How To Beat Procrastination With Promodoro Technique as a Writer

Procrastination is the spoiler of success. It prevents us from achieving our goals.

Israrkhan
The Startup
6 min readNov 28, 2022

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Photo by Magnet.me on Unsplash

Procrastination is the thief of time. It’s the disease of delay, the assassin of ambition, and the spoiler of success.

We’ve all been there at some point in our lives — that moment where we know we should be doing something but instead, find ourselves glued to social media or watching TV.

And it always seems to happen when we have an important task to do, one that can make a real difference in our lives.

Unfortunately, procrastination can have a major negative impact on our lives.

Not only does it prevent us from achieving our goals, but it can also lead to increased stress and anxiety as the deadline for a task looms ever closer.

The good news is that procrastination can be overcome with the right strategies and techniques.

The key is to recognize the signs (such as avoiding certain tasks, staying away from the task at hand, or simply feeling overwhelmed) and understand the reasons why you’re procrastinating.

That way, you can take steps to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.

For instance, you can break down large tasks into smaller manageable chunks, set realistic goals and deadlines, create positive peer pressure, or use rewards and incentives to motivate yourself.

With the right strategies, you’ll be able to beat procrastination and get on with your life.

And the right strategy is the Promodoro Technique I use to beat procrastination as a writer to boost my productivity.

1. What is Procrastination

Procrastination is one of the great misunderstood forces of modern life.

We know it all too well: the writer who waits by their computer for writer’s block to miraculously subside; the student trying to cram for an exam on the day before it’s due; or the gym-goer whose intention only comes when a new membership is purchased!

In its simplest form, procrastination is putting off something you should be doing now until later — and making conscious, deliberate decisions over and over again to postpone taking action.

It can take many forms, including perfectionism, fear of failure, and inertia.

All of them lead to frustration as goals remain elusive and unsavory tasks pile up.

2. What is Promodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a popular productivity system designed to help manage time and increase focus.

The technique works by breaking tasks down into small, timed intervals, in which an individual work for 25 minutes on a given task and then takes a five-minute break.

This process is repeated four times until a “Pomodoro” (Italian for tomato) has been completed; subsequently, the writer can take a longer break of 15–20 minutes after every four Pomodoros.

This approach makes it easier for the writer to stay focused on one task at a time and avoid distractions, allowing them to stay productive while avoiding burnout.

Additionally, each writer can customize the technique to fit their own workflow: they can set their own timer length (e.g., 10 mins or 30 mins), work in blocks of three Pomodoros instead of four if they prefer, or even intersperse different tasks within each Pomodoro if desired.

When used properly, the Pomodoro Technique can be an effective way to boost productivity and make significant progress toward any goal or project.

3. How to use Promodoro Technique to beat procrastination as a Writer

As a writer, it can be easy to succumb to the temptations of procrastination.

We all know that feeling: you have a deadline looming or a piece of writing you’re stuck on, but instead of digging down and getting it done, you find yourself endlessly scrolling through social media or checking emails.

To combat Writer’s Block (and procrastination) my personal method is the Pomodoro Technique.

It works by breaking up work into shorter sessions with time off in between each one.

By doing this, I’ve found that my focus can stay on task more easily and I don’t get stuck in any one stage for too long if writer’s block becomes an issue.

The steps are simple:

  • Firstly, decide on your task and set a timer for 25–30 minutes
  • Secondly, work as intently as possible until the timer sounds
  • Thirdly, take a short break before resetting the timer for another 25–30 minutes
  • Then repeat these stages until your work is complete.

This cycle allows me to stay focused and motivated when tackling projects that seem overwhelming.

The small breaks give me an excuse to disengage from work for even just a few moments — something I found helped me greatly when dealing with writer’s block or just writer’s fatigue from already having done intense research and endless drafts.

Promotion Technique has allowed me to be more productive than ever which has made it an incredibly useful tool when trying to combat a writer’s procrastination.

Whatever your personal reasons may be for wanting to beat procrastination, using the Pomodoro technique can help!

By breaking up work into smaller chunks of time with tiny breaks between them you’ll be able to keep yourself on track during any project — writer’s block included!

4. Benefits of using the Promodoro Technique

Writers often face the daunting challenge of staying focused and motivated to work on a project.

The Promodoro technique can help writers do just that, providing structure, efficiency, and accountability to their writing process.

Using this technique involves setting a timer for 25 minutes and focusing on writing without any distractions during that time period, then taking a five-minute break.

This cycle of focus time followed by a break helps keep the writer’s energy levels and motivation high throughout the entire session.

  • It also allows them to break down their project into achievable parts which can be completed over short periods of time.
  • Another benefit of this technique is that it encourages writers to be mindful of how they are spending their time each day and make adjustments when needed.

This kind of accountability pushes writers to produce quality work while also improving their overall productivity.

Ultimately, the Promodoro technique is an effective way to maximize writers’ efforts while ensuring they stay focused and motivated throughout the process.

5. How to apply Promodoro Technique in your writing life

If you’re a writer, chances are you’ve heard of the Pomodoro Technique.

Created by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s, this method of time management helps individuals stay focused on their tasks and avoid distractions.

The technique can help with writer’s block, boost productivity, and promote good habits.

To apply the Pomodoro technique to your writing life, begin by establishing a goal for each Pomodoro — this could be researching background information about a topic or writing 500 words for an article.

Once you set a timer for 25 minutes, turn off all distractions and work diligently until the timer goes off.

During that time, don’t stop for anything — not even checking emails or responding to phone calls.

Afterward, take a break of at least five minutes to relax and step away from your work before jumping back into another Pomodoro round.

As long as you stick to these rules, you’ll soon notice an improvement in your productivity levels!

Wrapping up

Few things in life are more frustrating than staring at a blank screen, willing the words to come but they don’t.

This is where the Pomodoro technique comes in — a time management strategy that can help you beat procrastination and writer’s block.

The technique allows you to break down your project into achievable parts which can be completed over short periods of time.

Ultimately, the Pomodoro technique is an effective way to maximize writers’ efforts while ensuring they stay focused and motivated throughout the process.

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