Being productive in business and in our everyday lives can be extremely hard. Procrastination always seem to rear its ugly head just when we need to get things done. Being a blogger it is so easy to get sidetracked when starting to do a new project. I usually end up going onto the internet to research something and end up checking email, social media feeds etc., and an hour later still haven’t gotten all the information that I needed. It’s become human nature to want that dopamine rush you get from checking to see what is new and exciting in our cyber circle, or maybe it’s just a distraction while at work and you never quite get back to what you had planned to complete. A while back I saw a video on YouTube about a productivity method called the Pomodoro Technique that can totally improve your daily productivity. I ended up trying this technique and it has made a huge difference on how much more I’ve been able to accomplish on a daily basis. I did end up adjusting the technique to fit into my daily schedule, so I will give you the original technique and also what I have adjusted it too.
The Pomodoro Technique[1]The Pomodoro Technique was originated by Francesco Cirillo in the latter part of the 1980’s. The word Pomodoro comes from the Italian word for tomato, which the kitchen timer that he used was shaped like a tomato. Step 1: Pick a specific task that you need to do. Step 2: Set a timer for 25 minutes and work as intensely on that task for that time. Step 3: When the timer goes off take a 5 minute break (go get some water, washroom break etc.). Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 for 3 more cycles. Step 5: Take a longer break, 15 to 30 minutes. Step 6: Restart the process all over again. Going through the cycle this way will end up taking between 7 to 8 hours. This is a very simple but effective technique which you will find really improves how much you are able to get accomplished in a day. If you are able to get a task completed during one of your cycles then move on to your next important task that you have on your schedule. [1] Cirillo, Francesco. The Pomodoro Technique. Retrieved 2019-05-21 My Adjusted Pomodoro TechniqueWhen I first wake up I go through a morning routine that I have set up for myself. It usually takes about one hours time (I will go through this routine in a later post. It has done wonders for setting my day up to be more productive). Step1: I spend about an hour on my social media sites setting up or finishing group threads that I was in. Step 2: Take a 15 minute break Step 3: Go through two or sometimes three 25 minute cycles of the technique (writing or publishing/editing content). Step 4: Take a 15 to 30 minute break. Step 5: Repeat steps 1 to 4 two more times. Doing the Pomodoro Technique this way usually gets me through an 8 hour day, then at night I usually just do small things to finish off my workday or prepare for the next. Benefits of using the Pomodoro Technique 1. It’s very simple but effective 2. It makes you work consistently. 3. Can help you get over that initial hump (procrastination), because you have a set schedule. 4. It has a fixed end time (keeps you from working to excessively on a task, which usually causes work to become sub-par).
Things you need to do: 1. Ensure you have a timer. 2. Get rid of any distractions (close out of any programs you are not using, turn notifications off on your phone, get rid of any clutter etc.). 3. Have everything on hand that you will need to complete the task. Trying to find the things you need during your 25 minute cycle will really cut down on your productivity. In other words BE PREPARED. 4. Schedule your day the night before. This is the one that I have found most helpful. I usually spend about 10 minutes every night scheduling which tasks I really need to get done and then another 10 minutes getting all of the things I will need in order to complete those tasks. Who can use the Pomodoro Technique: Students Office Workers Creative People (Writers, Artists, Bloggers, etc.) Finding your own schedule The Pomodoro Technique is a great way to make your day more productive. The way it was originally set up may work great for the daily schedule that you have (I think for students studying that this is the perfect set up), but for most of us, it probably won’t fit into our schedule (Office worker/Creative). In this case you may need to adjust the schedule accordingly to fit like I did myself.
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