Over 2 million people have already used the Pomodoro Technique to transform their lives, making them more productive, more focused and even smarter.
For many people, time is an enemy. We race against the clock to finish assignments and meet deadlines. The Pomodoro Technique teaches you to work with time, instead of struggling against it. A revolutionary time management system, it is at once deceptively simple to learn and life-changing to use.
The core process of the Pomodoro Technique consists of 6 steps:
Something big, something small, something you’ve been putting off for a million years: it doesn’t matter. What matters is that it’s something that deserves your full, undivided attention.
Make a small oath to yourself: I will spend 25 minutes on this task and I will not interrupt myself. You can do it! After all, it’s just 25 minutes.
Immerse yourself in the task for the next 25 minutes. If you suddenly realize you have something else you need to do, write the task down on a sheet of paper.
Congratulations! You’ve spent an entire, interruption-less Pomodoro on a task.
Breathe, meditate, grab a cup of coffee, go for a short walk or do something else relaxing (i.e., not work-related). Your brain will thank you later.
Once you’ve completed four pomodoros, you can take a longer break. 20 minutes is good. Or 30. Your brain will use this time to assimilate new information and rest before the next round of Pomodoros.
Learn how to work together with time, eliminate burnout, manage distractions and create a better work–life balance, using only a pen, some paper and a kitchen timer.
The Pomodoro Technique book is organised into six incremental goals. The objectives should be achieved in the order in which they are given here:
Ever wonder where all your time goes? Wonder no more: it’s all on the page. Your Pomodoro To-Do sheet is a visual overview of the time you’ve spent on various tasks.
Usually, you can afford to take 25 minutes before calling back a friend or replying to an email. You’ll learn how to handle the inevitable interruption while staying focused on the task at hand.
Once you’ve gotten the hang of the technique, you’ll be able to accurately predict how many Pomodoros it will take to accomplish tomorrow’s -- or next month’s -- tasks.
While the contours of the Pomodoro are set, what you do within them can be adjusted to maximize efficiency. One way to make a Pomodoro more effective is to use the first few minutes to review what you’ve done before. Other methods are discussed in the book.
A timetable sets a limit, motivating you to complete a task within a set period of time. It also delineates your work time from your free time. Creating a clear timetable will allow you to enjoy your time off without worrying that you could be doing more work.
The Pomodoro Technique is a tool you can use to reach your own objectives. For example, a writer might realize he’s spending too much time revising, and adjust his Pomodoro timetable to allow for more brainstorming time.
Read how other people won their challenge with time by applying the Pomodoro Technique.
No more mistakes due to lack of concentration.
No more wrong estimates, rework, stress and overtime.
No more long, exhausting and useless meetings.
No more wrong estimates on complex, undefined and uncertain tasks.
No more lack of confidence, lack of responsibility and lack of trust between team members.
No more work under pressure.
No more tensions between team members.
No more fear of being accountable.
No more missed deadlines and costly delays.
No more doubts about what to do, who has to do what and when something will be done.
No more bottlenecks and interruptions.
No more frictions between team members.
No more complex, unmanageable and unreachable goals.
No more thousands of instant messages, emails and calls interrupting your work flow.
Do you want to know more about the Pomodoro Technique