Win Your Week #7 - Pomodoro Technique

This week's Win Your Week is all about tomatoes! 

Well, kinda.

There is this famous productivity method called the "Pomodoro Technique".

If you've haven't heard of the name, you may be familiar with the method. 

Most people who try this say this will COMPLETELY transform your day-to-day productivity and you'll have an amazing week.

One person who wrote about it said when they first tried it, they had their weeks work done by Tuesday afternoon!

So what exactly is The Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique was invented by a guy called Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s.

It is so called because of the tomato-shaped timer Cirillio used at university.

(Pomodoro is Italian for Tomato).

The basic idea is to split your tasks up into 25 minute blocks (referred to as “pomodoros”), and set a timer for that amount of time.

Once the timer hits zero, you take a 5-minute break. Time the break as well so it doesn’t stretch out longer than it should.

Then, when the break is over, you set another 25 minute timer and continue working on the task (or if the task is finished, move onto the next one).

Once you have completed 4 pomodoros, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes.

If you finish your task before the end of a pomodoro, you can either end it early (but make sure to still take the 5 minute break), or use the remaining time to reflect, evaluate and fine tune your work.

You will be AMAZED at how effective this is.

But why does it work so well?

The Pomodoro Technique is so effective because it solves a problem known as “Parkinson’s Law”.

Or in other words: “work expands to fill the time available”.

Simply put, if you have three hours to do something, it will probably take you three hours.

If you have 2 weeks, you might find it taking you two weeks.

At the very least, it will take longer than it needs to when you have more than the necessary amount of time.

The Pomodoro Technique overcomes this, because you have a tight deadline to finish the task (which is helped by the ticking clock in the background).

Also, you’re less likely to get distracted, because you already have some dedicated “distraction time” in the form of the 5 minute breaks.

And finally, you’re much less prone to burnout if you’re working on longer or more difficult tasks, again, because you’re working in short and long breaks throughout the day.
 

So what do you reckon?

Will you try the Pomodoro Technique this week?

If you do, be sure to let us know how you go.

Here’s to winning the week!

P.S. Make sure you have your favourite coffee on hand to power through those Pomodoros! Check out our range of gourmet coffee syrups here.