We often find it troublesome to balance our time and energy while working on tasks. There is always something new to add to your to-do list, and as that list grows, it starts to feel like there is never enough time to finish it all. Most of the time, we are not efficient because we fall into the multitasking trap. We think we can do this while finishing that, not realizing that we must focus our attention on one task to complete it as soon as possible.
That is why we need a technique like the Pomodoro. It could help you better plan your workload, overcome distractions, and check tasks off your list more often. It doesn’t require putting more work into your day. Instead, it encourages taking more breaks in between work sessions. Perhaps one of the best aspects of it is that it’s easy to use.
Why the Pomodoro technique works?
The Pomodoro technique encourages you to focus for a limited time on manageable tasks taking breaks in between. The technique encourages you to think through your to-do list, set a fixed amount of time for a planned task, and focus only on what’s important. Commonly used to ensure that tasks won’t consume more time than they should. You can spend an entire day without noticing doing them without finishing. When you set a limit of 30 minutes for a task, you stop after 30 minutes regardless of the progress you have made so far.
We’ve all been in a situation where we can’t seem to start on a task. You might look at your to-do list and think it requires too much work or immediately assumes you can never get it done.
By setting a limited time to focus you give yourself a reason to get started and oppose the initial resistance. When you complete a small piece of work, you build momentum and feel more productive, leading to more work getting done.
How to use the Pomodoro technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a simple technique, which means there isn’t much of a learning curve to start using it to your advantage. You can download a mobile app to get a built-in Pomodoro or just use a simple timer. Once you’ve set your timer, you need to work on the task or tasks you’ve prioritized for 25 minutes without interruptions. Resisting distractions is not easy to accomplish, and it may take practice to perfect.
Here are the steps:
1. Choose one task you want to focus on.
2. Set your Pomodoro to 25 minutes.
3. Work on the task until the session is over.
4. Take a 5-minute break.
5. Repeat
6. After every four sessions take a longer break for 15 minutes.
The Pomodoro Technique works by giving a boost of focus and productivity. You will achieve the best results when not doing anything else but working on your task. By setting this constraint, many find it very helpful to know that they can focus on just one thing and then do other stuff once the timer is over.
The Pomodoro technique works best when you’re naturally the most productive. It can be during the morning for some people, or the evening for others, depending on your body clock.
Customize Pomodoros for your needs
There are many ways you can adjust the Pomodoro technique for your convenience. Some tasks must take more than 25 minutes, so you can consider extending your Pomodoro sessions up to 60 minutes. You can go the other way too. If you find it hard to focus for 25 minutes, try 15 minutes. Remember, the goal is to make blocks of focused work. You can also adjust how many Pomodoro sessions to do.
If you’re used to jumping from one task to another, the Pomodoro technique helps to stay focused on a single task and may provide the structure you need to be more organized and productive. Remember that what works for everyone might not always work for you, and you should try different techniques until you find the one that does.
