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What goes around comes around, especially in the productivity world.
It does not surprise me to see how this decades-old time-management technique that's now back in vogue - and has been praised by managers, leaders and LinkedIn connections alike.
Spoiler alert - it involves a 🍅
Since the Next Web reminded us of why high achievers love the Pomodoro technique, everyone on the internet has been singing the praises of the little Italian tomato.
Could working to 25-minute mini deadlines be the secret to fixing your productivity problems? Why has the technique come back in vogue right now?
👩🏫 Lesson of the Week
Working from home has forced us to face the fact that our time management skills are appalling at best. Time management is a key and pivotal skill when working from home, yet so many of us overlook it to the day.
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method to optimise your work session - and as such can support remote workers struggling to find a sustainable rhythm (one that also promotes actual mental wellbeing).
To get started with working in cycles you do not need to buy a brand new tomato-shaped kitchen timer or software. There are five simple step you can follow to try this technique for yourself:
Choose a task you'd like to get done, anything from getting started with a proposal to managing your inbox.
Set a timer for 25 minutes. Remove distractions by turning off your notifications, putting your phone away from your desk.
Work on the task, undistracted, until the timer goes off.
This is the hardest part for most people: take a short break, around five minutes or so.
Repeat for 3/4 cycles, after which allow yourself a longer break (usually 25/35 minutes)
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The Origin Story
As someone who has been dabbing in the space for years, I am too familiar with Pomodoro (which means tomato in Italian, for all the foreigners out there). The concept has actually originated in the 80s, thanks to a tomato-shaped kitchen timer.
The technique’s creator, fellow Italian Francesco Cirillo, used the timer to help him with revising during his university years - a pain I know far too well!
The timer itself is an integral part of the technique, and one that has been replicated in various iterations of the Pomodoro app.
Through a quick browse in my App Store history, I am reminded that in the past 8 years I downloaded 8 variations of widgets, apps and softwares. Most people, however, will use their actual kitchen timer, or even their phone.
Our brain Works in Cycles
The Pomodoro Technique dictates that you work on a task for 25 minutes, take a break away from your desk, then sit back down and repeat. Depending on the school of thought you follow, you alternate shorter breaks with longer 20-minute breaks.
The short bursts of activity punctuated with regular breaks are meant to greater focus on the task in hand, blocking out the increased number of distractions we’re faced with every day.
It’s unrealistic to ask ourselves not to look at our notifications or emails for hours on end - yet 25 minutes sound a lot more achievable.
Focused and intentional work sessions help us accomplish our highest priority tasks more efficiently. Creating intervals of work and rest actually shows to mimic very closely in the way our brain works.
Your brain can only focus for 90 to 120 minutes before it needs a break. Why? It’s the ultradian rhythm, a cycle that’s present in both our sleeping and waking lives.
As Tony Schwartz has reported, this was first discovered by Nathan Kleitman, a groundbreaking sleep researcher: the 90-minute cycles during which you progress through the five stages of sleep.
This 90-minute pattern in our days, too, as we move from higher to lower alertness–the ultradian rhythm. Being able to reflect that by encouraging short breaks in our day can be the game changer at the end of the day.
🏫 Class in session
Talking about working smarter, this throwback chat with Amanda Natividad is one to bookmark for sure. I LOVED her approach to content and how to create more impactful strategies!
A few takeaways from following the techniques and implementing it for yourself:
Make the intervals work for you. The technique suggests 25 minutes, but I know of people working for 50 minute intervals with a 10 minute break at the end of each hour.
This technique will bring massive awareness around your biggest distractions. Whether it’s notifications, tea breaks or inboxes, it truly shines a light on some of our most destructive patterns.
Albeit not necessarily for everyone, the Pomodoro technique can do wonders for people looking to improve their time management skills without too much setup.
You can go analog or digital. I personally love the Flow app, which integrates seamlessly with my Mac.
Finally, I would discourage from using your phone as timer, as it may become a new source of distraction.
Why this, why now?
This little, bright tomato is needed now then ever before. As everything is competing with our attention these days, it’s essential for the smart worker to be able to manage their energies in a way that is meaningful and fulfilling.
Always cheering you on,
Fab ✌️