Pomodoro Technique: The easiest way to stay focused

Are you having trouble concentrating or being productive while working remotely? Are there too many distractions at home? Washing the dishes sounds more interesting than finishing that task?

Then I might have the solution for you: the Pomodoro Technique.

Read on to find out what the Pomodoro Technique is and how you can utilize it for your work or studies.

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method, invented by Italian Francesco Sirillo in the 1980s. The word "Pomodoro" means tomato in Italian, and is derived from the tomato-shaped kitchen timer used by Sirillo. When Sirilo was having a hard time finishing an assignment, he decided to "concentrate for 10 minutes" and began to measure the time with a tomato-shaped kitchen timer. This was the beginning of the Pomodoro Technique.

I would encourage anyone who has any of the following to use the Pomodoro Technique!

People whose concentration is easily broken
People who are easily distracted
People who continue to work even when productivity is low
People who tend to procrastinate

By the way, the Pomodoro Technique can be used not only for work, but also for housework, study, and many other situations where you have to finish a task.

How does it work?

The inventor, Cirillo, has written a whole book on the Pomodoro Technique and time management but the basics of this method are very simple. Let me map them out in 5 steps.

List and prioritize tasks
Write down everything that needs to be done and decide what to work on first. You can take 15 minutes at the beginning of the day or the end of the prior day to plan.
Prepare a timer
It doesn't have to be a tomato type, but anything that can measure the time, like your timer in the phone, specific mobile apps like Pomodoro Timer Lite (Android) or Focus Keeper (iPhone), or browser extensions (Chrome).
Set the timer for 25 minutes and focus on one task until the timer goes off
The key here is to tackle the task from the top of your priority list and focus on it until the timer rings. During these 25 minutes, only focus on the task you are supposed to work on. Don’t answer your phone, check your Slack or read emails. Just work on your task. Easy.
Take a short 5-minute break
As frustrating as it may be, be sure to stop working when the timer goes off. Many studies have shown that taking small breaks can help reduce stress and improve concentration. Ideally you take your break away from your workstation. Now is the time to get a coffee or some water, go to the bathroom, stand on the balcony or fold some laundry. Your break will be much more mentally refreshing if you don’t stare at a screen, meaning no Instagram or TikTok!
After 4 cycles, take a long break of 15~30 minutes
After four cycles, two hours will have passed, so take a long break here to freshen up. You can use this break to grab lunch or take a walk for example.

As you can see, it’s super simple.

Every cycle consists of a 25 minute focus session and a 5 minute break. This 30 minute time period is called 1 Pomodoro. This will become your new unit to measure your work time. For example, if you work 8 hour days, this will mean you have 16 Pomodoros. It could look something like the image on the right.

Customization

Although 25 minute work sessions are recommended by the inventor, it doesn’t mean that this is the best time period for you or your tasks. You have the freedom to experiment with different time periods to find a Pomodoro that’s best for you.

Maybe you’re most productive if you work 20 minutes or 30 minutes instead of 25. Or maybe your job or studies require you to focus for longer periods at a time, then you could try a 50 / 10 split. At the end it’s a tool to help you be more productive so you can decide what this means for you.

Bonus: If you’re one of those people who don’t like tomatoes, you can get a timer that looks like a green apple.

Tips to maximize productivity

Time-consuming tasks should be subdivided into smaller tasks.

If a task takes longer than four Pomodoros it needs to be broken down into smaller, actionable steps. This ensures you to track your progress as well as feel a sense of accomplishment which is good for motivation.

Smaller tasks should be combined to larger tasks to fill one Pomodoro.

If a task takes less than one Pomodoro to compete, combine it with other small tasks to fill up a full Pomodoro, for example checking emails and replying to slack can be combined to one Pomodoro (of course this depends on the number of emails you receive).

Stand up during your break

Assuming you are sitting the majority of your work time, it’s a good idea to stand up during your short breaks. Ideally you even incorporate some stretching or light exercise. Stretching will relieve as well as prevent muscle tightness you get from extended periods of sitting. It will also improve blood flow to your brain and keep you sharp and productive.

To wrap things up, the Pomodoro technique is a highly effective time management method which greatest strength lies in its simplicity. The only thing you need is a timer and everyone can get started immediately. It will help you to stop procrastinating, combat distractions and tracking your progress.

I know this can be hard during days where you have a bunch of meetings and phone calls but I usually block a day or two per week for larger projects and for those days the Pomodoro technique really helps me to get s**t done.

Why don’t you try for yourself?