Best Productivity Hack Ever - The Pomodoro Technique
December has to be one of the busiest months of the year, and not just for accountants. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, and are tired of never seeming to have enough time, I have a simple yet super effective FREE hack that I’m excited to share with you!
A while back, I wrote a post called Shut Down to Power Up which is all about rejecting the culture of overwhelm, and embracing free time to recharge. I found a practical way to do this daily that will “automagically” help increase your focus and energy, so you can get more done in the same or less time. Trust me - it works!
WHAT IT IS
The hack is the Pomodoro Technique. A deceptively simple yet highly effective way to manage your energy and focus, as opposed to trying to manage your time. Time is not your enemy. Distractions and mental fatigue are!
“Pomodoro” is Italian for tomato. The method was discovered by an Italian student that used an old fashioned tomato shaped kitchen timer to increase his mental focus while studying. You can google “Pomodoro Technique” and read all about it - there are tons of articles. Here is a good excerpt from The Muse:
"The Pomodoro Technique is a time management system that encourages people to work with the time they have—rather than against it. Using this method, you break your workday into 25-minute chunks separated by five-minute breaks. These intervals are referred to as pomodoros. After about four pomodoros, you take a longer break of about 15 to 20 minutes.
The idea behind the technique is that the timer instills a sense of urgency. Rather than feeling like you have endless time in the workday to get things done and then ultimately squandering those precious work hours on distractions, you know you only have 25 minutes to make as much progress on a task as possible.
Additionally, the forced breaks help to cure that frazzled, burnt-out feeling most of us experience toward the end of the day. It’s impossible to spend hours in front of your computer without even realizing it, as that ticking timer reminds you to get up and take a breather."
IT. REALLY.WORKS.
I heard about this technique years ago yet never tried it. Now that virtually all of my work is remote, I realized I needed a better way to manage my energy since I can easily spend 4 - 5 hours in front of my screen, barely taking a break. Not good.
After trying this for only a couple of weeks, my energy and productivity have gone through the roof, my to-do list is under control, and I still have energy at the end of the day to go to the gym. It’s been an awesome upgrade to my daily routine.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Seriously, it’s super simple and there are a bunch of free timers and apps you can use - here’s how I do it (each round = 1 pomodoro):
Round 1- 25 min focus session, 5 min short break
Rounds 2, 3 - Same as above
Round 4 - 25 min focus session, 15 min (at least) long break
I track my sessions on a web-based timer called Pomofocus. I like it because it is a huge timer (on screen) so you can see it from across the room if need be. There is also a mini-timer in the tab in case you have multiple windows open.
No need to create a login although you can if you want more options. There are also a lot of apps - Focus Keeper is a popular one for iPhones, and there are many for Android devices as well. I tried an app but it drained my battery so I use the web-based timer instead.
Super low tech - I keep a little pad and write four circles (25 min sessions) followed by a rectangle. The rectangle indicates it’s time for a long (at least 15 min) break. During my breaks, I walk around, do some light exercises, get a cup of tea or snack, and just unplug. As my husband noted, 5 minutes is long enough to recharge but short enough so that you don’t feel you’re losing ground. When my next 25 minute session starts, I feel like I’ve had my “treat” and I am super focused.
During my focus time, I have a “no distractions” policy unless I get an urgent call or text that can’t wait (rare). Julia noted that when she works on creative projects and is in a flow, the 50 min focus/10 min break method works for her.
Obviously, when I am in a client meeting or on a call, my full attention is on them and I don’t keep a 25/5 timer! I find the Pomodoro Technique works great for mental work that involves deep focus, clearing tasks, and for making progress on large projects one tomato at a time.
I highly recommend you try it and hope it gives you more focus, clarity and peace of mind as it has for me!