you’ll need is a timer. There are no other fancy apps, calendars, or tools.

There is a book written by the founder of the Pomodoro Technique. It’s a helpful read if you’re interested, but not 100% necessary because the method is so simple. All you’ll need are these 5 steps:

1. Choose a task to be accomplished
2. Set your timer to 25 minutes (standard length of time for this technique)
3. Work on the task until the timer rings. You’ve now completed your first time box
4. Take a short break, 3 to 5 minutes
5. Every 4 boxes of time you take a longer break, between 15 to 30 minutes

This process can be repeated a few times throughout the workday.

One of the most important components of this is that each timebox must be a hyper-focused unit of work. That means that if you’re writing a blog post, you’re only typing or perhaps brainstorming about what to write, nothing else. If you’re a coder, you’re only designing and writing code during that time, and so on.

That’s one of the main advantages that you get from this technique. You develop an understanding and a habit that this timebox is for super productive work. You’re a productivity machine during that timebox where nothing can distract or deter you from moving forward.

Then, you take a break. To recharge, and once again turn into a productivity machine. The combination of hyper-focused work and recharging breaks provides the perfect balance for productive work.

The Pomodoro Technique can be used for any kind of work, but it is especially valuable for creatives. Creative energy is valuable and not something you can expend for 3 or 4 hours straight. Pomodoro takes this into account, giving you bursts of time for your creative work, and then separate time to refuel your creative energy.

Practical Tips

Although the Pomodoro Technique has worked for many people, from coders to writers, to designers, it’s not without its complaints.

Some people find the technique to be too rigid with the fixed time blocks. 25 minutes might be too short if you’re trying to get into Deep Work. You also might find that at times, you’d prefer a longer break.

Personally, I like to modify the productivity methods I come across to be more practical.

Flexible time boxing

First-off, your timeboxes do not have to be 25-minutes. Perhaps the original inventor of this technique, Francesco Cirillo, found that 25-minutes was right for him. Or maybe he took an average after doing some studies.

Frankly, I don’t really care.

What I do know for sure is that anyone or anything that says “it has to be this number” is usually just too rigid.

You can make your timeboxes however long you want. Personally, I like to set my time boxes between 15 minutes and 90 minutes. The amount of time depends on the task I’m doing. If I’m writing an article, I’ll pick a time between 60 and 90 minutes depending on the length. If I’m getting ready for work, I’ll timebox to 30 minutes.

Adapting your timebox time in the way is a lot more practical. You’re adjusting the method to be optimized for your specific situation. That’s a lot better than hard and rigid rules.

Flexible breaks

The same can be done with taking breaks. Take as long of a break as you need to regain your energy. If you need extra time for a bite to eat or a glass of what, take it. Do what you feel is best for you, not what the rules say.

I also find that it’s helpful for the break to be in a different environment than where I usually work. If you’re writing at your computer, don’t take a YouTube break. Get up and go for a walk.

The change in environment will help get those creative juices flowing again. Plus, taking your mind off the work for a bit might be just the thing you need to regain your focus.

Productivity methods should be made adaptable to the many different situations you’ll face throughout the workday. These two tips will make the Pomodoro Technique a lot more practical. If you find other things that help with your productivity, go ahead and them in!

This post may contain affiliate links.

An over thinker’s struggles with productivity are super real and I am a living advocate to this. A fun fact about me – I am known for staying in the planning phases of my all my projects without taking any action at all. Today I am sharing how The Pomodoro Technique helped me change this and how you can apply it in various areas of your life.

I usually start by planning out the complete process when I have a project at hand. I start with the implementation after the planning is done and as soon as my productive zone comes close, I get distracted. Now distractions can be anything from a phone call to hunger. Sometimes I randomly remember about not filling in my habit tracker and I feel like it needs to be done now. When I start working on my laptop, I suddenly remember that I have to download an episode of Blind-spot or else I will have nothing to watch at night. I hope you get the drill.

After I realized that I was getting nowhere and something needed to change. I started exploring books, blogs, podcasts and videos about productivity (wasted a whole week and fooled myself by believing that this was super productive). But some good things came out of it and I learned a bunch of new techniques. The Pomodoro technique is one of them which I read in the book by Francesco Cirillo. I will be sharing what the technique is and what its applications are.

Pomodoro technique helps you get the task done in less time without exhausting yourself. It is a time management and productivity technique. The basic outline of this method consists of two principles

• Work for 1 Pomodoro which is always of 25 minutes
• Take a 5-minute break after each Pomodoro and a 20-minute break after every 4 pomodori

You need to follow a few rules to use this method effectively. I will summarize them here, but you can get a detailed idea in this book. The rules are –

• You need to be distraction free for each Pomodoro. Do not engage in ‘pseudo productive task’ such as clearing your spam mail or going through your bills (unless that itself is the planned task). Your focus needs to be on the planned task itself.
• There is no half Pomodoro and you cannot break it down into two parts. If you get distracted after 20 minutes, you need to start over and complete 25 minutes straight. Period.
• Each Pomodoro has to be of 25 minutes. In case you complete your task in less than 25 minutes, review it until the time is up. If it is taking more time, schedule it for the next Pomodoro and take a 5-minute break.

This method will help you get more done in less time. If you are a geek like me, I have added the references that explain the science behind these specific time spans at the end of this post!

You can have different approaches to the Pomodoro technique. I am sharing my process of implementing the Pomodoro technique.

The first step, as you must have guessed is planning. You need to know exactly what project you will be tackling and break it down into 25-minute tasks and decide on the flow. This will help you stay organized throughout the complete process.

I tend to get carried away with the planning process and that is why I use a very simple Pomodoro Planner. You can get your own copy of the Pomodoro Planner right here.

Pomodoro Planner Printable

To start the implementation, you first need to take care of all the possible distractions that may come your way. Think of anything that may show up and decide how you will tackle it.

I usually eat something before starting out because hunger is my top most distraction. You should also consider putting your phone on a DND mode, asking your co-workers, parents, partner or roommate to keep you undistributed for 25 minutes. If distracting thoughts come up, have a notebook to jot them down and leave them there. Basically, do the prep work!

Now is the time to act my dear friend. Go straight in for 25 minutes and if remember rule number 2 and 3 and you should be fine. Great focus and determination are the only things you need in this step.

I love playing focus music on my calm app (which is totally free)! It works wonders in focusing my mind and getting quality work done.

Pause

Once you are done with a Pomodoro, take a break. Breaks are super important to keep your mind away from lethargy. Do something that takes like 5 minutes. I stretch, listen to music or tidy up my desk a bit. For the 20 minute breaks, I usually have food and watch FRIENDS. Do something relaxing l, that’s all.

Pomodoro technique can be used by anyone and everyone for anything and everything. There are 2 areas where I myself have used it and I could think of a few more where this can be implemented. If you can think of any other areas where you have or want to implement this technique, share it in the comments section!

Studying

With loads of syllabus at hand and not a lot of time, I used the Pomodoro technique to plan my study time. I would take 2 subjects for a day, assign one chapter to one Pomodoro and get 10 chapters done in a day! You can use this technique in your own way to get those lessons done.

Cleaning

I was the worst human when it came to cleaning my house and decluttering my stuff without being overwhelmed. Usually, I would start with my living room and end up in my kitchen in less than 10 minutes. I would scroll Pinterest for hours just to get some inspiration. One fine day I planned my cleaning using Pomodoro technique and I got the whole thing done in half the time! I planned different sections of my house for each pomodori and I emerged as a winner in the end.

Some other applications the Pomodoro technique can be –

1. Completing a research project
2. Filming a video
3. Packing for a vacation
4. Writing a paper

If you can think of some other ways this technique can be used to make sure to drop it in the comments below! You can get a planner printable by clicking here. Be organized and get the method right and improve your efficiency.

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Julia Yao

I love learning about useful life hacks, and here’s a simple one that has helped me to de-stress and live more mindfully at work. It’s a little strategy called Pomodoro and it has changed the way I tackle my endless To-Do list – for my health.

If you spend most of your work life at a desk, and in front of a computer, it can be challenging to find moments to move more, to stretch, or to rest your eyes throughout the day. And if you are anything like me, it is too easy to become immersed for hours without looking away from the screen.

Over the years, there have been plenty of days filled with sore muscles, tense shoulders, and anxiety that only lessen slightly over the weekend. While some physical tension and stress naturally come with responsibilities, approaching deadlines, and long To-Do lists, an overwhelming amount with no outlet is problematic.

This past summer, I came across the Pomodoro Technique, a strategy that many are using to increase productivity at work. But it’s so much more than a productivity tool. It’s also a daily reminder to breathe, move, and rest.

The traditional Pomodoro Technique uses a timer that breaks down work into intervals of 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. The technique comes from studies showing that deep work punctuated by short but frequent breaks can improve mental agility. It has since been adapted, and many Pomodoro timers now allow you to customize your work and break intervals.

On a typical day, I set the timer for one hour, followed by a 5-minute break. I find that this encourages me to complete tasks during that hour and then offers me a chance to rest before moving onto the next task.

During the short breaks, you can:

1. Walk a lap or two around the office.
2. Do a few stretches.
3. Do a few deep breathing exercises.
4. Lean back and close your eyes.
5. Listen to a relaxing song.
6. Make a cup of coffee or tea.
7. Enjoy a beverage while catching some natural light by the nearest window.
8. Have a quick chat with a coworker about something non-work related.

If you search for Pomodoro Timer, you will find many variations – desktop timers, simple timer apps, and more involved apps that sync your To-Do lists with a customizable timer. This means that you can find the tool that works best for your schedule and needs. You might find it easier to simply set repeated timers on your phone’s built-in alarm. Or you might be like me, someone who depends on organized To-Do lists, and would like an app with more bells and whistles.

The Pomodoro timer is not perfect. The technique is not possible for every type of employment. On days when I’m struggling to meet a deadline or when I don’t want to disrupt my momentum, I tend to skip my breaks. However, I never leave the app off for too long.

If you can, give this little timer a try! My mind and body (and my To-Do list) have been thanking me for giving it a go.

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Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through those links I will receive a small commission. For example, as Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you decide to use these links, thank you!

Pop quiz. Which of these do you agree with?

1. I would love to get more done in less time.
2. I would love to stop procrastinating.
3. I would love to feel more focused.
4. I would love to stop feeling overwhelmed about my to-do list.
5. I can easily learn this technique (I will answer this for you: YES you can!)

If you agree with one or all of these statements then you will love the Pomodoro technique.

I first learned about the Pomodoro technique while listening to a podcast. The person being interviewed was talking about how life-changing this technique has been for them. And, I was skeptical, but I soon found that it really does work!

The Pomodoro Technique for Getting Things Done

Pomodoro sounds pretty fancy, but it really just means “tomato” in Italian. Yep, a tomato. This technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980’s for which he used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer to break down work into intervals (source).

The Pomodoro technique is a time management technique where you break down all of your tasks into 25 minute focused blocks of time. By doing this you will get more done in less time, will improve your mental sharpness, and will see better results.

The materials you will need:

1. Pen & Paper
2. Timer (you can use your watch, cell phone, or grab a cute mechanical timer here)

Note: The creator of this technique encourages the use of a mechanical timer. Cirillo indicates that the physical act of winding the timer confirms the user’s determination to start the task; ticking externalizes desire to complete the task, and ringing announces a break. Flow and focus become associated with these physical stimuli (source).

How to get started with Pomodoro, in six steps:

1. Choose a task you’d like to get done.
2. Set the Pomodoro for 25 minutes (the Pomodoro is the timer)
3. Work on the task until the Pomodoro rings.
4. When the Pomodoro rings, put a checkmark on a paper.
5. Take a short break (3-5 minutes). Go for a walk, breathe, relax.
6. Every 4 Pomodoros take a longer break (20 to 30 minutes). Then start back at step 1.

• After setting the timer focus only on the task at hand. This means no distractions or interruptions. I usually will turn my phone off or at least have it out of view so that I’m not tempted by notifications. Also, if you think of something that you need to work on later, just write it down on a piece of paper and then get back to work.
• During the breaks make sure you’re not doing anything work-related. Step away from whatever you’re doing and take an actual break.
• The hardest part for me is taking the long break after the four Pomodoros. But, according to the creator of the technique, your brain will use this time to assimilate new information and rest before the next round of Pomodoros.

Free Pomodoro Task Tracker:

Subscribe to Tons of Goodness below to gain access to the Resource Library password. The Resource Library includes a PDF version of this Free Pomodoro Task Tracker!

Why the Pomodoro Technique Works

It’s very simple.

All you need is some way to track time, a pen, and a piece of paper. I even use this method with my daughter who is in kindergarten to get homework done, to clean her room, etc.

Breakthrough the overwhelm.

Since the Pomodoro technique breaks up tasks into 25-minute blocks, the tasks seem much less overwhelming and far more manageable.

Avoid the perfectionism trap.

Another benefit that I have found is that it helps me with my tendency to wanting to work on something until it’s “perfect”. I decide ahead of time how many Pomodoro’s I will use for a task and stick to it.

A positive way to view time.

How many times a week of a day do you say, “I wish I had more time”? Well, by using the Pomodoro technique you can see exactly how you use your time. You will find that you have more time to spare since you are being more productive. And you can be proud of the amount of work you’ve completed by seeing all of those checkmarks!

I think that it makes time seem more positive because every Pomodoro represents an opportunity to get something done or to improve something.

Frequent breaks help you to focus and stay motivated.

Another reason why this time management technique works so well is that it allows for frequent breaks. You know that after 25 minutes of focused work you will be getting a short break. And after four Pomodoro’s you will get a 25 to 30-minute break.

By doing this I am able to ignore distractions, stay focused, and stay motivated.

Interested in learning more about motivation? Check out this post:

What Kind of Tasks Can You Use the Pomodoro Technique For?

What I love about this time management technique is that you can use it for so many situations. For example, tasks that I have used the Pomodoro technique for include:

• Cleaning the house in less time
• Writing research papers
• Creating products
• Writing blog posts
• Creating meal plans
• Paying bills
• Working out
• Online shopping
• Homework

As you can see, this method can work for any situation. It’s also great to teach your kids. My daughter, who is 6 is able to use the concept when we’re working on homework or cleaning her room (two things she really doesn’t like to do).

Try the Pomodoro Technique and let me know how it goes!

Feb 6, 2020 · 4 min read

There is no better feeling than being productive and making progress, but, as you probably already know, you don’t just download a to-do list app or start a new productivity methodology and immediately start winning at life.

It can be hard to work out the best way to improve your personal productivity but a universally loved method we recommend you try is the pomodoro technique.

The pomodoro technique is a time ma n agement framework that will improve your focus and productivity. Working in time-blocks instils a sense of urgency. When you don’t feel like you have endless time in the workday, you won’t squander it on needless distractions. Additionally, regular breaks, to refresh your mind and stretching your legs, eliminate that brain-dead feeling at the end of the day.

Using the pomodoro technique you will finish each day with a sense of accomplishment just by working in 25-minute blocks followed by 5-minute breaks.

Simple, yet very effective.

The pomodoro technique is popular with freelancers wanting to track time, students wishing to study more effectively and anyone looking to improve themselves at work or in their personal projects.

Basically, if you let distractions get in the way of progress too often, then this is a technique that will help you.

The pomodoro technique is largely associated with the following improvements;

• Learn to manage distractions and control interruptions.
• Stay focused for longer.
• Get more done, without working longer hours.
• Improve your health with regular breaks.

But, there are some less well-known, valuable insights and learnings from doing pomodoro sessions;

• Learn the value of your time by understanding how long it takes to deliver work.
• Better manage people’s expectations, including your own, as you begin to understand how long things take in terms of pomodoros.
• Grow your willpower, dampen the instant gratification of social media and email.
• Stop fighting the clock, use time to your advantage.

Productivity tricks are a dime a dozen, which can leave some of us sceptical of their effectiveness. Rising from the crowd is the pomodoro technique, which claims to achieve more in less time.

Does science explain the role that the pomodoro technique plays in enhancing your productivity?

Here is what the research found:

• Short breaks help you concentrate better and fight monotony, 25-minutes really isn’t that long to concentrate, it feels achievable.
• The work-break pattern is great for motivation because the break is a little reward for your hard work.
• The pomodoro technique fuels your decision-making, by keeping you fresh.
• It slashes the stress of time management. View your day as a series of tasks and focus only on the next 25-minutes.
• It takes you 23 minutes and 15 seconds to refocus after an interruption, and the timer helps to make sure you don’t allow interruptions in.
• The technique ardently supports timeboxing and fights Parkinson’s law, the observation that work expands to fill the time available.

Read more about these findings here.

So are you ready to try the pomodoro technique for yourself? Check out Francesco Cirillo’s The Pomodoro Technique to master the technique.

When you have nailed it, here are five tips to personalise your pomodoros;

1. Alter the length of your pomodoro session: sessions don’t have to be 25-minutes, you might find a longer session is more your sweet spot and is complementary to your working style.
2. Use your household chores to define your pomodoro length: start the washing machine, set your timer to the same length as the wash cycle and get started. Your break will start just in time to hang it out!
3. Set up musical timers: don’t like using a timer? Create a few playlists that are the same length as your pomodoro session. As a bonus, the music might boost your productivity further.
4. Harness your state of flow: if the session ends and you are in the zone make the most of it and do a back to back session.
5. Listen to your body: equally, when you are tired you will find it harder to stick to your task. On days like these take longer and more frequent breaks. Sounds counter-intuitive but it will mean you do get some focused work done, instead of flicking between email and whatever else it is you can’t concentrate on.

Author Bio

Alice is co-founder and General Manager at the web development company behind the productivity app focus booster . Described in three-words, Alice loves the beach, bubbles (of the champagne variety) and books.