There’s a line that separates productive efficiency with diminishing productivity in any work session. My personal favourite method to limit that diminishing productivity, to capture my optimal attention and focus is the Pomodoro technique.
Pomodoro has 5 Steps.
- Ready a to-do list and a timer.
- Set the timer for 25 minutes, and completely focus on completing / working on your tasks until the timer rings
- After it rings, mark down what you completed
- Have a 5 minute break
- Repeat steps 2 – 4 for four times, then have a longer break, for around 15-30 minutes.
Pomodoro is built for deliberate and focused bursts of productivity. 25 minutes is the typical length of a pomodoro block, but it differs for each person. The purpose is to avoid distractions entirely. Created by Francesco Cirillo, this technique helps break larger projects into simpler steps. This creates a less daunting experience to start whatever task you’ve been dreading.
Sometimes it’s not the larger projects I’m anxious about, but the small ones I absolutely do not want to do. In this case, you group all of these together, and use a Pomodoro block to rapid-fire finish as many of these that you can. Once I set a specific time block for them, I find tasks such as responding to emails or cleaning a lot easier.
Also note, Pomodoro means “Tomato” in Italian. That’s why so many visuals of Pomodoro depict tomatoes. These fruit are the names of the Pomodoro time blocks.
Flowtime, Modified Pomodoro for Different Tasks
Pomodoro is gated to the timer. This is effective because you guarantee 25 minutes of productivity (so long as you avoid distractions), but that could be an interruption in itself. Flowtime is a different take on Pomodoro, where you work for as long as you can focus, in your flow state.
For as long as you work, you rest for a corresponding amount of time.
- If 25 minutes or less, you would still rest for 5 minutes.
- If you do 25 – 50 minutes, you could rest for 8 minutes.
This is especially powerful for tasks where you could be cut off in the middle of some sheer creative moment. Say you’re writing, and you’ve just struck gold for some world building ideas. You’d want to keep writing so as to not forget those.
I find myself starting the day with Pomodoro for tasks such as studying, then moving or switching to Flowtime as I see fit. If I notice myself unable to focus properly, or realize I’m in the flow state when my timer rings, I’ll just switch over and continue working. This is usually valuable with my schedule, where I’ll mainly study after school, then move over to my more problem solving heavy tasks such as programming.
Regardless, its Time Management.
Pomodoro and Flowtime effectuate the value of breaks and time blocking. If you’re the type of person who struggles with productivity, I’d recommend you try these techniques. They might not be the best for you, but it’s definitely a good idea to experiment so you can figure out what is the best for you.
