Increase Productivity In Your Business? Use a Tomato!
Posted 08-20-2012 at 05:22 PM by ChildCareClerical
There are soooo many disruptions, distractions, interruptions and interactions throughout the day that can turn a once productive morning into a mess! I don’t know about you by my mind can drift off thinking about other tasks on my To Do List, what I might be missing in Twitter, Facebook etc that it very hard to concentrate on one task even for a short time. Therefore I am always looking for ways to better manage my time and it seems the more simple the method the more likely I am to use it.
I am now using a method which has helped my productivity and stopped procrastination! I stumbled up upon a time management method called the Pomodoro Technique. Taught in late 1980s, early 1990s, developed by an Italian named Francesco Cirillo. The technique uses a tomato shaped timer to break down periods of work into 25-minute intervals called ‘Pomodoros’ which is the Italian word for tomato. It based on the idea that frequent breaks can improve mental agility.
The basic steps are:
1. Decide on the task to be done
2. Set the pomodoro (timer) to 25 minutes
3. Work on the task until the timer rings; record with an x
4. Take a short break (5 minutes)
5. Every four “pomodoros” take a longer break (15–20 minutes)
What benefits does it have?
Setting a kitchen timer allows you to relax, so you won’t lose track of time. The timer has that job and will ring out when your time is up. Anxiety about a massive, huge, enormous task will become small when it’s broken down into 25-minute bite sizes. You can concentrate on one task or set of task (if you are mulit tasker, like me) at time without interruptions. Divert the phone to voicemail or phone answering service and concentrate. Use the breaks to move away from your desk, stretch, just move…
And if you’d like to take the Pomodoro Technique with you wherever you go, there are smart phone and notebook apps galore on the internet.
One final reminder: choose your task before you start the timer. Focus is essential to the process.
Have you tried the Pomodoro Technique? What was your experience?
I am now using a method which has helped my productivity and stopped procrastination! I stumbled up upon a time management method called the Pomodoro Technique. Taught in late 1980s, early 1990s, developed by an Italian named Francesco Cirillo. The technique uses a tomato shaped timer to break down periods of work into 25-minute intervals called ‘Pomodoros’ which is the Italian word for tomato. It based on the idea that frequent breaks can improve mental agility.
The basic steps are:
1. Decide on the task to be done
2. Set the pomodoro (timer) to 25 minutes
3. Work on the task until the timer rings; record with an x
4. Take a short break (5 minutes)
5. Every four “pomodoros” take a longer break (15–20 minutes)
What benefits does it have?
Setting a kitchen timer allows you to relax, so you won’t lose track of time. The timer has that job and will ring out when your time is up. Anxiety about a massive, huge, enormous task will become small when it’s broken down into 25-minute bite sizes. You can concentrate on one task or set of task (if you are mulit tasker, like me) at time without interruptions. Divert the phone to voicemail or phone answering service and concentrate. Use the breaks to move away from your desk, stretch, just move…
And if you’d like to take the Pomodoro Technique with you wherever you go, there are smart phone and notebook apps galore on the internet.
One final reminder: choose your task before you start the timer. Focus is essential to the process.
Have you tried the Pomodoro Technique? What was your experience?
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