Third, focus exclusively on your chosen task until the timer rings. Whether it’s on a phone or a kitchen timer, keep the countdown in view of your workspace. Second, set yourself a timer for twenty-five minutes. Knowing what you’re focusing on means you know what activities will count as getting off course.
For me, that’s usually writing an article, but you could also set out some planning, a research dive, or even string together a series of small admin tasks on a clear checklist. The Pomodoro Technique outlines a way to block out your time so that you can use it more efficiently.įirst, define the task you need to get done. When Cirillo found that the timer really helped him, he experimented and refined the idea into the technique known across the world today. This initial brainwave is where the technique gets its name – ‘pomodoro’ is Italian for tomato. Finding it difficult to focus while studying, he grabbed a kitchen timer shaped like a tomato and set himself ten minutes to concentrate solely on his work. The Pomodoro Technique was invented by Francesco Cirillo while he was at university in the 1980s. When I’m having a bad day, the Pomodoro Technique can help with both of these problems, structuring my time into bursts of productivity and breaks for recovering my energy. Either my thoughts start to wander and I become easily distracted, or I get so fixated on finishing my task that I forget to step back when feeling stuck, ultimately getting less done than if I’d taken time to refresh. But as the month comes to a close, some of our staff will be sharing our favourite strategies for keeping on task.Īs a writer, I often find my time getting away from me in one of two ways.
This July, Casper Magazine’s EIC Maria has been showcasing some of the techniques she uses to improve her work productivity, such as the Eisenhower Matrix.