The theory goes that by working in 25 minute sprints followed by short breaks, that we can be more productive. Especially if we time ourselves using a timer that looks like a tomato… Summary by The World of Work Project
Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. Named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer (pomodoro is Italian for “tomato”) that Cirillo used as a university student, this technique aims to improve productivity by breaking work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks.
How It Works
The Pomodoro Technique is straightforward:
- Choose a Task: Select a task you need to complete.
- Set the Timer: Set a timer for 25 minutes, known as one “pomodoro.”
- Work: Focus exclusively on the task until the timer rings.
- Break: Take a short break, typically 5 minutes.
- Repeat: After four pomodoros, take a longer break, usually 15-30 minutes.
Benefits
The Pomodoro Technique is reported to offer several benefits:
- Enhanced Focus: By dedicating specific intervals to uninterrupted work, distractions are minimized, and concentration is improved.
- Increased Productivity: The structured breaks help maintain high levels of productivity, as the brain is given time to rest and recharge.
- Improved Time Management: Breaking work into manageable chunks makes large projects less overwhelming and allows for better estimation of the time required for tasks.
- Reduced Burnout: Regular breaks prevent burnout by ensuring that periods of intense focus are balanced with relaxation.
Learning More
The world is full of personal productivity “hacks” and things we can do to improve our performance. You might enjoy our podcast on personal effectiveness:
The World of Work Project View
We think that everyone is different and that some things work for some people, but not for others. Given this, we think it’s worth spending a little bit of time exploring different techniques that might help improve your performance. Beware, though, or the trap of believing you can continue to get more and more effective by finding more and more techniques. Down that path lies only disappointment.
Also – at a personal level – we find that we are sometimes working in flow and fully absorbed for more than 25 minutes. When this is the case, the last thing we actually want to do is to have a mandatory break, only to need to re-enter a state of deep work later on. Finding natural breaks is more beneficial at times.
Remember, ultimately we are finite beings. Sometimes it might just be better that you can’t be or do everything that you’d like, or that the world tells you that you can or should be. Most people telling you these things are actually selling you something. Acceptance of our own limitations might be a healthier stance, than striving to overcome them, in some instances. For more thinking akin to this, we hugely enjoyed the book: “4000 Weeks” by Oliver Burkeman.
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Sources and Feedback
Cirillo, F. (2006). The Pomodoro Technique. Francesco Cirillo.
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