Why the Pomodoro Technique Can Improve Your Productivity & 5 Apps You Probably Need

Miranda
5 min readJul 19, 2022

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What is the Pomodoro Method?

It is a time management method created by Francesco Cirillo in the 1990s that focuses on scheduling work and breaks. The name comes from the Italian word for “tomato”, after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer that Cirillo used to time himself during his university studies.

This method requires you to work on one thing every 25 minutes, which is called a Pomodoro. After each Pomodoro, take a 5 minute break and repeat the process. After 4 pomodoros, you can rest for 15 to 30 minutes.

This method can be used as a productivity timer because it forces you to focus on one thing at a time.

Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

How does the Pomodoro Technique work?

  1. Select a task. Remember, you can only focus on one thing, so prioritize what’s most important.
  2. Set the timer to 25 minutes. I will introduce to you a few easy-to-use Pomodoro , I hope you like them.
  3. Process the selected task. For the next 25 minutes, turn off distractions and fully immerse yourself in what’s in front of you.
  4. When you hear the timer go off, stop working and make a tick on your TODO list. If you are using the app, the app can help you do this easily.
  5. Take a break. Make sure not to exceed 5 minutes.
  6. When you have completed four pomodoros, you can take a 15–30 minute break.

After that, restart the counter and repeat steps 1 to 5 until you reach another 4 ticks, where you can take another break.

Photo by Todoist.com

Why the Pomodoro Technique Can Improve Your Productivity

  • Enhance your concentration

The Pomodoro Technique is great for training yourself to block distractions and focus on one thing at a time. By repeating this method over and over, you can improve your concentration level and use your deep thinking skills. When you’re concentrating on one thing and achieving a “flow” feeling, then you would get your job done better and quicker.

  • Manage time and manage expectations

Because you can measure the amount of time it takes you to complete an event, you can use this method to help you manage expectations. You’ll have complete visibility into when you’ll get everything done, so you can continually refine your approach to work.

  • Stay healthy

Needless to say, some people are workaholics. Even sitting there working, forget to drink water, or stand up and do exercise. And I hope you could take a proper 5-minute rest after 25 minutes of concentration, which will also refresh your spirits and maintain a better state of concentration in the next Pomodoro.

  • Because it’s simple, it’s easier to complete the goal

The Pomodoro Technique actually provides an executable solution that makes it easier to achieve goals. 25 minutes is not a long time, you only need to focus for 25 minutes, rest for 5 minutes, and stick to it. Before you know it, by the time you reach 4 Pomodoros, you have already progressed 2 hours of work, so when you break down the goals, you will feel that everything becomes easier.

  • The sense of achievement makes it easier for us to persevere

Maybe it’s easy to get you to do one thing or two, but it’s not easy to stick with, and the power of habit is powerful. But habits are not so easy to cultivate, so we need a “sense of accomplishment”.

Pomodoro technique wil allow you to achieve your goal easier. Every time it is achieved, there will be a ceremonial “check”, and you will see that your TODO list is filled with checked tasks; If you use the APPs for Pomodoro, you will see a series of “little tomato”, which stands for a completed 25 minutes Pomodoro. Many APPs also provide a more ceremonial “done” state, you can choose the APP you like the most, which could bring you more sence of accomplishment.

If you want to improve your productivity, or just improve your focus, try the Pomodoro Technique. Maybe in the process you are using, you can also optimize your own “Pomodoro Technique”.

Introduce a few good applications to you to help you put the Pomodoro Technique to work.

Radish Focus Keeper

Basic Focus Steps — It’s all about focusing your work efforts in timed 25-minute chunks, with a 5-minute break in between each burst of activity.

Photo by Appstore

Bluebird Focus Timer

It combines a Pomodoro-style focus timer with a to-do list, helps you overcome procrastination, stay focused, and make progress.

Photo by Appstore

Flipd: focus & study timer

Built for high-achieving students and productivity enthusiasts, Flipd is a beautifully designed focus timer that has helped millions of users reach their daily, weekly, and monthly productivity goals. If you’re working toward any goal, like studying for final exams or learning something new, use Flipd to stay focused & track your progress!

Photo by Appstore

WithU-Stay focused

“WithU” is a gamified timer.It combines pomodoro tech with travel game which provides you a simple and fun way to easily stay focused.

Photo by Appstore

Focus Keeper — Time Management

It’s all about focusing your work efforts in timed 25-minute chunks, with a 5-minute break in between each burst of activity.

Photo by Appstore

Thanks for reading.

Combining scientific theories and the power of technology to demonstrate and suggest more productive lifestyles has always been a favorite subject of my articles. You can not only learn more about the advanced methodology, which would help you improve the quality of life from my articles, but also get some very practical advice to help you solve your problems.

Hope you enjoy my article. 😊

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