The Pomodoro technique

I'll tell you about d´une method allowing you to improve your concentration, your efficiency and productivity.

There are an impressive number of methods you promising to become master of your time. This technique there is no miraculous or extraterrestrial, but it really d´une formidable efficiency. This method of working is really d´une simplicity child and the scope of the first comer and with very fast results, d´ou his success.

A bit of history

The Pomodoro technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo at the end of the 1980s. The author of this planning technique says have created you it for his university studies.

Pomodoro means tomato"in Italian. The reason for this name is that it is necessary to use a timer and Cirillo had the look of a tomato (a mechanical timer).

The Pomodoro technique

The Pomodoro technique is broken down into 5 stages:

1. Choose the activity

You can simply choose an activity from a list that you will want to make your day. On the other hand, do not take an activity that doesn't require you to that little time or which does not require great concentration, otherwise it is useless.

2. Focus for 25 minutes

You will now initiate a timer for 25 minutes. You will work on the task until the timer sounds and noted as made on your list of thing to do (remember to note the time required to do the thing).

During these 25 minutes, you will be working at bottom. Under no circumstances should you be bothered by an external element. Made your environment doesn't bother you for 25 minutes. Why the author to used 25 minutes? Impossible according to him from this focus up over a longer period. The method is to adapt your work periods your faculties of concentration. Note how long you take an activity at the end of your 25 minutes or several cycles.

3. Take a 5 minute break

After each period of concentration, take a break of 5 minutes. It is very important to be careful on the timing, this is the strong point of the Pomodoro technique. I recommend something that requires any concentration, ideally a small low-intensity physical activity. Breaks to recover before you restart the machine.

4. After 4 cycles of 25 minutes, take a 15 minute break

The long pauses, they also allow to escape a moment too strict discipline. Too much discipline, kills the discipline, you're not a machine. You have any physical limitations qu´il be also respected because after 2 h of work you need to relax properly.

The great strength of the Pomodoro technique

His great strength is to force yourself to concentrate during a defined period of time, but also to require you to relax in a period as defined. It thus fills the two types of weaknesses:

• Not be able to focus during a proper period;
• Do not succeed to rest regularly and be so worn out too early in the day or rush work due to fatigue.

When a pomodoro is finished, we keep track of what has been done, allowing to see the progress of the work and provide raw data for a future self-criticism and improvement as well as how much actual time worked it takes you to complete tasks. C´EST very convenient, because thus you know created a just and correct your work agenda without having necessarily to make adjustments due to delays. This method is very useful in the repetitive intellectual d´activite framework.

One of the main goals of this technique is to remove labour disruptions due to oneself or to others. In d´autres terms it removes disturbances and nuisance that prevents you to focus.

The pomodoro technique, c´est also l´antithese multitasking. Here focuses on a single topic starting from the principle that if you try to do several things at the same time nothing is made from 100% of your abilities.

The limit of the Pomodoro technique

The limit is of course its rigidity. Some activities are more variable in terms of time as d´autres. Of the cleaner of managers c´est precisely d´etre disturbed all the time (about every 5 minutes). However the technique should n´etre applied to professional activities, no luck, your dinner with beautiful MOM can not be timed.

In addition, as manager, unfortunately it has become normal to being bothered on average every 5 minutes what's really annoying.

My opinion:

Formidable d´efficacite, c´est a true Taylorism of your work.