Pomodoro: the perfect base for savouring productivity

Having "too many things to do", "I'm swamped" or "never having enough time"? Have you heard this before? It's not uncommon to want to extend our days, sometimes they're too short for our liking. But time is not extendable, as we know. The art of mastering our schedule lies in our ability to make good use of the hours we have available.

In this article, we'll see that good productivity goes hand in hand with efficient time management. Among the various existing methods, we've selected the Pomodoro technique to find out how to manage your time, activities and tasks, segmenting your work into two-hour cycles, which are then interspersed with short breaks. Now, before we dive into the sauce, focus and concentration!

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Efficient time management: one of the keys to success

Your time is worth gold

We all know that our time is precious. That's why it's in our interest to make the most of every minute of it in a productive way. However, human beings are not machines and the aspiration to be one is unrealistic and utopian. There are ways of exercising some control over our time, but how can we do this without lengthening our days or giving up precious hours of sleep?

Managing time

It's a myth that we're more efficient when we do several things at once. Juggling our activities can lead to an illusory feeling of control.

Faced with an excess of information to process, in practice the brain becomes saturated and real productivity decreases.

The solution is to organise the work cycle by sequencing, prioritising and realistically planning tasks, ensuring that the most urgent ones are prioritised. The ultimate goal is to do more with less work.

Working more by doing less: 3 myths, 3 truths and 3 applications.

Inspired by Christine Carter's "Achieve More by Doing Less" chart.

...respecting your abilities

But how can we do more without getting distracted? Switching from one task to another gives us the wrong impression of efficiency, mainly because it consumes mental energy. Being focused means not only mobilising our mental capacities for a single element, but also being more resistant to external stimuli that can divert our attention.

The brain naturally has an anti-distraction system: in "concentration mode", neurons communicate with each other more clearly and intensely. Therefore, if our brain is overloaded, we run a greater risk of making mistakes, as shown in a study published in 2015 by researchers from the University of Michigan, who analysed the daily lives of emergency doctors. It's therefore important to respect this functioning, trying your best to remove sources of distraction and filter out all activities unrelated to the task at hand.

"Slow goes a long way": don't underestimate the benefit of breaks!

We all need fresh air to avoid mental fatigue: take a break to increase productivity and assimilate information better later on. We recommend

• integrate breaks into your diary;
• distribute tasks throughout the day according to their priority and degree of difficulty;
• varying the intensity of your work so that you don't always have to make the same kind of effort;
• remember: it's in our interest to be aware of our personal capabilities.

The Pomodoro method: time management in intervals

Who created the pomodoro technique?

The Italian Francesco Cirillo is the creator of this working method (The Pomodoro Technique, literally the tomato technique, now a trademark). As a student in the 1980s, he realised that he could be more productive by trying to stay focused on one task, rather than trying to do several tasks in parallel.

To time himself, he used a timer in the shape of a tomato, which gave rise to the name (pomodoro means tomato in Italian). In practice, it means dividing your work into 25-minute intervals, called tomatoes, with 5-minute breaks in between.

How does the pomodoro method work?

The main part of this method is the segmentation of tasks into pomodori (plural of the term pomodoro), which represent focussed work cycles of limited duration. The idea is to divide large projects into small, limited tasks and carry them out without interruption.

A great deal of self-discipline is required. So you have to motivate yourself! But don't stress: all distracting thoughts can be noticed as you go along and put aside for later, the idea being to reduce distraction.

Separate thinking and execution to execute faster and think better.

"Separate thinking and execution to execute faster and think better" - Sol Tanguay, Imarklab

From tomato to action: the step-by-step technique

Now let's look at the steps to adopt the pomodoro method. Minimum material: a pencil and a sheet of paper, or a "todo" tool or a spreadsheet, for example.

Illustration of the application of the pomodoro method. ©️ elvidantes.com

Step 1: Choose a task

Use your list of tasks for the day and define your tomatoes. Plan how many pomodori or tomatoes (25-minute cycles) you will need for each task. It's up to you to evaluate the time spent on your activities. At first it may seem complicated, but with practice you'll improve your forecasts.

For example: PowerPoint presentation slides = 3 tomatoes; competitor follow-up = 2 tomatoes, etc.

Step 2: Set your timer for 25 minutes

For 25 minutes (the time of each pomodoro), all your attention will be devoted to your tomato. The timer can be mechanical, like those for cooking, or software, as we'll see later.

Step 3: Get down to business

Get to work. The idea is to concentrate on one task for the next 25 minutes without getting distracted.

Step 4: Stop your work

As soon as the timer rings, stop! Even if you haven't finished. Remember that you can use several tomatoes for the same task.

Step 5: Write down your progress

Take notes both to keep track of the progress of the task in question and also to keep track of your progress throughout each work cycle and in general throughout the day.

💡 A good idea: notes are also a way of clearing your mind of all the thoughts that occurred during your work.

Step 6: Take a 5-minute break

Take advantage of the break to get away from the screen, go to the toilet, drink some tea or water, stretch your legs, in short, other things that help you relax and distract yourself mentally.

Step 7: Get back to work

Start the cycle again for another 25 minutes.

Step 8: After 4 shifts, take a longer break

After 4 shifts, take a break of around 15 to 30 minutes, depending on your needs.

Step 9: Start a new work cycle

Start a new work cycle of 4 tomatoes, interspersed with short breaks. Work at this pace until you reach a satisfactory volume for your day.

The advantages of the Pomodoro method

For whom it may be of interest

This technique is particularly suitable for people who identify with any of the cases below:

• you find it difficult to concentrate on the same task over a long period of time;
• you are easily subject to external distractions;
• you have a propensity to postpone or procrastinate;
• when you feel that what you planned to do that day, you haven't managed to fulfil.

Intensity and efficiency: the recipe for success

There are many benefits to this method, and you will reap the rewards for dedicating yourself.

Discipline vs. waste

Self-discipline is at the heart of how it works: by imposing restrictions on ourselves, we break unproductive habits.

One task at a time vs. multitasking

The technique makes us focus on one task at a time, divided into subtasks (if necessary). No more simultaneous tasks.

Concentration vs. distraction

It trains us to work without interruption: 100 per cent of our attention on the chosen activity. It also encourages alternating between periods of high concentration and regular short breaks, which are essential for releasing pressure and enabling better concentration later on.

Tip: Make a note of what has been achieved, and also identify possible improvements, for example how to deal with interruptions (phone, colleagues, loss of motivation).

Application for the pomodoro technique

There are apps for Mac and Chrome, such as Pomotodo, available as a web version, on Android, iOS, macOS and as an extension for Chrome. With a minimalist interface, Pomotodo presents both a list of tasks and a timer system. Statistics are available to visualise the number of tasks completed, as well as their history.

Other applications for the pomodoro technique:

• Clear Focus;
• Scheduler;
• Pomodoro Focus Timer;
• PomodoneApp;
• Focus Booster;
• FocusList.

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Ready?

The pomodoro technique is a methodology that will not only have an impact on your time management, but also on your productivity and efficiency. Potentially contributing to a less stressful and more organised day-to-day life. Once you've got past the initial difficulties, you'll be happy with your first productivity gains and the new (positive) habits you've formed. Now let's put it to the test!