A lot is going on in the world right now and staying focused and getting stuff done can be difficult. When you add in the fact that millions of people are working from home for the first time, you've got a recipe for diversion. If you're new to working remotely or only trying to keep your wits about you in a challenging situation.
These past years and months have been difficult for all of us. True, this is an extraordinary situation, and the methodology I'm about to discuss is tailored for a typical teleworking situation, but it will undoubtedly help you be more efficient.
When you're swamped with assignments and meetings, and you're unsure what to do next, the Pomodoro approach is a good way to go. Or when your focus quickly shifts from one item to another.
This popular time management method asks you to alternate “pomodoros” or focused work sessions with frequent short breaks to promote sustained concentration and stave off mental fatigue.
Pomodoro Technique: What Should I Know About It?
The Pomodoro method is a common productivity technique for breaking down work into time blocks, scheduling frequent breaks, and getting more done, particularly if you're having trouble getting started. The basic concept is to divide your work into time blocks, use a timer to monitor your progress, and schedule your work around the number of blocks you can fit into your workday.
Francesco Cirillo, a university student at the time, invented the Pomodoro Technique in the late 1980s. Cirillo was having trouble concentrating on his studies and completing assignments. He asked himself to commit to just 10 minutes of intense study time because he was feeling exhausted. Encouraged by the challenge, he discovered a tomato-shaped kitchen timer (Pomodoro in Italian), and the Pomodoro technique was born.
How Does This Technique Apply to Me?
Procrastination, according to research, has nothing to do with laziness or a lack of self-control. Rather, we procrastinate to escape unpleasant feelings. It's unsettling to face a large mission or project that you do not know how to complete or that requires a lot of confusion. So, if only momentarily, we turn to Twitter or Netflix to lift our spirits.
Fortunately, studies have shown that shrinking whatever you're holding off down to a small, unintimidating first move will help you break free from the avoidance loop. Instead of sitting down to write a book, for example, sit down to write for 5 minutes. Is it still too difficult?
Sitting down to edit a paragraph is a good start. It's a lot easier to face a small project for a short time than attempting to tackle a large project all at once.
Break down your large tasks, assignments, or goals into manageable chunks that you can complete in the next 25 minutes. It keeps you hyper-focused on the next task at hand rather than being distracted by the magnitude of the task at hand.
The Right Time to Apply This Methodology
The Pomodoro Technique assists you in resisting self-interruptions and retraining your brain to concentrate. Each Pomodoro is committed to a single mission, and each break is an opportunity to refresh and return the focus to the task at hand.
You should be able to try the Pomodoro Technique if you are encountering these struggles or you want to combat this lousy practice you have been keeping up with for so long. Be more productive and efficient in everything you do, especially with your job responsibilities, through this technique. It can be helpful when:
● You get easily distracted and tend to zone out when there is a big task waiting for you. The overwhelming job requirements have you looking for other things to do rather than get the task over and done with.
● You get too immersed and serious with working. Even if your work hours are already done, you still exert your time and effort to squeeze in a few more administrative tasks or maybe a few more extra articles or chapters.
● You are having a hard time managing your time. You do not know how to break tasks up and how to spread them out throughout the day. Most often than not, you have lots of free time while your work sits in the corner getting some dust.
● You overestimate and over-calculate your time. You think that you can finish the job within 20 minutes or so but in reality, you are doomed and should have finished it earlier than the deadline while you get the chance.
● Lastly, this is especially useful when you're having trouble getting started on a project, have to do something you don't want to do, or are having trouble breaking down a big project into manageable chunks that allow you to see a clear path to completion.
How to Use the Pomodoro Technique to Your Advantage
To keep track of how long one is working and how long they have for a break, the Pomodoro method uses a timer. The original concept was to use an egg timer that would tick away in the background. When the timer went off and made a little "ding" noise, you knew your work session was over.
For a simpler guide, follow this:
● Prepare your to-do list and have a timer ready.
● Set a timer for 25 minutes and concentrate on one task before the timer goes off.
● Mark off one Pomodoro and keep track of what you accomplished at the end of your session.
● After you are done, take a five-minute break.
● Take a longer, more restorative 15–30-minute break after four pomodoros or sets.
Many people simply use the timer on their phones these days, but some other dedicated websites and apps provide more functionality, functions, and even that cool little egg timer "tick" if the noise helps you concentrate. If you don't want to commit to the 25/5-time frames, these can be useful because many of them allow you to set custom time ranges.
Conclusion
After the global events of 2020, one thing that people all over the world can agree on is the act of working from home. People have had to adapt and change their daily lives, as well as reimagine their homes as new offices.
Who does not want to know a technique that can help you accomplish tasks far more efficiently than what you are accustomed to? Most of us might see working from home as a terrifying setup because your free time merges with your vacant time. Instead of doing the things to relax you, you end up sending that few emails that your boss requires you to.
Fortunately, you can now work in a more efficient manner and with much more ease and peace of mind. Try the Pomodoro technique now to be the best that you can be.
