Don’t Have a Time Management System? Try the Pomodoro Technique
Most people know they need time management to help them accomplish their goals. However, most people also either fail to use time management, or they simply don’t get around to implementing anything. Part of the problem is they don’t know how to do this. It seems simple enough, in theory, to list out some goals you want to accomplish, and then create tasks that will satisfy those goals. So, why don’t more people get their goals accomplished?
A technique that has been developed in the 1980s and is still viable today is the Pomodoro technique. It got its name from Francesco Cirillo who used a tomato-shaped timer or the technique. Pomodoro is Italian for tomato.
In a nutshell, the technique suggests you set a timer for a predetermined number of minutes, and you get as much work as you can get done in that period. Then, you rest for another predetermined number of minutes. As an example, you work for ten minutes, and you take a five-minute break. You can choose whatever intervals you want. Just be consistent with them.
You could use your computer as a timer, but this is less effective than using an actual timer. The problem with using your computer is there are too many temptations with the computer. For instance, suppose you download a timer or use one on a website. You set it for ten minutes and then get some work done. Then, you receive an email from a friend, that shows pictures from his vacation that he just returned from. You log onto Facebook to let him know how cool the images are. While on Facebook, another friend messages you and you start chatting. The timer gets lost in the shuffle.
Having a physical timer on your desk will be a constant reminder that you have work to do. You could use a smart device to set up the timer, but this has a similar drawback to using a timer on your computer. There are simply too many temptations with smart devices. A physical timer won’t prevent you from wasting time, but its existence near your work area will get you to remember that you have more to do.
What’s great about the Pomodoro technique is that you are working in small chunks, which gives you a higher chance of getting things done. It also allows for breaks, which helps you to realign your mindset for the next interval of work.
– Scott Blessing