I learnt a new word and a new technique recently. Pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato. Pomodoro technique is a time management tool to help to maximise concentration, minimise distractions to allow creativity to follow that helps in reading, writing, studying or working on a project.
I have often wondered why is the kitchen timer often in the shape of a tomato ? Beside being inside a kitchen for timing purpose, I thought it is a vegetable and a fruit and therefore it is selected and very likely because it is round and symmetrical in shape. A tomato is very refreshing and bright colour, very appertising and healthy as a food. And yet, behind this Tomato timer is a tool, a story and a name too.
This is a Pomodoro Timer. It is more than just making sure our baking or cooking is the right amount of time. It has a 25 minutes limit helping us to keep time at every 25 minutes cycle. People used it to help them to complete complicated tasks and do them in 25 minutes block of time.
This is the book written by Francesco Cirillo about this Time Management using the Pomodoro Technique he came up with during his studying days.
The technique or method is quite simple. First, we set the timer to 25 minutes, within that 25 minutes, there shall be no distractions of whatsoever, be it phone, messages, internet or talking unless it is a group Pomodoro time for brain-storming. At the end of the 25 minutes and timer goes off, it is time to stop thinking or reading or writing and take a 5 minutes break. This way, the mind will be kept fresh and concentrated. Creativity is able to flow continuously and productivity will increase. Every 25 minutes task is one n cycle, if a task needs longer than one cycle, we could calculate how many n cycles this will take to complete.
This mind map explains the Pomodoro concept really well.
The Rules :-
1) Assign or decide on a task
2) Block all interruptions
3) Set the timer and start work on the task
The Tasks can be :-
Studying a paper, topical revision, concept write up, making a mind map, planning, tender documents, project management, project blockage, writing an essay, press release, preparing a speech, story writing, problem solving, innovation thinking, creative thinking and many more.
At the end of the Pomodoro time, check on your work if it is really completed or need more time or additional Pomodoro time. Just add to it and take note in future your realistic time needed to complete certain tasks. You could aim to improve the speed by comparing in the future.
It is also very important that at the end of the 25 minutes interval, you reward yourself with a 5 minutes break. For every four Pomodoro time intervals, have a longer break.
This method helps those who procastinate, has a huge task at hand and do not know how to start.
http://pomodorotechnique.com/get-started/
