New to Programming? Use the Pomodoro Technique
Ever heard about the widely popular Pomodoro Technique? The term originates from the Italian word pomodoro, or tomato. It was first coined by Francesco Cirillo after his tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used studying at university. It is applicable to many career paths, but especially if you’re trying to land your first programming job.
Like many self-taught programmers, I didn’t use a time management technique starting off. In my mind, it fell into the self-help niche and wasn’t applicable to me.
Consequently, I’d spend hours chugging away at code. I’d feel accomplished for a few weeks, before the inevitable burnout kicked in. Coding wasn’t new or fun anymore. And I struggled focusing on programming tasks for long periods of time.
I either had to quit and chase the next shiny thing or fix my problem.
That’s when I discovered the Pomodoro Technique. It’s simple enough to do, and effective enough to keep me focused on my work.
Needless to say, after experimenting with this technique for a few weeks, it was my go-to for effective programming focus and time management.
What Is the Pomodoro Technique?
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method which boosts productivity by focusing on a single task for a small period of time.
It consists of five easy steps:
- Decide a programming task (ie. Add a class, solve an algorithm, etc)
- Set a timer to 25 minutes
- Begin working
- After the timer finishes, take a 5–10 minute break
- After every four Pomodoro, take a longer 15–30 minutes break.
How the Pomodoro Technique Benefits Programming Students
Whether you’re a self-taught programmer or a computer science student, the Pomodoro Technique is effective at upping your coding skills in a short amount of time. Consequently, you can cut off months of study before landing your first programming job.
When I switched from learning web development to QA automation engineering, it took me 5 months of study to land my first full-time position using the Pomodoro Technique.
Unless you’re in a coding bootcamp with prospects waiting to swoop you up soon after, some self-taught engineers practice consistently for years before landing their first programming job.
There are many benefits to the Pomodoro Technique. Let’s look at a list of them especially useful to a self-taught programmer.
Less Guilt & More Dopamine
Don’t you feel good after knowing you’ve had a nice productive day at work? With the Pomodoro Technique, you can measure the minutes and hours you’ve worked on a specific day.
According to MakeUseOf, one of the largest online technology publications in the world, the Pomodoro Technique is a great way to release dopamine in your system.
How?
When you feel rewarded, the brain activates dopamine — a neurotransmitter responsible for feeling good — into your system. Stuff like sex, risk taking, shopping, and other activities trigger dopamine release.
Using the Pomodoro Technique, after you knock out a 25 minute work session, you reward yourself with a 5 minute break.
When your brain starts associating dopamine hits with your 5 minute break, you’ll feel less inclined to procrastinate and are likely to accomplish more work.
Makes You A More Effective Programmer
When you use the Pomodoro Technique, you’re effectively breaking your workload down into bite-sized chunks. This helps you become a good programmer.
If you’re struggling to learn how to code since you’re more inclined to view the big picture, but have trouble understanding the micro details required to be a software engineer, the Pomodoro Technique is for you.
It forces you to break down big tasks into much smaller, more manageable ones.
Prevents Mental Exhaustion
The life of a programmer requires incredible mental fortitude. It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to figure out how someone else wrote their code or writing your own.
As software engineers, the job we’re required to do is highly demanding. Most of us work consistently for far too many hours before mental fatigue takes over.
The Pomodoro Technique offers a reprieve by permitting 5 to 10 minute breaks. This “mini-vacation” significantly reduces the chance of mental exhaustion.
Fights Procrastination
Many self-taught programmers know exactly what I’m talking about.
There isn’t a college or bootcamp to hold us accountable. We’re all on our own. We know we should knock out that Python module staring at us for the past few days, but lo and behold, another YouTube video or MMO grind calls us again.
However, when you feel rushed, you’re more inclined to focus on the task at hand. The Pomodoro Technique allows us to hyper-focus on one specific task for only 25 minutes before we take a break.
Improves Quality of Code
Many people learning how to program finish a function just enough to work. Unfortunately, this ends up looking like a brute force solution most Senior Software Developers would be horrified to read.
There’s a 50/50 shot your brute force solution is acceptable enough to pass a coding interview. However, it certainly won’t benefit you in the long run.
When you’re hyper-focused for 25 minutes, it’s easier to put your best foot forward on a programming task instead of slapping together a working — but inefficient — solution.
Get Your First Programming Job With the Pomodoro Technique
It’s imperative to have a proven time management technique help you throughout your coding journey. Many fall into the pit traps of procrastination, distraction, and lack of motivation to land your dream job.
With the Pomodoro Technique, you optimize your time and effort by working in bite-sized chunks instead of drawn out programming sessions. This, accompanied by small breaks, prevents mental fatigue associated with becoming a software engineer.
Given the proven benefits of this technique, it will allow you to learn faster through better focus and gain enough skills required to pass your coding interview.
