The Ultimate Time Management Technique

Today we’re talking about time management, and let’s be honest, it can be particularly tricky in the workplace.
The world is full of disruption—the bing of a text, an urgent question from a coworker, a surprise task from
your supervisor that Must Be Done ASAP. Being pulled from task to task… well, that’s just life sometimes.
However, for many people (especially within creative fields), once focus is lost due to interruption,
it can take quite a bit of time to get it back. This can cause your work and productivity to suffer.

Enter: The Pomodoro Technique

Created in the 1980s by developer and entrepreneur Francesco Cirillo, the Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that alternates between periods of uninterrupted 25-minute focus and 5-15 minutes of rest. These periods of focus are called “Pomodoros”—the Italian word for tomatoes. The method was named after the tomato-shaped timer Francesco used to track his work as a college student.

So… how can it help you?

How It Works

There’s no argument to be had here—focus is an important part of success and resisting distraction can have its benefits, like improved leadership and mindfulness, but there’s also a downside. Too much focus can be detrimental to productivity. According to the Harvard Business Review, excessive focus can exhaust the focus circuits in your brain, draining energy and encouraging impulsive, scattered decision-making. The brain works best when it switches back and forth between periods of resisting distraction and embracing it. I.e., Pomodoro.

How To: The Pomodoro Technique

1. Create a list of three to five tasks to be accomplished
   —put your most important task at the top of your list. Accomplishing this
   task will make your day of work feel worthwhile. No worries if your listed
   task is large! Breaking it up into chunks makes it much more manageable
2. Set your timer to 25 minutes and start your Pomodoro—we recommend powering down that cell phone, closing your email and eliminating all distraction so you can focus
3. Work on your task until your timer goes off—if you don’t finish a task, that’s perfectly OK. You can pick up right where you left off next Pomodoro
4. Take a short break—5 minutes is fine, but if you need a bit longer, set your break time to your needs; during this time, feel free to check those texts, answer emails, chat with coworkers, grab a snack or handle any tasks that popped up during your Pomodoro
5. After every 2-4 Pomodoros, take a longer break—we’re talking 10-15 minutes; focus is crucial to the work day, but hyper focus can hurt productivity more than help

Pomodoro Tip: Noisy workplace? Pop in those headphones and tune into some light instrumental music! It’s super relaxing AND eliminates distractions.

Pomodoro Tip: If you work in an office or a cubicle, put up a Pomodoro Sign displaying when you’ll be available again (unless it’s an emergency!) to eliminate distraction.

Pomodoro Tip: If you’re interrupted by something that cannot wait—no worries! Just end your Pomodoro, take a break and jump right back into it when you’re able.