The Pomodoro Technique Explained

What in the world is the Pomodoro Technique? Its come out of nowhere as this ‘ground breaking’ time management technique, but what actually is it and how does it work?

Author

Callum Carver
November 16, 2023

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.”

John Wooden

THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE

399 Words | 1 Min 27 Sec Read

What in the world is the Pomodoro Technique? Its come out of nowhere as this ‘ground breaking’ time management technique, but what actually is it and how does it work?

The Pomodoro Technique was developed in the late 1980s by then-university student Francesco Cirillo.

Cirillo was struggling to focus on his studies and complete assignments. Feeling overwhelmed, he asked himself to commit to just 10 minutes of focused study time.

Encouraged by the challenge, he found a tomato (pomodoro in Italian)-shaped kitchen timer, and the Pomodoro technique was born.

So the Pomodoro technique is really just the tomato technique?

The method is simple:

  1. Get a to-do list and a timer.

  2. Set your timer for 25 minutes, and focus on a single task until the timer rings.

  3. When your session ends, mark off one pomodoro and record what you completed.

  4. Then enjoy a five-minute break.

  5. After four pomodoros, take a longer, more restorative 15–30 minute break.

The whole idea is that by using this method of managing your time, you can stay focused and mentally fresh.

But as always, it's not as simple as just doing things in 25-minute intervals; the technique requires three more rules:

  1. Break down complex projects. If a task requires more than four pomodoros, it needs to be divided into smaller, actionable steps. Sticking to this rule will help ensure you make clear progress on your projects.

  2. Small tasks go together. Any tasks that will take less than one Pomodoro should be combined with other simple tasks. For example, "write rent check," "set vet appointment," and "read Pomodoro article" could go together in one session.

  3. Once a pomodoro is set, it must ring. The pomodoro is an indivisible unit of time and cannot be broken, especially not to check incoming emails, team chats, or text messages. Any ideas, tasks, or requests that come up should be noted to return to later. A digital task manager like Todoist is a great place for these, but pen and paper will do, too.

This interestingly named, slightly overhyped time management technique only really works because of how you are breaking down seemingly complex projects into digestible chunks.

This means that instead of ‘completing this whole to-do list’ you are just focusing on the 25 minutes in front of you, which is a fantastic way to avoid any kind of burnout, procrastination, and dread and just get the sh*t done!

ACTIONABLE NEXT STEPS:

Try the Pomodoro technique yourself. Take your to-do list and grab a time, ideally not your phone one, to avoid any distraction.

And set a 25-minute timer. Get to work!

Review it after a few days and see if that's a method that works for you.

BOOK OF THE WEEK ⤵️

The book of the week is Grit by Angela Duckworth, a book that uncovers the truth of effort vs talent and teaches you how to use grit to help you achieve greatness. Read it HERE

CREATOR OF THE WEEK ⤵️

LESSON OF THE DAY ⤵️

The difference between where you are and where you want to be is skill. You aren't where you want to be because you aren't the person who would be there.

You change who you are by acquiring the skill that allows you to take on better mental, physical, and financial challenges.

Was this forwarded to you? Sign up here

Got any questions or thoughts about this edition? Send us an email at [email protected]