The Pomodoro Technique

A 4-week experiment

This is part 1 of what will be a multi-part series of testing various time management and prioritisation systems.

Time is a finite resource.

We can’t create more of it and ideally we can maximise the amount of it used for pleasure and minimise that used for unenjoyable tasks.

The full Pomodoro technique can be found on their website, but I’ll give a quick overview here:

• Use a timer to batch tasks into 25 minute increments. (If you finish before 25 minutes, use the extra time to “overlearn” by practicing the skill or trying to optimise the task for the next time you do something similar.)
• Take a 3-5 minute break at the end of each Pomodoro. If you haven’t finished the task at hand, still get up and return to the task after your break.
• Use an “Activity Log” to keep track of everything that needs to be done. This is a sort of high-level “To-Do” list.
• Keep a daily “To Do Today” list that only lists things done that day.
• Every 4 Pomodoros take a 15-25 minute break.
• At the end of every day, record your Pomodoros for the day and analyze how you might improve upon them the following day.
• Protect your time like a fat kid protects ice-cream! (If someone tries to interrupt a Pomodoro, politely ask them to return when it’s over.) - Try using headphones and pretend like you’re talking to someone on the phone if they walk up to you :)

I’ll start off by noting that this is a time-management system, not a prioritisation system. Time management systems try to help you do tasks efficiently, but don’t help you choose the tasks that will make you effective.

Week 1

The Pomodoro technique is actually fairly simple to use and easy to integrate into a normal workflow. I read everything on their website and the book in about an hour on a Sunday evening and was ready to hit the ground running on Monday morning.

I started by using my iPhone’s Reminders app for the Activity Log and the printable versions of the “To Do Today” list on their website. By the end of the first week I had quit using the printouts and simply used my moleskin for all of the “To Do Today” lists - this is helpful because I now carry a notebook of every task I’ve completed per day for the last month.

The most difficult part of the first week was guarding my time from interruptions. It feels weird and liberating to force yourself to get up every 25 minutes, but I noticed that I felt a lot less “rushed” after just a few days.

Left to my own devices, I let myself get sucked into staring at a computer screen for 2-3 hours until I’m exhausted, not realising that I’ll be much more productive if I give myself a few breaks in-between. The Pomodoro technique solved this problem instantly.

Week 2

I realized that it’s a lot easier to batch common tasks together as switching from writing emails to long-term strategic planning have some fairly hefty switching costs on my brainpower. I also noticed that it’s very easy to lose discipline and to let yourself answer phone calls or talk to colleagues during the Pomodoro - that’s a big no-no.

I can’t stress it enough, for this system to work, discipline is key.

Week 3

I wanted to add a bit of systemized prioritisation instead of just doing what I thought was best so I started attacking the biggest problem of the day right away in the morning. Very helpful and energizing to get it out of the way.

This week I also started tracking tasks in terms of working “in” my business versus “on” my business as an additional variable for future analysis. It’s still too soon to draw any important conclusions, but it costs practically nothing to track.

Week 4

I started toying with different activities during my 3-5 minute breaks and one thing stood out clear: get away from your computer. Even if it’s just walking around for 5 minutes, it does wonders for clear thinking.

Conclusion

All-in-all I like portions of the Pomodoro technique. I like that it simplifies what I need to accomplish for that day and I don’t have to wonder, “What did I do today?”

I like that it bakes in time for evaluating and improving the system, but it would absolutely need elements of a prioritisation system built into it as well in order to be a good full-service solution.

I expect that after testing a few more systems that I’ll use portions of the Pomodoro technique moving forward.