Have you ever wondered how in the world you’re going to get everything done, only to lose track of everything or get distracted? Some researchers believe that the tomato might be the key to unlocking the latent knack for productivity that lies dormant within us all. Albeit, not a real tomato, but the familiar tomato-shaped timer that counts down from 25 minutes.
The Pomodoro Technique
The word “Pomodoro” might sound like an exotic dog breed or a strange new hair style, but in truth, the Pomodoro Technique is a simple productivity system that’s been popular since the 1980s. This idea consists of 25-minute increments of non-stop productivity, followed by a short five-minute break. At first glance, this might seem like it wastes more time than it saves. After all, some of your best work might come from three-hour grinds; but those who try the Pomodoro Technique genuinely feel like they’re getting more done by following the procedure.
Here’s a testimonial about the Pomodoro Technique by software developer Paul Kipp:
You might think that a person could do 16 of these cycles in a day. I'm lucky to get more than two in a day without interruptions. But in those 50 minutes I get more done than I do in the other seven hours of my work day, at least in terms of advancing the most important aspects of my most important projects.
You Can’t Argue with Success
It might seem a little unbelievable that 50 minutes can result in more productivity than a full seven-hour workday, but the Pomodoro Technique has been credited by several different kinds of employees as the secret to success, including managers, developers, writers, lawyers, and many more. First developed by Francesco Cirillo when he was a college student, it has since grown to be one of the most widely recognized productivity strategies on the market today. The best part of the Pomodoro Technique is that all you need to get started is a simple cooking timer.
Of course, you can’t expect a simple idea like the Pomodoro Technique to stay the same forever. It’s grown from a simple productivity method to a large school of thought with well over two-million followers. The Pomodoro Technique official website offers several productivity-enhancing practices and products, including books, courses, tomato timers, and more. Even simply watching the informative video will show how fleshed out the technique has become since its inception.
You Say Tomato, We Say Technology
One of the biggest advantages that the Pomodoro Technique has over its competitors is that it’s not a complex productivity application with a huge learning curve. Instead, it’s as simple as setting a timer and going about business as usual, with breaks in between. The Pomodoro Technique is one which can be further augmented by the use of technology.
One example of this is creating a 25-minute playlist full of invigorating music rather than a cooking timer. Another popular choice is using your calendar application to organize your day. In fact, this tactic is especially useful due in-part to today’s smartphone-centric culture. You can go 25 minutes without checking your email, right?
Have you already tried implementing this productivity technique into your own workday? Are you considering it? Let us know in the comments.
