Invented by Italian student Francesco Cerillo, the Pomodoro Principle has been successfully used in the fight against procrastination. It got its name because it resembles a kitchen timer in the shape of a tomato. The rules of "Pomodoro" are simple: you need to work concentratedly for 25 minutes, without distractions, and then you can allow yourself 5 minutes of idleness (even if the task is not completely solved). Well, after a short pause, you can begin a new “pomodoro” with renewed vigor.
Why exactly 25 minutes? This period of time: short enough to maintain discipline, resist distractions, and prevent burnout from working too long without rest. At the same time, it is long enough to give you a real sense of progress on a particular task.
Pauses of 5 minutes help both the brain to rest and rethink what has been done during this time. During a break, you should not do anything intellectual - go for a walk along the corridor, open the window and get some air, do a warm-up, etc. However, these are only approximate figures - everyone has the right to experimentally choose the optimal schedule, using a timer for convenience.
After four 25-minute working “pomodoros,” a longer pause of 15-30 minutes is required. This need is due to the fact that after a couple of hours of concentrated work, fatigue and a desire to ventilate a little usually sets in. At this time, you can have a snack, take a walk, just close your eyes and sit back. The main thing is not to do anything complicated, otherwise the brain will not be able to continue to work actively.
Why is Pomodoro effective?
The habit of putting off doing important things until the last minute is not always a sign of a confident person who knows that he will catch up on 80% of the work in the remaining 20% of the time. Most often, we “pull the cat by the tail” because we do not like the tasks themselves, or we are frightened by their volume, or we are afraid that we will not be able to complete the work “one hundred percent.”
But the fact remains: by ignoring important matters, a person misses opportunities, spoils relationships with superiors and colleagues, and unwittingly contributes to the accumulation of discontent within the family. The inability to relax either on weekdays (you can’t fool your conscience) or on weekends (you can’t leave the thought of looming deadlines), keeps a person in constant tension. The trust of others in him is noticeably reduced: after all, he does not trust his own plans (which he does not fulfill), he is always late, and the feeling of guilt leaves a stamp of self-doubt on his face.
As they like to say online, “stop putting up with this!” The Pomodoro Principle helps you focus your attention on the present moment, emphasizing the importance of continuous effort. “Pomodoro” also has a mechanism for rewarding you with rest - so you will no longer feel guilty about it - as they say, “if you’ve done the job, go for a walk safely” (albeit not for long).
Another advantage of this technique is that at the end of the day you can see how fruitful the day was: the number of completed “pomodoros” is easy to count. And if you keep track of how many blocks of time it takes to solve certain types of problems, you can learn to better predict how time will be spent. This will help make decisions about whether and how many new tasks and projects to take on.
How not to get distracted?
The first tomato in the morning should be used to warm up. We open our organizer: we think and write down what we want and need to do today from our to-do list, as well as the approximate number of “pomodoros” that they will take up. If more than 10 time blocks are required, the task should definitely be broken down into smaller pieces.
Remember: "Pomodoro" cannot be interrupted - this is 25 minutes of pure work, the minimum unit of continuous working effort. If the “pomodoro” interrupts something, reset it and start counting time again (yes, it’s unpleasant, but you need to somehow fight the habit of fussing instead of doing the real thing).
Ideally, you should have a mechanical timer at hand - unlike programs on a computer or phone, you need to manually start it, thereby confirming your determination to solve work problems. In addition, the ticking timer reminds you of itself when the brain tries to relax and switch to something simpler (and don’t feed it bread...)
When the timer goes off, check it off with an X on your to-do list and take your well-deserved five-minute break. The bell means that the current activity is finished, and there is no need to continue working for a couple more minutes, even if you are convinced that in these few minutes you can complete the task (in practice, it always turns out like in the epics: “The fairy tale will soon be told, but the deed will not be done soon.” - sorry for the folklore).
But sometimes it also happens that the task has already been completed, but the “pomodoro” is still ticking. Well, great! This is a good reason to review what has been done, evaluate and correct (often it turns out to be useful!) Small tasks, each of which does not amount to a tomato, can be combined into one pomodoro.
If your colleagues are distracting you, just warn them about Pomodoro - very soon they will get used to your working methods, and perhaps they themselves will become interested in them. If your concentration is hindered by your own flow of off-topic thoughts and ideas, quickly write them down on paper and return to work - you can look at this list during a five-minute break (then decide whether it is so important to do those things that distracted you).
Don't be discouraged if you find it difficult at first not to get distracted, or if the productivity of each pomodoro turns out to be lower than expected. Don't give up and master the technique with confidence - the next pomodoro will certainly be better! After a month of constant training, I manage to gain 10-12 tomatoes without discomfort, and the record so far is 16 tomatoes (actually, 8 working hours).
Under no circumstances should you “make up for lost time” through your legal breaks - after all, working or studying yourself from morning to night is simply ineffective. Only with regular breaks does the Pomodoro guarantee consistently high performance at your own pace.
Despite the fact that time management has experienced the peak of its popularity, when almost everyone was talking about it, time management is still the only way to properly organize the work process and separate it from personal matters.
Although almost everyone knows about the Pomodoro technique, it seemed to us that the general knowledge base is still not enough - information about the “Pomodoro” technique has to be found bit by bit. We have collected in one place everything you need to know about Pomodoro: history of creation, goals, rules, answered frequently asked questions and selected the best applications and services.
Below we will tell the history of the creation of the technology, its key goals, features, and also select the best tools for all operating systems: Windows, OS X, iOS, Android and even Windows Phone.
Story
In the 1980s, people had different problems and thought less about time management. Francesco Cirillo, at that time a student at an Italian university, experienced depression after completing his first year and successfully passing his exams. Coming home from university, he continued to study and soon realized that he did not understand what he was spending his time on.
New exams came faster than he thought, and it turned out that Cirillo was not ready for them, although he spent a lot of time studying. Realizing this, he wondered: “Will I be able to for real study for at least 10 minutes?” Such a goal is not enough - an objective judge was needed, and a small kitchen timer in the shape of a tomato became it. This is how the technique got its name. This test was the beginning of Pomodoro, and after months of practice, research and experimentation, it turned into what we will talk about below.
Why is this necessary?
In an era of constant distraction, when everything is done to attract and attract your attention, managing your time is very important. By using the Pomodoro technique or another alternative technique, you increase your productivity by getting more done in less time.
According to Cirillo, the main goals are:
- Supporting determination to achieve your own goals.
- Improving the work and learning process.
- Increased work and study efficiency.
- Developing determination to act in difficult situations.
Technology is just a tool that will help you achieve this. The rest is up to you.
The essence of the Pomodoro technique
For simplicity, we will only mention the work process, although the technique is also suitable for study.
The time periods into which work is divided are conventionally called tomatoes. One pomodoro lasts 30 minutes: 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest. Almost every year new studies appear that talk about the effectiveness of other time periods, but we take the original technique as a basis.
Before starting the timer, you should make a list of work tasks. There are various applications and services for this (we will touch on them below), but you can also use a regular piece of paper. Let's start with this.
Take a piece of paper and title it “Today’s Tasks.” Considering your priorities (from most to least important), make a list of all your tasks for today. After that, set the timer for 25 minutes and start working.
The timer rings to indicate the start of a 5-minute rest. At this time, it is not advisable to engage in work matters and it is better to relax and take your mind off work. After 5 minutes have passed, you need to return to the task and continue completing it. Each “pomodoro” segment should be marked with a cross opposite the task you are performing. After four segments, take a long break - from 15 to 30 minutes. When you finish working on a task, cross it off the list and move on to the next one.
Keeping a list of tasks is necessary for self-control and monitoring your effectiveness. For example, after a week, you can see how many “pomodoros” you spent on completing a particular task. Of course, multiplying the number of segments by 25 minutes, you get a more common unit of measurement than pomodoros - minutes.
What to do with distractions
Although the Pomodoro technique is designed to combat distractions, they still appear during the work process. If the 25-minute period of time has not yet ended, and you can’t help but get distracted, put an apostrophe “’” on the sheet where you write down the crosses. After that, add the new activity to your task list and try to finish the task you were working on before.
This is not in the official version of the technique, but many advise assessing the importance of distraction on a ten-point scale, where 10 points is a task of maximum importance, and 1 point is a task that is not worth your attention at the moment. Cirillo insists that any distraction can wait until the timer runs out, which should never be paused. If you can't wait, you need to turn off the timer, do what you need to do, and get back to work by starting the timer again.
If you are still distracted, put a dash “-” next to the unfinished task. By evaluating them in the future, you will be able to understand which tasks you were least productive in solving.
Follow-up assessment
After using the Pomodoro technique for a few days, you will be able to estimate how many “pomodoros” you have for each day. For example, a standard eight-hour work day equals 14 pomodoros. By making a list of tasks for the day, you evaluate in advance which tasks to allocate more time to, which - less, and which should be postponed until tomorrow.
Over time, you can divide work segments into several parts, leaving 3-5 minutes at the beginning of the segment to study the work done before and 3-5 minutes at the end to review what you did now. This analysis does not require changes in the duration of the pomodoro. If analysis is difficult for you, put it off for the future. This means that you have not yet mastered the basics of technology.
Applications and services
Let's touch on the most interesting. We have collected the best Pomodoro solutions for all popular devices.
1. Keep Focused - a simple timer for Pomodoro.
Questions
What to do if the task has already been completed and the time has not run out?
Do not turn off the timer ahead of time. If you have some work time left, take on tasks that are not on your list today. You can plan tasks for the next day, read something, or discuss a work issue.
What if I want to work more or less?
According to Cirillo, the optimal duration of a pomodoro is 20–35 minutes. But once you have mastered the technique, you can experiment and change the intervals depending on how you feel more comfortable working.
Which timer is better to use: a real one or in the form of an application or service? What about the task list?
It doesn't matter. It's best to try both options: the app and a real timer. An undeniable advantage of applications and services is that their settings are more flexible. The same applies to the task list: if you don’t need excessive functionality, a sheet of paper or a notepad will suffice.
What is “call fear”?
This is anxiety caused by the feeling of being under the control of a timer. Most often, the fear of calling is experienced by people who are not accustomed to self-discipline. Try to overcome yourself.
Why are all these apostrophes, crosses and dashes needed?
For analysis. By reviewing these notes in the future, you will be able to determine which tasks required endurance from you, which went without distraction, and which were so uninteresting or difficult that you were unable to complete them and moved on to something else.
Are there studies confirming the effectiveness of the technique?
Yes. Even if we do not touch upon the research conducted by Cirillo himself. For example, Federico Gobbo and Matteo Vaccari observed a group of programmers working with and without technology. The effectiveness of their work using the Pomodoro technique was higher. Another study conducted by Staples showed the ineffectiveness of workers who work without a break, except for lunch.
In addition, Doctor of Psychology and famous blogger David Nowell also uses this technique. he tells why.
What if I don't want to use the Pomodoro technique and want to try something different?
There are dozens of articles on Lifehacker talking about various productivity and time management techniques. alternatives to standard task lists. An alternative view of productivity and the Pomodoro technique.
This is boring, I want something more interesting.
Not long ago I learned about the “Pomodoro Technique” of time management, and lately I’ve been seeing it mentioned more and more often. Therefore, I decided to familiarize myself with it in detail and briefly talk about it.
The Pomodoro Technique was proposed in the late 1980s by the Italian Francesco Cirillo. His official website is pomodorotechnique.com.
This method of time management was developed by Francesco when he was still a student and, in an attempt to improve his academic performance, used various time management techniques.
As a result, an approach was born that has become widely known throughout the world.
The name of the technique uses a tomato because the author used a kitchen timer in the shape of a tomato (as in the picture) to measure time.
Initially, I was prejudiced against this technique. I'll explain why.
This technique is based on the principle of 25 minutes of work without interruption. But after 25 minutes you must take a break for 5 minutes. An interval of 25 minutes is called a pomodoro. And then I thought, imagine that the task takes only 35 minutes. You did it for 25 minutes, then got distracted for 5 minutes, then returned to the task, and it took you another 5 minutes to remember the thought on which you finished, in the end it will take you instead of 35 - 45 minutes to complete the whole task. This is what confused me at first. However, no one forbade using common sense, did they? Moreover, you still need to rest; perhaps after this 5-minute break you will have an idea that will help you solve the problem in 3 minutes?
In short, after studying the technique in detail, I realized that this is a very promising planning method. And you can try it yourself
What does the Pomodoro technique do?
1. Proper planning - you choose the highest priority tasks, you will be able to predict how long tasks will take.
2. You are in control of the current state of affairs. You track how much time is spent on your tasks
3. Increased attention, less distractions
4. The technique can be used as a kind of timekeeping - at the end of the day you have information for analysis. This is full feedback
5. At the end of the day, you have visualized information that will help you clarify ways to improve the next day.
main idea
In order to start using this method you need: a to-do list, a timer with a signal, paper and a pen.
The basic idea is this:
1. We prepare as clear a list of to-dos as possible for today.
2. Set the timer for 25 minutes.
3. We work on the task without distractions until the timer rings. After this, we make a note about the completion of the work.
4. Take a 5-minute break.
5. Approximately every 2 hours we take a longer break of 15-20 minutes.
Thus, you should have a general to-do list from which you select the highest priority tasks for the day.
You work on the highest priority tasks, always see the current state of affairs and understand how much time is spent on tasks.
Additional rules
1. Pomodoros cannot be divided into parts.
2. Tasks lasting less than 1 pomodoro need to be grouped several into one pomodoro.
3. If a task takes more than 5-7 pomodoros, it needs to be divided into several tasks.
4. The Pomodoro cannot be interrupted.
5. If you still need to take a break, then take a break and start the Pomodoro exercise again.
How it works (detailed description)
— a general list of active tasks is compiled;
Active tasks
— set the timer for 25 minutes, and work on the first task without distraction;
— after the timer rings, put an “X” next to the task we were working on;
— rest for 5 minutes, set the timer for 25 minutes, and continue working;
- when the task is completed, cross it out;
| 1. | Write an article (max 6 rooms) | XXXXX |
| 2. | Search for a designer (max 1 room) | … |
| … | … |
— every 4 pomodoros we take a longer break (20-30 minutes).
That's all. Try it, maybe this technique was created just for you.
Based on materials from newgoal.ru and tim.com.ua
On the English-language Internet, when discussing time management issues, the “Pomodoro Technique” is often mentioned. This interested me, and I decided to look into it in more detail.
It turned out that the so-called tomato technique (The Pomodoro Technique; sometimes in Russian you can find its name without a direct translation, for example, as “Pomodoro system”) was proposed in the late 1980s by the Italian Francesco Cirillo as one of time management methods. Its official website is pomodorotechnique.com (in English). Below is a translation of the basic principles of the technique, which will be sufficient for practical use.
This method of time management was developed by Francesco when he was still a student and, in an attempt to improve his academic performance, used various time management techniques. As a result, an approach was born that has become widely known throughout the world.
The name of the technique uses a tomato because the author used a kitchen timer in the shape of a tomato (as in the picture) to measure time.
The technique is based on the principle of working without interruption for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes of work, you need to stop for 5 minutes. An interval of 25 minutes is called a pomodoro.
I don't know why these particular time intervals were chosen, but it seems to be effective for many people. Perhaps you will determine a different duration of intervals for yourself.
main idea
In order to start using this method you need: a to-do list, a timer with a signal, paper and a pen.
The basic idea is this:
- We are preparing as clear a list of things to do for today as possible.
- Set the timer for 25 minutes.
- We work on the task without distractions until the timer rings. After this, we make a note about the completion of the work.
- We take a 5-minute break.
- Approximately every 2 hours we take a longer break of 15-20 minutes.
Thus, you should have a general to-do list from which you select the highest priority tasks for the day.
You work on the highest priority matters, always see the current state of affairs and understand how much time is spent on them.
Additional rules
- Pomodoros cannot be divided into parts.
- Tasks lasting less than 1 Pomodoro should be grouped several into one Pomodoro.
- If a task takes more than 5-7 pomodoros, it needs to be divided into several tasks.
- The Pomodoro cannot be interrupted.
- If you still need to take a break, then take a break and start the Pomodoro exercise again.
How it works (detailed description)
— a general list of active tasks is compiled;
Active tasks
— set the timer for 25 minutes, and work on the first task without distraction;
— after the timer rings, put an “X” next to the task we were working on;
— rest for 5 minutes, set the timer for 25 minutes, and continue working;
- when the task is completed, cross it out;
— every 4 pomodoros we take a longer break (20-30 minutes).
That's all. Try it, maybe this technique was created just for you.
Software
Of course, with such popularity, the technique has acquired many automation tools. Try searching for the phrase “pomodoro timer online” in a search engine and you will see ready-made timers that work online, for example, http://www.tomato-timer.com/
Time management is a key success factor. It is very important to learn how to plan your day in order to complete important tasks on time, without being distracted by minor and unimportant ones. But how to do that? Time management will help, namely one of its techniques, the Pomodoro method. Let's get to know him better.
History of appearance
The Pomodoro method was invented by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s. As a student, the young man devoted a lot of time to studying, but still did not achieve significant success and studied worse than most of his classmates. After analyzing his failures, Francesco came to the conclusion that it was all due to distractions that prevented him from concentrating on important matters. And he came up with an original way to solve the problem - he made a “deal” with himself, according to the terms of which he had to engage exclusively in training for 10 minutes. He timed it using a kitchen timer made in the shape of a tomato, and it was he who gave the technique its original name.
The story goes that the young man was unable to defeat himself, but he liked the “sprints” technique itself and began to develop it. Over time, the cunning technique helped Francesco achieve success in his studies, and then in his work. The technique attracted the interest of others, which was the reason for the appearance of the book “The Pomodoro Method,” which was published in 2006. Gradually, Cirillo’s idea began to spread and found wide application in various industries and areas.
Description of the technique
The Pomodoro method with a timer is the secret to rational organization of the work process. It involves dividing working time into several segments, alternating hard work and rest. This helps the brain focus on solving important problems without being distracted by minor ones.
So, working time is divided into sprints called “pomodoros”. Their duration is 25 minutes. It is very important to set a timer so as not to miss the end of the period. At this time, you need to work hard, not allowing yourself to be distracted. This is followed by a 5-minute break. Then another sprint for 25 minutes of labor. After completing 4 pomodoros, you can rest for 15 minutes.
Advantages
Using the Pomodoro Technique is an effective and efficient way to manage your time. Thus, working hard and focused in 25-minute sprints over 2-3 hours is more productive than using the standard 6-7 hour approach. This fact has been proven. The following advantages can also be noted:
- The work was completed efficiently and on time.
- The brain is not overloaded with solving minor issues.
- Thanks to the rational alternation of work and rest, overwork does not occur.
- Allows you to cope with the main enemy of efficiency - distracted attention.
The Pomodoro method is a great way to not only quickly solve basic problems, but also to develop self-discipline.
Flaws
Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to divide their working day into a series of segments that involve alternating work and rest. Thus, operators of popular hotlines are forced to take calls throughout their entire shift and cannot take a break every 25 minutes. The same applies to salespeople in stores and other service personnel.
Also, people in creative professions will not be able to use the Pomodoro method in time management, because much of their work depends on inspiration, which, as we know, does not come at certain hours.
But in general, the technique has proven to be valid and helps many people solve the problem of rational organization of working time.
How to use?
The Pomodoro method involves the following sequence of actions:
- Selecting a task to implement which efforts will be directed.
- Set the timer for 25 minutes. You can use any device - an alarm clock, an electronic signal on a cell phone. In general, everything that is at hand.
- After this, you should begin to work hard and focused to bring your goal closer to completing the intended task. In the first stages, you can help yourself by eliminating distractions - turn off the music or movie, log out of social media accounts, turn off the sound on your mobile phone. This sprint should be devoted entirely to work for all 25 minutes. You shouldn’t constantly glance at the clock - the timer itself will notify you that the “pomodoro” has come to an end.
- When you hear the timer signal, you can relax for exactly 5 minutes. It is better to use this time productively: get up, do a few simple exercises, go to the window, get some fresh air, pour yourself a mug of tea.
- Then everything is repeated in a circle: 25 minutes of intense work, 5 minutes of rest. After making 4 circles, you can take a longer rest of 15 minutes. The second version of the program is 5 full “pomodoros”, after which there is a break for half an hour. This time can be used for lunch.
If you do everything in full accordance with the methodology, very soon you will notice a positive result: in 2 cycles you will be able to do a volume of work that previously took an entire shift, and 3-4 cycles will bring double productivity. Plus - you don't have to worry about overwork.
Secrets of the technique
It has been scientifically proven that the brain is most efficient for 25 minutes, then this figure drops. Therefore, the Pomodoro method involves taking full advantage of this fact. When your brain gets tired, you should take a break rather than sit and suffer trying to force yourself to work.
25 minutes is the recommended time and is an average. If it is difficult to concentrate at first, you can set yourself a timer for 15-20 minutes, gradually increasing the time by 5 minutes until the desired indicator is achieved. Efficient people can take on large amounts of work at once, doing their “pomodoro” lasting up to 45 minutes. However, there is a very important condition: all the scheduled time must be devoted to solving a specific task; other things and the whole world around seem to cease to exist until the timer signal.
You can also do it relatively freely intermittently. If 5 minutes is not enough, they can be extended to 10-15, but it is important to remember: by increasing the duration of rest, you reduce your own productivity and extend the working day. Therefore, a longer pause between sprints must be justified.
Using the Pomodoro method helps you organize your time more effectively and efficiently, focusing on solving important issues. The work process becomes many times more productive. The Pomodoro method program is quite simple to implement; it does not require any special knowledge or skills; you just need to show willpower and endurance at first, forcing yourself to work. Gradually this will become a habit.