It’s getting increasingly impossible to have a perfect working environment. However, you can work smarter without having to work harder.
Time is not your enemy. If you can master it and know when to do what, you won’t have to race the clock to finish tasks, projects and meet deadlines.
Have you thought about breaking your most difficult work into simple time-bound tasks?
Enter The Pomodoro
DO MORE AND HAVE FUN WITH TIME MANAGEMENT
It focuses on working in short, intensely focused bursts, and then giving yourself a brief break to recover and start over.
The Pomodoro Technique isn’t like any other time-management method on the market today. What makes it so unique?
1. WORK WITH TIME – NOT AGAINST IT
For many people, time is an enemy. We race against the clock to finish assignments and meet deadlines. The Pomodoro Technique teaches you to work with time, instead of struggling against it. A revolutionary time management system, it is at once deceptively simple to learn and life-changing to use.
2. ELIMINATE BURNOUT
Essential to the Pomodoro Technique is the notion that taking short, scheduled breaks while working eliminates the “running on fumes” feeling you get when you’ve pushed yourself too hard. It’s impossible to over work when you stick to the system. You may end up taking fewer sick days, too!
3. MANAGE DISTRACTIONS
Whether it’s a call, a Facebook message, or suddenly realizing you need to change the oil in your car, many distracting thoughts and events come up when you’re at work. The Pomodoro Technique will help you log your distractions and order them according to priority levels. Often, they can wait.
4. CREATE A BETTER WORK / LIFE BALANCE
Most of us are intimately acquainted with the guilt that comes from procrastinating. If we haven’t had a productive day, it’s pretty easy to end up feeling like we can’t enjoy our free time. Becoming a Pomodoro Master involves creating an effective timetable, allowing you to truly enjoy your time off.
How It works
The fundamentals of the Pomodoro Technique are simple yet incredibly effective.
1. CHOOSE A TASK YOU’D LIKE TO GET DONE
Something big, something small, something you’ve been putting off for a million years: it doesn’t matter. What matters is that it’s something that deserves your full, undivided attention.
2. SET THE POMODORO FOR 25 MINUTES
Make a small oath to yourself: I will spend 25 minutes on this task and I will not interrupt myself. You can do it! After all, it’s just 25 minutes.
3. WORK ON THE TASK UNTIL THE POMODORO RINGS
Immerse yourself in the task for the next 25 minutes. If you suddenly realize you have something else you need to do, write the task down on a sheet of paper.
4. WHEN THE POMODORO RINGS, PUT A CHECKMARK ON A PAPER
Congratulations! You’ve spent an entire, interruption-less Pomodoro on a task.
5. TAKE A SHORT BREAK
Breathe, meditate, grab a cup of coffee, go for a short walk or do something else relaxing (i.e., not work-related). Your brain will thank you later.
6. EVERY 4 POMODOROS, TAKE A LONGER BREAK
Once you’ve completed four pomodoros, you can take a longer break. 20 minutes is good. Or 30. Your brain will use this time to assimilate new information and rest before the next round of Pomodoros.
How The Pomodoro will change you
The Pomodoro Technique isn’t just about helping you get things done today; it’s about learning how you work so you can save time in the future.
1. FIND OUT HOW MUCH EFFORT AN ACTIVITY REQUIRES
Ever wonder where all your time goes? Wonder no more: it’s all on the page. Your Pomodoro To-Do sheet is a visual overview of the time you’ve spent on various tasks.
2. CUT DOWN ON INTERRUPTIONS
Usually, you can afford to take 25 minutes before calling back a friend or replying to an email. You’ll learn how to handle the inevitable interruption while staying focused on the task at hand.
3. ESTIMATE THE EFFORT FOR ACTIVITIES
Once you’ve gotten the hang of the technique, you’ll be able to accurately predict how many Pomodoros it will take to accomplish tomorrow’s — or next month’s — tasks.
4. MAKE THE POMODORO MORE EFFECTIVE
While the contours of the Pomodoro are set, what you do within them can be adjusted to maximize efficiency. One way to make a Pomodoro more effective is to use the first few minutes to review what you’ve done before. Other methods are discussed in the book.
5. SET UP A TIMETABLE
A timetable sets a limit, motivating you to complete a task within a set period of time. It also delineates your work time from your free time. Creating a clear timetable will allow you to enjoy your time off without worrying that you could be doing more work.
6. DEFINE YOUR OWN OBJECTIVES
The Pomodoro Technique is a tool you can use to reach your own objectives. For example, a writer might realize he’s spending too much time revising, and adjust his Pomodoro timetable to allow for more brainstorming time.
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