Pomodoros For Productivity And Time-Tracking
Update to the below: I do 2 90 minute Pomodoros before lunch, with a half hour break between them. That’s 3 hours of focused productive work with ZERO distraction. Creative energy and willpower is highest in the morning, so I get the most important work done first. Pomodoro usefulness applies here but even moreso to post-lunch work because 25 minutes is more appropriate to the reduced willpower one experiences later in the day.
Using a tool like Toggle and their Pomodoros feature at 25 minute work sessions can help you get more done faster because it forces you into a momentum-charged work state. 25 minutes of solid work doesn’t seem too hard to get into so you’re more likely to do some serious work. Then since you know you only have 25 minutes, you feel more inclined to try and get something meaningful or valuable done. It trains and conditions you to be aware of the time you have to get work done, organize your work around the 25 minute sessions, and pack as many sessions into your work day as possible.
You end up pre-planning your work more, and prioritizing effective tasks that will move you forward rather than waiting until your next normal break, or wasting time with distractions. You’ll want to leave the distractions for breaks, at which point you’ll check those off efficiently as well. Any random thoughts that come to mind, just jot them down quickly in a notepad on your desk or notepad to organize/sort through/do later on a break.
Don’t just use Pomodoros for work, use it for non-linear things too, to force yourself to develop new habits or hobbies you’ve been putting off or not ‘finding time’ to get into more. Some creative non-work tasks or hobbies require a non-specified amount of time but regular use of Pomodoros, again, conditions you into a work-mode that you’ll apply to everything you do.
Even if it’s a non-linear/creative task like drawing, practicing guitar, watering your plants, or grocery shopping, where there isn’t necessarily a defined end to the session, you’ll be more focused and efficient. You’ll know when it’s time to take a break when you notice a drop off in efficiency, which you naturally won’t like. If you normally linger with work, or spend too much time thinking about what to do rather than taking action, you’ll find you only do work during the Pomodoro session time that you know clearly which actions to take. Again, you’ll want to pack in as much effective work time as possible.
Thinking and planning time should be done between breaks, to not undo any of the focus-durability you’ve built up when you are in session. You might start lingering again. The exception might be if you function better, creatively, under deadline/stress. Then, at least, pick a goal, whether it be generating a list of ideas (pick a minimum of ideas you want to genarate) or sketches (pick a minimum number of sketches to generate) or whatever it is, so that you’ll definitely have made use of the session time.
At first I started with 1 hour sessions, because I felt 25 minutes was too short to get anything time. I was disregarding the momentum aspect that led me to write this post. By choosing an hour session, I noticed I was lagging a bit toward the middle and effectively employing Parkinson’s Law (thanks to a friend for pointing this out) and working less efficiently than I could be.
Your efficiency is increased during the shorter time period (apart from any benefit of the temporary boost in blood circulation from getting up and walking around after a session) and you’ll quickly realize how much you can get done in that 25 minute session. The original Pomodoro technique suggests 25 minute sessions, 5 minute break intervals. The break length isn’t as important as the session length. Different people will require different lengths of break, but anyone can know if they can fit another 25 minute session before having to do something else in their daily life.
I use the Toggl timer along with their Pomodoro feature (so it counts up to the session length you set in settings) and I uncheck the “
I finished this post in one 25 minute session, and may not have written it had I not been using this technique. Tasks seem less daunting when you feel forced to get it done in the time allotted. So, using Parkinson’s law to your advantage is really what this is about, with some added aspects or elements to using this technique.
I am curious if anyone has tried this and if it has built up your momentum for getting more effective work done and reduced getting distracted. Or post your current productivity technique for getting more done.