Pomodoro Method: Working Interval to be More Effective

At work, you tend to procrastinate or do multiple things at the same time, and you've found that you're not very productive. You often feel like you're running out of time, or even just wasting your time. At the end of the day, you did not reach the goals you set for yourself. In short, every working day feels like a race against time to succeed in meeting the deadlines imposed.

You are well aware of the problem and are tired of running after time all the time. You want to change to become more efficient and productive, but you don't know how to do it. Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro Method?

The origin of the Pomodoro method

The Pomodoro method was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s when he was a university student. He was looking for a way to improve productivity and efficiency in order to achieve better results while generating less time and effort. The name of this technique (Pomodoro), which means “tomato” in Italian, comes from the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used at the time.

Today, the Pomodoro method is a time management tool recognized and used by millions of people around the world to optimize work time and reduce stress.

The principle of this technique

This method is simple and requires nothing more than a timer (the one on your phone will do) and rigor. The aim of this technique is to divide your tasks into 25-minute “tomatoes” or “pomodori”.

Start by choosing the task you are going to work on from your list. During this 25-minute period, you should focus only on this task and avoid any distractions or interruptions (social networks, telephone, email, discussions with colleagues, etc.). When the timer goes off, take a short 5-minute break.

After four “tomatoes”, give yourself a longer break of 20 to 30 minutes to allow your brain to rest before embarking on another session of four “tomatoes.”

By regularly practicing the Pomodoro technique, you will be able to determine how many “tomatoes” are needed to complete each of your tasks.

The advantages and limitations of this method

The Pomodoro method offers numerous advantages:

• it is very simple to set up: simply equip yourself with a timer, motivation and rigor;
• you focus all your energy on a single task, which greatly improves your productivity;
• you avoid multitasking, which reduces your productivity by 40% and damages the quality of your work;
• a 25-minute session is relatively short, which motivates you to stay focused throughout the session;
• short 5-minute breaks are rewards where you can do what you want that is not related to your work;
• time becomes your ally and you improve the way you work in order to be more efficient.

Among the limitations of the Pomodoro technique, we note the difficulty, even the impossibility, of completely isolating yourself to work, especially when working in open space. It can also be difficult to assess how long it takes to complete a task or a set of tasks and to stick to the 25 minutes without interruptions.

The pace of 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of break is not always appropriate. Some people or tasks require a greater period of concentration or a longer break time. If this is the case, feel free to adapt the Pomodoro method to your own pace. For example, 40 minutes of work followed by 10 minutes of break.

Implementation of the Pomodoro method

Here are the different steps to implement the Pomodoro method.

1. Choose the task to be completed

Start the day by choosing which task or tasks you are going to do. It is on completing this task that you will work and focus all your attention for as many 25-minute sessions as necessary.

2. Start the timer

Let's go for a 25-minute non-stop work session. Isolate yourself if you can, or close your office door, turn off your phone, turn off all notifications and alerts on your computer, and let your colleagues know. You should remove any distractions that could compromise your attention.

Focus all of your energy and motivation on completing this task for the next 25 minutes.

3. Take a 5-minute break

After such an effort to concentrate, your brain needs a break to recharge and assimilate the processed information. You can check your emails or make a phone call, but ideally, take the opportunity to think about things other than work. Stretch out, have a coffee, go out and get some fresh air. In short, change your mind for 5 minutes.

Also, avoid surfing the net or social networks because 5-minute breaks could quickly get longer.

4. We're starting again

Repeat this 25/5 min cycle four times, for two hours, then take a longer break of 20 to 30 minutes. Take advantage of this long break to take a real break. Your batteries will be recharged and your brain will be well-rested. Your concentration as well as your efficiency will only be better.

Conclusion

At work, procrastination and multitasking are real obstacles to productivity. It's proven that we are much more effective when we focus on one task at a time. Wanting to multitask at the same time is not only biologically impossible, but also counterproductive.

The Pomodoro technique requires you to focus on one task at a time, for a well-defined period of time. This is why it is considered a productive method and a real solution against these two scourges. It is one of the tools that will allow you to work better without complicating your life.

You can also consult our platform of online project management Wimi.