When we first heard of the Pomodoro Technique, we thought of Spaghetti alla Napoletana.
While this method isn’t alluding to a delicious pasta sauce (sorry), it is an effective time-management strategy used by professionals across the globe and something we’re going to take into 2024 to revolutionise how we work.
First coined by Italian software bigwig Francesco Cirillo when he was a student, the Pomodoro Technique – also referred to as Pomodoro Method – is a way to stay focused when studying, or, perhaps more appropriate for those reading, working.
The technique works on the basis of taking short breaks while at work to increase productivity and combat procrastination.
Each interval is known as a ‘pomodoro’ named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer Cirillo used as a university student.
And for business owner Steph Elswood, the Pomodoro Method has been a game-changer when it comes to organising her day.
It’s the time-management method that’s named after a tomato (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
Steph explains that she’s ‘time-blind’ and suspects she also has ADHD, so running multiple businesses that come with a never-ending to-do list can be challenging.
Explaining to host Pandora Sykes on the Be More Burt podcast of how she harnesses the method, Steph says: ‘I set myself timers a lot.
‘There’s actually a theory, I believe it’s called the Pomodoro Theory, where you work for a certain amount of time, around 20 minutes, then you move away for 10 and then you come back.’
Taking little breaks can revolutionise your working day(Credit: Getty Images)
Strictly speaking, the timings of the Pomodoro Technique are as follows: you work for 25 minutes (one pomodoro) and you rest for five minutes. After four pomodoros, you take a longer break of around 15 to 20 minutes.
However, as in Steph’s case, it’s all about finding out which time slots work for you.
Steph is an entrepreneur who developed alcohol-free spirit Carouse, she hosts Dry Disco Club, an alcohol-free day festival for women, and she also founded the dance school, Stay Sassy, so it’s safe to say her list of daily tasks can sometimes be a little overwhelming.
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‘I split [tasks] up into different sections and then I delegate time to the tasks. So if I see something and I know it’s going to take me five minutes of dedicated time, I will set myself five minutes for that task,’ Steph continues.
We previously quizzed Cirillo himself on the Pomodoro Method, who explained that: ’While the timer is the most iconic aspect of the technique, it is not the main feature.’
According to Cirillo, those internal interruptions he experienced while studying are mere symptoms of the real problem we have with time, which is that ‘time is a human limit’ and that we need an ‘internal process’ to deal with such an existential problem. Deep.
Francesco Cirillo at home (Picture: Francesco Cirillo/Twitter)
For someone with such a busy mind – and diary – such as Steph, the Pomodoro Technique has been a way to keep motivation up throughout the day.
She says: ‘You get that sense of achievement and dopamine release as you tick it off and it builds your confidence throughout the day.’
Crillo adds: ‘We’re not machines, we’re humans. We need to rest to allow our minds to reorganise our thoughts so we can come back to work with a clearer head.
‘We need to allow this process to happen but, for it to work, you need to promise to do nothing in those breaks.’
How to try the Pomodoro Technique yourself
Could the Pomodoro Methos work for you?(Picture: Getty Images)
You’ll need three things: a timer, a pack of index cards and a pen. Each index card will represent a new ‘pomodoro’, or task.
Choose a task and set a timer for 25 minutes
At the start of every pomodoro (which will last 25 minutes) write the new task on the card.
Focus on your chosen task (or tasks)
If the task will take under 10 minutes, you can combine it with other small tasks. If a task will take between 10 to 25 minutes, it should be the only focus for a single pomodoro.
Of course, if it’s a longer task of a few hours or more, you can split it across multiple cards, while still taking breaks.
Use an ‘unplanned card’ to organise interruptions
Keep an ‘unplanned card’ handy – and if a thought or actual notification interrupts you, rather than switching to that task as our instincts often tell us to, write it on the card.
Once the pomodoro is over, and after your break, you can decide whether the tasks you wrote on your unplanned card are urgent, and therefore will be the focus of your next pomodoro, or if they can wait.
Tick off your pomodoro when you’re done
The fun part! At the end of each pomodoro, cross it off. Keep hold of your card to keep track of your daily, and eventually weekly, tasks.
Take a break
At the end of each pomodoro, take a short five-minute break where you rest completely and allow your brain to have some time out. Every four pomodoros, you should take a longer break of around 20 to 30 minutes.
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Repeat throughout the day, and watch your productivity soar.
Listen to Steph’s full episode here.
This may be the most simple way to get more done.