What is the Pomodoro technique?
According to The Muse, the Pomodoro technique was invented in the 1980s by an Italian student named Francesco Cirillo, who was having trouble concentrating on his studies. So he came up with a technique in which he divided his learning sections into 25-minute blocks. Within each block, he focused on working on one project or learning one topic. After each 25 minutes, he took a five-minute break. In this way, he discovered his attention waned less as regular breaks kept him alert and focused for long periods of time.
And why is the technique called "Pomodoro"? It is the Italian word for tomato. Cirillo used a kitchen alarm clock, which was shaped like a tomato, to measure time.
How to use the Pomodoro technique effectively at work
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First, divide the task at hand into smaller, partial steps. Then concentrate on these smaller individual tasks within each 25-minute time slot.
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Do not jump between tasks. And always focus on a single task for a given period of time. Avoid multi-tasking.
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Measure your time honestly. The magic of this technique is that you do not exceed 25-minute blocks. This is because you can best concentrate within this time. After that, concentration wanes. This is why it is better for efficiency and productivity to take a five-minute break after 25 minutes and then move on.
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Do not skip breaks. Even if your alarm rings just when you are somehow prevented from working anyway, still take a five-minute break. Never skip a break.
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Take a longer break after four consecutive stretches. After every fourth stretch, take a longer recovery break of 15 to 25 minutes.
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