1K Blog Marathon: Day 57
Disclaimer:
Pomodoro Technique® is owned and copyrighted by Francesco Cirillo.
I did not own any credits from his technique.
Did I tell you that I procrastinated a lot? Well, I’m doing fine now, and finally gets the initiative to drive away this so called “worst best friend” of mine. But a lot of us still takes a nap until its deadline!
Aside from getting things done, I practice myself to strictly follow a daily schedule to post a blog. By following this 24 hour schedule, I come up with another blog post day by day. But maybe this approach will not work for other people. Maybe, it doesn’t work for you either.
Enter Pomodoro Technique®!
What if I told you that a single tomato shaped kitchen timer can help you do more and be more productive? Don’t worry, I won’t sell you something! ^_^
Fancesco Cirillo, who came up with this brilliant idea back in the 80s when he was still in a university, uses a kitchen timer – yes, a pomodoro timer (Italian word for tomato), so that he can break down his work into intervals of 25 minutes. This brilliant technique was widely popularized and used by different person, mostly on the programming and IT industry. Hey, I didn’t know that I can use a timer while coding?
Methodology
There are different ways to execute this technique, but I will teach you the 6 “original techniques”.
What you will be needing is 1.) A Pomodoro timer, or any timer; and 2.) Pen and Paper.
1. Choose a task
Any task! Whether it’s a small one, or a task that you wanted to do but don’t find the time to do so. Maybe blogging? Learning new skills? Debugging?
2. Set the Pomodoro
Any timer will do, be it on your phone or a Chrome Extension. But for the experience of the actual turning the dial, a good Pomodoro Timer will definitely signals your body to focus. Be honest to yourself that you will devote your next 25 minutes into the discipline.
3. Work on the task
For 25 minutes, focus and make it a point that while the Pomodoro Timer is ticking, you have to close any avenue of distraction (cellphone, food, world war). Immerse yourself into the task, or in a programmer’s word, “get into the zone”.
4. Once Pomodoro rings, put a checkmark on the paper
Great! I know you can do it! You just literally spent your 25 minutes into free, uninterrupted and productive way! Be glad and remember this feeling for every task done!
5. Take a short break
Maybe a 5 minute break. You can grab a snack, do stretching (if you are seated), eat tomato (add more lycopene to your body!). Do whatever is relaxing to you.
6. Every 4 Pomodoros, take a longer break
As suggested, 20 to 30 minute break is good. It’s your way of treating yourself for the 4 pomodoros done! By taking a longer break after 4 rounds, your brain will have a time to absorb what you’ve done or learn, and by the logic of Primacy and Recency, you are giving your brain a breathing space to clearly remember the first, last and in between of the tasks.
Do this steps repeatedly until you are done with your task. Now, you won’t have to huddle just to meet deadlines. You now have a clear and concise structure on how you will execute your task, efficiently and productively. Plus, it will retain in your brain more easily – mind master!
“And that’s one blog, stay hungry!”
“The timetable is protracted, fatigue increases, productivity drops, and the timetable again is protracted.”
Francesco Cirillo, The Pomodoro Technique: The Life-Changing Time-Management System
Sources:
https://francescocirillo.com/pages/francesco-cirillo
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique
Curbside Coder 