For those interested in getting over their procrastination, the Pomodoro Technique can offer an easy solution.
Invented by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s, the Pomodoro Technique is a time management system that combats procrastination and increases productivity by breaking tasks down into chunks.
Below, we take a look at how to effectively use the Pomodoro Technique to your advantage. Whether employed at work or home, this method is effective and easy to use. Here’s what you need to know about the Pomodoro Technique.
How to Use the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique breaks tasks down into 25-minute chunks. You’ll work for 25 minutes on any task of your choosing and then once the 25 minutes are up, you’ll take a 5-minute break before picking back up. These 30-minute chunks are the “Pomodoro.”
Once you complete four “Pomodoros,” you’ll then take a 15-30 minute break. So basically, you’re going to take a small half-hour break for every hour or so of work. The goal of this method is to make it easier to complete your to-do list instead of pushing it off until later.
There are often many reasons why we procrastinate. While some of it may be a result of boredom, feelings of self-doubt, or frustration over the level of detail involved in completing a task, according to Amitai Shenhav, an Assistant Professor with Brown University, procrastination could result from feeling “...demotivated each time we perform a subtask without being rewarded.”
The Pomodoro Technique offers a helpful solution to this problem by rewarding those who use it with a short, 5-minute break that can be used for listening to a favorite song, checking social media, or taking a brisk walk outside.
Pomodoro Technique Tips
Now that you know a little bit more about the Pomodoro Technique and how it works, here are three helpful tips to implement it into your day-to-day:
Think of Your Reward
If you want to make the most out of the Pomodoro Technique, figure out what you want your rewards to be. After all, if you know what you have to look forward to, it’ll motivate you to stay on track and complete your tasks.
Your reward could be anything, as long as it can be done within 5 minutes. To make the most of the Pomodoro Technique, try and think of something that brings you pleasure and can be enjoyed over a short period of time, including what you’ll do for 15-30 minutes before you get started. Otherwise, you run the risk of wasting your break to think of what you should do.
Here are some suggestions:
Make a cup of coffee or tea
Step outside and breathe some fresh air
Read for five minutes
Listen to your favorite song
Do some stretches
Make a List of All Your Tasks
After you think about what you want your reward to be for completing a full Pomodoro cycle, take a few minutes to create a to-do list. When creating your to-do list, name the tasks with today’s due date first.
As you complete your pomodoros, you can always add more tasks you want to focus on. But, to keep this time management technique effective (and to keep you on track), tackle the things due today before you start focusing on tomorrow. Doing so will ward off any temptation you have to procrastinate on those tasks you don’t want to do.
Celebrate Your Wins
Though the Pomodoro Technique is designed to combat procrastination and make you more productive, it’s important to remember that a big part of staying motivated is to celebrate your wins.
No one is born with amazing time management skills. They are often skills that take a long time to develop, so don’t forget to pat yourself on the back for completing a Pomodoro cycle, whether at work, school or at home.
Embracing the Pomodoro Technique takes time, so celebrating every time you complete one is not only beneficial for your continued success but also to remind yourself that you are capable of getting better at time management even if it’s been a lifelong struggle.
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If you liked this, check out my article entitled, “4 Reasons People Procrastinate.”
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