Wouldn’t we all like to be more productive? The more productive you are, the better your results will be which means greater career success!
Whether you’re always trying to improve your productivity or you’re not really one for productivity hacks and tricks, you at least need to give this productivity hack a go. Many professionals have already tried it and found their productivity and focus increasing as a result. So why not give it a try?
Introducing the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that helps you to make the most of the time you have. It works be breaking your day into 25-minute work intervals with five-minute breaks in between. Your 25-minute work sessions are referred to as pomodoros and you should complete around four pomodoros before giving yourself a longer break (usually around 15-20 minutes).
It instils a sense of urgency
By giving yourself relatively short working sessions, you will continuously be working to a deadline and instilling a sense of urgency when completing your tasks. You’ll no longer be able to tell yourself, I have a whole work day to get this task done, and you’ll be less likely to get distracted as a result.
It prevents burn-out
On top of this, taking a lot of short breaks will help to keep you from burning out. Working continuously and not taking enough breaks actually has a detrimental effect on your productivity, so you should definitely be taking some time away from your computer to recharge and refresh.
NEWSFLASH: Working less helps you achieve more
If you’re the type of person that works solidly for four hours without as much as a coffee break, you may be feeling sceptical about how introducing a lot of seemingly pointless breaks will actually improve your productivity.
While the method may seem unnatural to you at first, do force yourself to stick to your timings. If you give it a chance, you’ll soon get into the swing of things and start to feel the benefits. You will be focused, you will be more productive and you will be trying to get as much done in your 25-minute intervals as possible. You’ll find yourself multi-tasking and procrastinating less (goodbye Facebook) and you’ll be able to totally zone in on the one task you are working on.
You’ll feel better too
Do you often get to the end of the working day and feel tired and brain frazzled. The pomodoro technique will leave you feeling much better, less stressed and less bleary-eyed. You’ll also feel great for having achieved so much.
The Drawback
The one area where the Pomodoro Technique may not fit into your working day is when you have scheduled meetings or client visits. Popping out for a break after 25-minutes may not go down well with your manager or clients.
However, when you do have time to manage yourself you can definitely still use this method. Even if it’s only for half of your working day you’ll be able to see the benefits.
Bringing it all together
The Pomodoro Technique is a tried and tested method that can help the vast majority of professionals to improve their productivity. Give it a try and see how you get on.
TOP TIP: If you’re putting this technique into practice but don’t want to spend your entire day clock-watching, you can download a Pomodoro Timer on your phone.